Minneapolis parish ordered: No gay prayer service at church

[Dale_M]

Twin Cities Archbishop John Neinstedt has directed a parish in Minneapolis that it cannot host its annual gay pride prayer service at the church or on any other church property.

According to the archdiocese spokesman, gay rights advocates and an official at St. Joan of Arc Church in south Minneapolis, the prayer service set for Wednesday will now be characterized as a “peace service.”

Spokesman Dennis McGrath said his archdiocese was alerted to the GLBT service by callers and e-mailers, and he brought it to Neinstedt’s attention.

“[The archbishop] didn’t overreact,” McGrath said today. "He said, ‘Tell them they can’t hold that on church property.’ "

Once told of the archbishop’s directive, McGrath said, the parish decided to change the service’s theme to peace. McGrath said he urged the parish to hold true to the message of peace and not “make it a rose by any other name” and retain the service’s initial purpose.

startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/20740299.html?location_refer=Travel

 

[PapaSquash]

It looks like we know where the new Archbishop stands.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

Once told of the archbishop’s directive, McGrath said, the parish decided to change the service’s theme to peace. McGrath said he urged the parish to hold true to the message of peace and not “make it a rose by any other name” and retain the service’s initial purpose.

With this parish’s history, I doubt they will hold true to their word in the future. Sooner or later, this parish will have to be suppressed.

 

[mdgspencer]

I heard about problems at this parish 30 years ago, and this parish is still very rebellious. Hopefully, the new bishop will take care of it at last.

 

[nobeerinheaven]

I love to see the Holy Spirit in action like this.

 

[Steeltemplar]

Hopefully McGrath’s statement about holding true to the message of peace is a form of warning to this parish that the diocese is watching. It certainly sounds like it. In a diplomatic way, he seems to be saying “Don’t even think of trying to deceive us on this.”

It is difficult to know what to do with parishes like this one, I am sure. No doubt people who are at odds with the Church’s teachings see it as a gathering point. So does one close the parish down or try to clean it up?

A good Priest can do wonders. Sometimes I think that perhaps the Church should consider training a group of Priests specifically to bring renewal to problem parishes. Just a thought.

 

[Lance]

Three cheers for Archbishop John Neinstedt. I wish Chicago had a bishop like him.