|
Published: June 13, 2008
“A 100 percent chance we will not be in the parade”
San Francisco parishes won’t join this year’s “gay pride” march, but Most Holy Redeemer will have beverage booth
Two parishes with a history of openly participating in San Francisco’s annual “gay pride” parade will not be joining the spectacle this year after the city’s archbishop requested that they desist and because, according to their pastors, interest among parishioners has faded.
 Fr. Steve Meriwether, pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Church in San Francisco’s predominantly homosexual Castro District, said parishioners chose not to participate of their own volition. “It is really just our response to… well, we’re tired of the hate mail,” he said. “The parishioners see their participation in the parade as an evangelical outreach, but they don’t enjoy being called nasty names either. This wasn’t because of any request from the archdiocese.”
But Maurice Healy, director of archdiocesan communications, said the chancery did request that Most Holy Redeemer stay out of this year’s “Pride Weekend,” including the annual parade. “It was probably a combination of that and the archdiocese talking to them,” said Healy, when told that Fr. Meriwether had insisted parishioners made the decision not to participate. “At the parish level and the archdiocesan level, it probably was felt that it was a good idea.”
The June 1 Most Holy Redeemer bulletin, however, indicates the parish will participate in the weekend’s events by sponsoring a beverage booth near San Francisco’s Civic Center, next to the main stage, on Saturday, June 28. Members of MHR’s AIDS Support Group will staff the booth. “There’s a 100 percent chance we will not be in the parade this year, but the AIDS Support Group will have a beverage booth to raise funds for AIDS services,” said Robert Pementell, director of the group.
“It’s a fundraising booth,” said Fr. Meriwether. “They’re assigned for Saturday, which is not actually the day of the parade, but the day before.” The booth, said Fr. Meriwether, will show sponsorship by Most Holy Redeemer with a sign. “It’ll probably say, ‘MHR AIDS Support Group.’”
 Most Holy Redeemer is not the only San Francisco parish that has participated in the annual “gay pride” events. St. Agnes, a nearby parish located on Masonic Street in the Haight Ashbury District, has also been involved as well. Its pastor, Jesuit Superior Fr. J. Cameron Ayers, said his parish will not participate this year either. “We just haven’t had the same level of interest from our parishioners that we had a few years ago,” said Fr. Ayers. “There was no order given to me from the archdiocese, but I can’t speak for other parishes.”
Father Meriwether’s parish has been under intense scrutiny and criticism since Archbishop George Niederauer gave Communion last October to two members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of transvestites who dress as nuns. After the story drew national attention with an accompanying video of the event widely distributed on the Internet, Most Holy Redeemer implemented a policy of prohibiting all cameras and video equipment in the church unless given prior approval.
Fr. Meriwether says the decision was made on the advice of legal counsel. “They told us that if we could find out who had taken the pictures, then parishioners who were outraged at having their pictures taken and published could sue. So we’re liable as well,” he said.
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 5:35 AM By Fr. M.P.
"Tired of the hate mail?" It reminds me of the parable of the widow who was not receiving justice, and pestered the evil judge until he finally gave in. (Luke 18:1-8) So sufficient pestering seems to be what it takes to stop those condoners of evil. Perhaps some repent posters, and flyers for Courage. It's no surprise that cameras are no longer allowed in MHR so that evidence may not be gathered. Evil likes to work in the dark.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 6:55 AM By Allyson Smith
Thanks be to God for those who have investigated and photographed the perverse shenanigans occurring at MHR. All Catholics should have the right to go into any parish and video anything they choose, especially when a parish so routinely and deeply offends and blasphemes our Lord. If not for those who investigated MHR and brought its perverted blasphemies to national attention, they would no doubt still be occurring.
If homosexuals are so "proud" of their activities, then they shouldn't have any problem with people filming them. (They certainly don't have a problem with that at Folsom Street Fair!)
And why should MHR homosexuals feel they have the right to sue others, when they brought the scrutiny upon themselves by their actions? Perhaps faithful Catholics should sue MHR, the San Francisco archdiocese, and even Cardinal Levada for having allowed the mockery and desecrations to take place for so many years, until they were finally widely exposed.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 6:57 AM By Lisa T.
