Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-02-22
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Cardinal attends AGLO, refuses communion to Rainbow Sash leader
Video links below
by Tracy Baim, Windy City Times
2013-06-16

This article shared 30247 times since Sun Jun 16, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Chicago's Archbishop Francis Cardinal George refused communion to gay activist Joe Murray, who wore a rainbow sash during George's appearance at the 25th anniversary of the Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach Sunday, June 16.

About 25 LGBTs and allies protested outside of AGLO's Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 708 W. Belmont. They could be heard shouting outside during Mass, and cars honking in support were also a frequent sound heard during the service.

The protest was organized by the Rainbow Sash Movement and the Gay Liberation Network. Murray is the founder and executive director of the U.S. Rainbow Sash Movement. While several others took rainbow sashes from Murray ahead of Mass, no one else protested inside.

Murray stood up with his back to Cardinal George during parts of the Mass, and then he went up with the estimated 200 others in attendance to receive communion. George refused him, and Murray walked away with his hands open and empty, showing the congregants that he had been denied.

But in an emotional show of solidarity, Brenna C. Cronin, who had already received her communion as part of the church choir, went back up and took another communion wafer (called a Host) and brought it to Murray herself.

"One of my brothers, a member of my community, who is a full and equal member of the body of Christ, was denied communion. So I got back in line and I brought him communion, as I would for anyone else," Cronin told Windy City Times after the Mass. Cronin, who is a lesbian, has been involved with AGLO for two years and is also a cantor.

"I was denied communion by the Cardinal," Murray said after. "I turned to Christ, I walked back open handed, and showed the community that I was denied communion, and Christ, in his mercy, sent me a priest [Cronin] to give me communion."

"It was the individuals who witnessed the Cardinal not giving me communion that were really stunned," Murray said. "They reached and grabbed me as I returned to my pew after being judged by the Cardinal to be a sinner not worthy of any compassion, and told me of their support. I could hear the horns blowing supporting the outside demonstration, could hear the chanting of my brothers and sisters in the GLN outside of the church, and that also gave me courage. But my guardian angels where the women who seemed to get what I was doing; the men felt threatened and showed that … . I think most people were stunned that [they] witnessed this happen—not by my presence, but by the AGLO reaction to that presence."

AGLO refused any recording or photographing of the service, though they have allowed this in the past. In fact, they made this request through on-duty police officers who were in the church in response to the protests of the Mass.

Murray said he heard from one AGLO board member that they thought members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were expected to be at the protest (they did not attend). That AGLO member reportedly told Murray he would direct physical violence against them if they showed.

The service did not address any issues of marriage equality. It was called a "Mass of Thanksgiving" and was focused on the alleged prostitute Mary Magdalene, and Jesus's love and support of her.

After the service, the Cardinal greeted people at the back of the church, where the screams of protest outside could be heard. Some activists did go in and called out his bigotry on marriage equality, and they were asked to leave.

George then met with congregants for a reception, and helped cut a cake for AGLO's 25th anniversary.

Asked by this reporter to comment about marriage equality, George said "What is that?" Asked again, he responded: "This is a celebration of AGLO that gives people the spiritual help they need ... that's why I'm here." Asked a third time about marriage equality, he laughed, and said, "That subject has been talked about a lot. This occasion is to celebrate this group. Which is a good group."

Outside of the church, there were strong interactions between some AGLO members and protesters, and against their fellow AGLO members who showed support for Murray.

"Then there was crazed individual who kept shouting out for me to sit down when I stood up to turn my back on the Cardinal while he gave his hypocritical message of love," Murray said. "After Mass same individual began bullying the women who had the courage show me support, like the individual who brought me Holy Communion. She gave me strength, and courage. All the while this bullying was going all the board members just watched and smiled. I am not angry just very sad it has come to this type of bullying behavior in God's house of prayer where all people should be welcome."

AGLO was formed 25 years ago when Cardinal Bernardin forced a split in the local Catholic LGBT community. He offered the existing group Dignity a choice of how to worship in a take-it-or-leave-it approach. Bernardin formed AGLO out of the Archdiocese, and Dignity went in its own direction. AGLO is made of largely of older white males, but it also has some lesbian and straight members, and a small participation of racial minorities.

Awards were presented during the service to Father Pat Lee and long-time AGLO member Jim Lux.

In advance of the Mass, GLN and RSM issued a press release stating: "The Cardinal in his most recent column in the Chicago Catholic New World indicates in the first two paragraphs that he wants to take part in public conversation about gay marriage but closes off further discussion when he says that the subject is closed by reason of Jesus' statements about marriage in Matthew's Gospel. We doubt the Cardinal's sincerity in this matter. He follows up by congratulating those who successfully urged Illinois legislators recently to give no consideration to a bill allowing same-sex marriage in the state. ... Clearly he does not agree with the concept of separation of Church and State when it comes to marriage."

"Our message to the Cardinal is simple: hate is easy, love takes courage, and the kind of faith based bigotry he promotes is not welcome in Chicago's LGBT Community," Murray said. "This visit is especially poignant since it takes place during June which is the month our community celebrates Gay Pride.

