Rainbow sash-wearers prohibited from receiving

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Great Article. Thanks!

I’m happy about the Archdiocese policy. Protests of this nature should not be brought into the church. Rather disrespectful.
 
The archdiocesan statement calls the sashes “signs of protest” from a group “dissenting from the church’s teaching on sexuality.”
Thank God!
 
I do love it when a bishop demonstrates a little spine-calcium!
 
Wow…I like this Archbishop! 👍

Here is a copy of the letter he sent to a rainbow sasher, as posted on The Progressive Catholic Voice…bolding mine.
theprogressivecatholicvoice.blogspot.com/2009/05/archbishop-nienstedt-responds-to.html
Dear Brian,
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I write to acknowledge your letter of May 10, 2009, alerting me to the fact that you and some fellow protesters will be wearing rainbow sashes at the noon Mass on Pentecost in the Cathedral of St. Paul. I ask you to refrain from such a public act of dissent, especially as it so clearly shows disrespect and irreverence for the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
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Anyone wearing a “rainbow sash” will not be permitted to receive Holy Communion, since their dissent is a sign that they have publicly broken communion with the Church’s teaching. I also ask that those not wearing the sashes refrain from sharing the Holy Eucharist with those who do. Such an action is unbecoming the dignity of the sacrament.
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With regard to the dialogue you request, it would first be essential that you state clearly that you hold with the conviction all that the Church teaches on matters of human sexuality. If you do not believe, then there cannot be dialogue, but only debate. The truths of our faith are not open to debate.
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Again, I hope you will see how disruptive your planned protest will be for those who will gather on Pentecost to pray. I ask you to refrain from being the cause of such disruption.
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Sincerely yours in Christ,
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The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
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“If you do not believe, then there cannot be dialogue, but only debate.” 👍

I think I’ve seen such debates in online fora somewhere… 😛
 
rlg94086 said:
Wow…I like this Archbishop! 👍

Here is a copy of the letter he sent to a rainbow sasher, as posted on The Progressive Catholic Voice…bolding mine.
theprogressivecatholicvoice.blogspot.com/2009/05/archbishop-nienstedt-responds-to.html

“If you do not believe, then there cannot be dialogue, but only debate.” 👍

I think I’ve seen such debates in online fora somewhere… 😛
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As have I. LOL

I don’t think the letter needs a commentary. It says it all very clearly and very politely. No one can claim that the Church is using bully tactics.

Congrats to the bishop.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
As have I. LOL

I don’t think the letter needs a commentary. ** It says it all very clearly and very politely.** No one can claim that the Church is using bully tactics.

Congrats to the bishop.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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I agree. It was well written - short, respectful and to the point. 👍
 
rlg94086 said:
I agree. It was well written - short, respectful and to the point. 👍
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agreed. if every bishop around the globe had this much courage and tact the Church wouldnt have 1% the problems it does now.
 
Cardinal George said the same thing in Chicago: No political protests during Mass.
 
JamesStephan said:
And so what happened???
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Well, I doubt if there will be anything in the press, but here is Brian McNeill’s take on it…
rainbowsashallianceusa.ipower.com/Pentecost2009report.htm
The Rainbow Sash in St. Paul, MN, Pentecost, 2009
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        About 30 people attended the noon Mass at the Cathedral of St Paul wearing the Rainbow Sash this year.  The day was warm, windy, and bright under a cloudless, blue sky.  In the yards along Summit Avenue the iris were blooming, adding a luster to the glorious spring day.
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        After greeting one another on the sidewalk outside the cathedral, and helping each other put on the sash, we joined the rest of the Cathedral parish community for worship.  Things proceeded as usual until we hit the second reading, which was taken from Galatians 5:16-25.  Having been through this Pentecost Mass at the Cathedral for the eight previous years this struck me as a little unusual.  I didn’t remember that reading being used in the past for any of the Pentecost liturgies.
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        The presider for the Mass, Fr. James Adams, focused his homily on this reading from Galatians, which is best known for its listing of the works of the flesh: “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.”  The works of the flesh are contrasted, by Paul, to the fruits of the Spirit:  “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  Fr. Adams disarmingly made the point that anyone who reads these lists knows immediately.  Neither he nor anyone is completely free of the works for the flesh, and all of us are struggling to manifest more perfectly the fruits of the Spirit.  The main point of his homily was that if we work at mortifying the flesh, then we will earn the fruits of the Spirit.
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        The rest of the Mass proceeded in the usual way until just before the distribution of communion.  At this point Fr. Adams read a prepared statement that began by noting that Eucharist is the most sacred action of the Church.  He stated that those wearing the Rainbow Sash were guilty of a grave error by expressing public dissent with a central Church teaching that human sexuality can only be expressed in the context of heterosexual marriage.  He then referenced the reading from Galatians, noting that dissension was a work of the flesh which Galatians condemned.
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Of course, that isn’t enough…he goes on to say
Now that Pentecost is over, I think it is fair to ask the question who disrupted the noon liturgy? Was it the thirty people who quietly and prayerfully were present as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Catholics? Or was it Archbishop Nienstedt and Fr. Adams who chose the Galatians text for the specific purpose of bearing false witness against us? Who intentionally manipulated the lectionary for their sectarian and political purposes, to make their point, and discredit the wearers of the Rainbow Sash as disruptive protesters?
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I checked out his claim regarding “manipulating the lectionary.” It is not true: usccb.org/nab/readings/053109b.shtml