Fr. Meriwether: "They told us that if we could find out who had taken the pictures, then parishioners who were outraged at having their pictures taken and published could sue.**************HA, WHAT A BUNCH OF MALARKY! CALIFORNIA CATHOLICS SHOULD UNITE AND TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FR. MERIWETHER FOR ALLOWING THE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGANCE TO FILM THEIR REVIVAL BINGO PROMOTIONAL VIDEO IN THE PARISH (Ellard Hall) HALL! Look up Revival Bingo on You Tube to see the sodomistic like activities, sex toys, DVD's, etc. There was probably parishioners in the Revival Bingo video, I bet they would never dream of suing the Sisters.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 8:27 AM By Timothy
"Fr." Cameron is pathetic. But given the fact he's a California Jesuit, his actions don't surprise me. Priests like him do more to mislead the faithful than teach the faithful their actual faith, and their faith, i.e., the Roman Catholic faith, doesn't teach dissent for the sake of supporting one of the most antagonistic fronts currently attacking our Church, viz., the gay community.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 8:43 AM By Papamac
One has to wonder how severe the warnings from the Vatican were, Levada must be on the hot seat to get his act and that of these so called Catholic Parishes cleaned up, you can bet your bubbies that Neiderauer did not do this on his own accord. Thank God the Catholic Church MAY not be subjected to more of this participation in the most filthy sodomite ritual honoring satan. MAY GOD BLESS
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 8:48 AM By June V
Just give me the good old days, when priests and laymen didn't think they could make the rules for the church. You go to different parishes and you never know what you are going to see. Takes the ONE out of One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.........the four marks of the one true Church.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 8:55 AM By Eileen
The parishioners of MHR parish see their participation in the gay pride parade as an evangelical outreach. The outreach that was taking place in their own church basement for bingo was anything but evangelical. There was plenty of opportunity to evangelize and let the SPI, (who MC'd and hosted the bingo) know that handing out porn tapes and sex toys as prizes, had nothing to do with serving God. The fact that this bingo was allowed and promoted until the publicity ended it, makes one wonder if that beverage booth will be serving large glasses of Kool-Aid.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 8:57 AM By Candid Camera
"MHR Implemented a polciy of prohibiting all cameras and video equipment ...."
So, we don't need to put our house in order, if Good Houskeeping isn't sending a photo crew? Balderdash. Close MHR and bring back St. Brigid's!
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 9:25 AM By Elizabeth
SO MANY EXCUSES!!!
BOGUS.
LET'S BE HONEST........THE ARCHDIOCESE FINALLY TOLD THEM TO CEASE AND DESIST!!!!!!!!!!!
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 10:32 AM By John
To June V: You are absolutly right! Please pray that our Bishops respond to the Holy Spirit through the anointing of our dear Pope Benedict. Can a Christian imagine a Jesuit priest telling a young homosexual man that his homosexuality was a gift from God making him more special that a straight person? Padlock the door at St Agnes and pray,pray and pray.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 11:24 AM By Ernie
Jesus ate with sinners and the pharisees were scandalized! What would he think of these hateful comments. Love one another as He loves us. Peace and Love of Christ be with everyone.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 12:27 PM By Grisha
John: Padlocking the door to the House of God is never the answer!
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 12:45 PM By Lisa T.
Ernie,
Please get your head out the clouds. It's true that Jesus ate with sinners but he also told people to go an sin no more not go and sin some more (hmmm, isn't there a Sister go and sin some more in the SPI?). MHR has gone over the top with their tolerance and inclusion mantra that I believe the only people who they think are sinners and who they won't tolerate and include in their all inclusive community are the ones who are following the church teachings on homosexuality.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 12:53 PM By James
Yes Jesus sat with sinners. Tell me this. What do you suppose he was telling them. Do you think He was talking about how happy the Father was with their sin. I would think He was telling them how their sins offends the very nature of God and that they need to leave their sin. Now, would that be hateful or Love, since Jesus did it out of understanding His very Being, which is Loving.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 1:05 PM By Rick DeLano
This is astoundingly good news.