"Cardinal George continues to be a bigot and those who passively support him

and do not speak out about this vile homophobia are as much part of the

problem as the Cardinal."

Videos by Tracy Baim:

Cardinal George at AGLO 25th, June 16, 2013, PART 1, protesters

Cardinal George at AGLO 25th, June 16, 2013, PART 2 Brenna C. Cronin and Joe Murray

Cardinal George at AGLO 25th, June 16, 2013, PART 3 Cardinal George asked about marriage equality

Cardinal George at AGLO 25th, June 16, 2013, PART 4 Cardinal George cuts AGLO 25th anniversary cake



This article shared 30247 times since Sun Jun 16, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

US Bishops' statement limits trans health care in Catholic health care facilities, DignityUSA responds
2023-03-22
--From a DignityUSA press release - On March 20, 2023, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine released a policy statement on how Catholic medical institutions should treat transgender and nonbinary people. Entitled "Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to ...


Gay News

WORLD German bishops, trans woman's death, Hungary, human-rights event
2023-03-18
Germany's Catholic bishops voted (38 to nine, with 11 abstentions) to adopt formal ceremonies for the blessing of same-sex relationships, defying the Vatican and testing church unity on what has become one of the most contentious ...


Gay News

Protest held outside New Life Covenant Church over alleged anti-LGBTQ practices
2023-03-13
Now-former New Life Covenant Church parishioner Rosaly Andino, who is a lesbian, and her allies gathered across the street from the church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood March 12 to protest alleged anti-LGBTQ practices by Pastor David Marrero. ...


Gay News

Patriarch Kirill: Darth Putin's Altar Boy
2023-03-01
Christianity—based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who preached love as the most important expression of religion—has often been co-opted and distorted to support wars, persecutions and ...


Gay News

HRC condemns North Dakota House for latest "Slate of Hate" targeting trans, non-binary people
2023-02-22
--From a press release - Bismarck, ND - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, denounced members of the North Dakota House for ...


Gay News

WORLD Church of England, Japanese officials, Hong Kong ruling, drag kings
2023-02-11
The Church of England has voted to bless same-sex marriages for the first time in its history; however, its ban on conducting ceremonies will stay in place, PinkNews reported. It was approved after a six-year consultation ...


Gay News

Pope criticizes anti-gay laws after Africa trip
2023-02-07
On Feb. 5, Pope Francis—along with the head of the Anglican Communion and top Presbyterian minister—denounced the criminalization of homosexuality and said churches should welcome gay people, Time reported. The ...


Gay News

Lesbian Singles Over 45 event Feb. 11
2023-02-03
--From a press release - Queer Ministries of Lincoln United Methodist Church (LUMC) is hosting the 1st Annual Lesbian Singles Event Over 45 on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.Lincoln United Methodist Church Community Center located a ...


Gay News

Pope says being gay no crime, cites anti-LGBTQ laws in 70 countries. LGBTQ leaders respond
2023-01-25
--From press releases - (January 25, 2023) — Pope Francis called laws that criminalize same-sex relationships "unjust," stating that "being homosexual is not a crime" in an interview with the Associated Press today. The Pope also called for the Roman ...


Gay News

Des Plaines Theater cancels anti-LGBTQ hate group event after outcry from citizens
2023-01-20
DuPage County-based Awake Illinois was set to hold an event called "Out of the Echo Chamber: Coalition for Kids" at the city-owned, but not city-operated, Des Plaines Theatre Wednesday, Feb. 8. This event has now been ...


Gay News

Letter to the Editor: Pope Benedict XVI passes away
2023-01-02
The Rainbow Sash Movement mourns the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Dec. 31 in the Vatican. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, known most recently as the pontiff who renounced the papacy—but who was situated squarely ...


Gay News

Dignity USA: LGBTQ+ Catholics recall Pope Benedict XVI's reign as causing LGBTQ+s tremendous damage
2022-12-31
-- From a press release - Dec. 31, 2022. The passing of former Pope Benedict XVI "marks what is, hopefully, the end of a long, painful era for LGBTQIA+ Catholics, our families, and the entire church," said Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director of ...


Gay News

In memoriam: LGBTQ community obituaries 2022
2022-12-27
The LGBTQ community lost many members in 2022, including at least 35 people in incidents of hate violence against individual transgender people and against patrons of the Club Q bar in Colorado. Here are other memorable ...


Gay News

LGBTs nine times more likely than non-LGBTe to be victims of violent hate crimes
2022-12-21
-- From a Williams Institute press release - About one out of 10 violent victimizations against LGBT people are hate crimes, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. LGBT people are nine times more likely than non-LGBT ...


Gay News

Billy Masters: Redford won't follow Babs back to the well, and all the dish you need
2022-12-19
"These gays — they're trying to murder me!" — Jennifer Coolidge's character, Tanya, on The White Lotus finale. Here's a headline that grabbed me: "Florida man busted for public sex with dog, wrecking church nativity scene". ...


 




Copyright © 2023 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives. Single copies of back issues in print form are
available for $4 per issue, older than one month for $6 if available,
by check to the mailing address listed below.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.
All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transegender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.