Invitation to Pentecost
On Pentecost Sunday, May 23, members and supporters of the Rainbow Sash Movement ( RSM ) will be entering Holy Name Cathedral and attending the 11 a.m. liturgy. As is our tradition, we will put rainbow sashes on when the liturgy begins. The rainbow sash identifies us LGBT people and our allies.
Participation does not require membership in the Rainbow Sash Movement or that you need to be of the Catholic faith.
Some in the church attribute the wearing of the sash as a form of religious polemic. RSM believes there is a deeper meaning to the wearing of the rainbow sash beyond confrontation. Instead, it is a direct attempt to have RSM and the bishops face each other and attempt to clarify a misunderstanding based on homophobic notions. Clarification, not confrontation, is at issue when RSM members wear sashes at Holy Name Cathedral. This is done in the absence of any structures for quiet, peaceful discussions with ecclesiastical authorities. What else are we to do—remain invisible?
We can no longer bury our heads and remain silent on this matter, nor can we promote the ideal that, somehow, our own spiritual comfort is more important than civil rights of the LGBT community. Nor will we remain invisible in order to receive communion. Is "passing"—or working on the assumption that others will assume I am straight—grounded in fear or love?
I think this kind of camouflage in the church is fundamentally dishonest. It's just as dishonest as Cardinal George promoting the idea that archdiocesan outreach ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics who attend mass at Our Lady of Mt Carmel are celibate. I was taught that one of the key attributes of God is truth.
It is our firm belief that justice, not homophobia, must flow from the sacred liturgy.
Pentecost is the birthday of the Universal Church; it is a time to celebrate our diversity as a people of faith with honesty. All are welcome to join us at the 11 a.m. mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 23, whether you're Catholic or non-Catholic, gay or straight.
If you are interested in joining us and wish to reserve a Rainbow Sash please call 312-266-0182, or e-mail us at Contact@RainbowSashMovement.Com, or visit our web page at www.rainbowsashmovement.com .
Joe Murray
Chicago
Targeting the board
The manner in which Howard Brown has handled the recent fiasco of its alleged malfeasance is an insult to our community. The arrogance of the agency board is unacceptable and should be addressed in greater detail by community activists in the very near future. However, my concern is with the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to make the agency a viable and productive entity, both in terms of the needs that are being met and the heritage that has been created. As a disclaimer, I am not ( and have not been ) a client of Howard Brown nor do I know anyone that works or volunteers within the organization. I would imagine the staff is there not because of the stellar salary and the person who gives of their time to sort through donated clothing is doing it not for the recognition and the glory but rather for a belief and a challenge. As a community, we should not lose sight of the mission these individuals undertake on a daily basis.
Nonetheless, Howard Brown, as an agency, is not without fault. Once all the appropriate "housecleaning" has taken place, we don't need a press release issued by a public-relations firm to tell us that all is well again. We don't need an apology. We need the board to have its PR firm draft a board member application targeted to community members who would serve the board as advocates,and consumers. ( And this doesn't mean the appointment of a "token" community board member who gets paraded with the poodle at the annual black tie event. ) Too many junior execs and law partners answering to the mirror doesn't do much for community ownership
I recently received an invite to attend a Howard Brown function. I was tempted to call MY public-relations firm ( actually, an ad agency ) to respond in a manner both "transparently" and " cautiously." Instead, I reluctantly responded. We have to keep sight of the staff, the clients and the volunteers—but the boardroom is open game.
Gregory J. Lindeman
Chicago