There were two choices of readings. Mr. McNeill is bearing false witness against the Archbishop and priest. Of course, I’m not surprised by that.
 
God bless this wonderful bishop for upholding the truths of our faith!👍
 
A few friends and were talking about what we would do.

It came do to this.

Come to the Cathedral dressed as Arius, Luther and Henry VIII. Set up a table with a sign declaring today to be “Come Dressed As Your Favorite Heretic Day!”

Give the rainbow sashers a trophy for “Best Costume”.
 
Brendan said:
A few friends and were talking about what we would do.

It came do to this.

Come to the Cathedral dressed as Arius, Luther and Henry VIII. Set up a table with a sign declaring today to be “Come Dressed As Your Favorite Heretic Day!”

Give the rainbow sashers a trophy for “Best Costume”.
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Even the Holy See would agree that there is a difference between the heretics of the reformation churches and these people.

The heretics were denying dogma. These people are struggling with a moral teaching. There is a theological and pastoral difference.

It does not make their position right. But the Church and Church law does not treat it the same way. The Church treats these people with an openess and hope for understanding on their part of the moral issue at hand and of the Church’s position as one of fidelity, not cruelty. The heretics did not see the Church as one having a different moral position. They saw the Church as teaching falsehoods about the very nature Christ and the nature of the Church. These people are not calling into question the nature of Christ and the nature of the Church. They have a very defensive perspective on this issue, because they are emotionally involved in it.

Sometimes we have to help people separate their emtions from reason so that they can discuss something more clearly. But to do so, we have to separate our emotions and reason to do the same.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Brendan said:
A few friends and were talking about what we would do.

It came do to this.

Come to the Cathedral dressed as Arius, Luther and Henry VIII. Set up a table with a sign declaring today to be “Come Dressed As Your Favorite Heretic Day!”

Give the rainbow sashers a trophy for “Best Costume”.
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That is a creative approach for handling the situation. It certainly is better than what happened in 2004 at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

Archbishop Flynn had made a public statement saying he would allow rainbow sash wearers to receive communion. So two counter-protest groups formed. One remained on the steps of the Cathedral, praying the Rosary. The other group, which called themselves “Ushers of the Eucharist” sat around the rainbow sash contingent. When communion begain, the 35 members of the Ushers of the Eucharist knelt down across the main aisle, blocking it so no one could pass. An announcement was made on the PA for everyone to use the side aisles, but the rainbow sash wearers, and some others in the congregation forced their way over and through the men who were kneeling and praying in the main aisle. Apparently it was quite a commotion.

Archbishop Flynn changed his mind the next year and refused the rainbow sash wearers communion.
 
More power to the Bishop. Now as long as he doesn’t complain IN THE EVENT some folks decided to vote with there feet I have no objections.
 
The response by Brian McNeill is ridiculous! We had the Galatians reading at our parish, it’s one of the readings for the day. He makes it sound like the wrong readings were given.
 
cyberwolf001 said:
More power to the Bishop. Now as long as he doesn’t complain IN THE EVENT some folks decided to vote with there feet I have no objections.
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I’m sure the Archbishop and Catholics everywhere are relieved that you have no objections. 😉 😛

Seriously though, there are a few options for people when confronted with Truth they don’t like - leave, stay because you understand and accept, stay and spread heresy, stay and accept even though you don’t yet understand. Most of us would much rather someone leave than stay and spread heresy. We will still be sad, because we don’t want to see anyone potentially lose their soul, but it is their choice.
 
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