I love the poster's citation of Luke 18 1-8.
Perfect!
Now let's try the same approach to assisting our Bishops in grasping the monumental importance of passing the constitutional amendment preserving marriage.
Once the pseudo-marriages begin, perhaps we will see more "Kern County" common sense emerge among our fellow citizens.
The trends seem to be encouraging.
Maybe the frogs aren't quite as boiled as the militant homosexual social engineers thought......................
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 1:06 PM By James
Ernie, are you implying that Jesus condones sodomy when you say, "Jesus ate with sinners"? If you are implying this then you just made the most "hateful comment" on the board. You may think you are being compassionate but in reality you are perpetuating the devil's work. We need holy and prayerful people to reach out and truly help those who imprisoned by their perverse sexual urges. Improper sex only leads to misery. Read Pope JP II's "Theology of the Body". True happiness in life is ONLY found in purity. Homosexuality leads only to misery and the the people involved in this "gay pride" parade are not helping the cause of Christ unless they are going there to convince people that the homosexual lifestyle is destructive.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 1:28 PM By Pax Christi
Ernie, Jesus also probably told the sinners in so many words to be the salt of the world and to not let the salt lose its taste through their sins, for then it would be good only to be thrown onto the ground and trodded upon. Speaking of salt, hopefully the blessed salt that Michael Brown at www.spiritdaily.com encouraged his readers to spread all over San Francisco is taking effect.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:02 PM By Fr. J
This is a good first step. Maybe they could set up a Courage booth along the parade route.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:25 PM By Thomas
Pax Christi, I have one problem, I'm on a low sodium diet!!
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:28 PM By john
Grisha: You are assuming that this is a House of God.The shepherds are feeding the sheep poison in response to Christ's command to feed the sheep. How pathetic is this?
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:30 PM By Lisa
Lisa T. You cannot sue the good sisters, they are a corporate SOUL!!
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:39 PM By Jimmy Mac
For those of you with one-track interests, this is just one of the things that is done by the parishioners of MHR:
From the AIDS Orphans Ministry
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of
God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
This year we enter the fourth year of MHR’s AIDS orphans ministry. Last year,
we collected over $15,000 that guaranteed the paid tuition of 15 students for four
years through the orphans project of the Sisters of St. Therese in Bukoba,
Tanzania. The tuition cost ranges from $200 - $500 depending on the school and
year of the student. By helping these young men and women complete secondary
school or vocational training, we help them support themselves as well as, in some
cases, younger brothers and sisters. Our parish’s prayers, meanwhile, offer
spiritual sustenance to these young people and also to the Sisters of St. Therese.
This month we are asking MHR parishioners to renew their commitment to
the girls and boys of Bukoba. Last year, we received donations from $5 to over
$1,000 and all of them led to our success. And, countless prayers were lifted up for
this ministry. This year we have 15 students who have asked for our help with
tuition needs for one year totaling $4,800. The students of Archbishop Riordan
High School raised over $1500 in March so we are well on our way to our goal.
Between now and the end of the calendar year, we will be working hard to reach
our goal. You will find an envelope in the bulletin and you can either give us your
contribution after Mass or mail it to the parish.
You can also make a donation of your time to the ministry, whether on an ongoing
basis or as an occasional volunteer or for a particular project. If you are
interested in learning more, please contact us as aidsinafrica@mhr.org, or watch
the bulletin for the announcement of our next meeting.
We are asking you to donate what you can and to continue to remember
the children of Bukoba, to pray for their health, for the well being and the health of
their surviving family, and for the souls of their parents. We also ask that you
pray for the Sisters of St. Therese and for the work they do with t
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 2:43 PM By John L. Sillasen
Grisha, "never say never", right?
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 3:00 PM By Richard
Just the fact that a Ctholic church is even CONSIDERING participating in a gay pride parade is sickening.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 3:22 PM By Grisha
John: 1) The Church is consecrated in accord with Canon law and 2) I've been to mass there several times. It is a Catholic church and therefore a House of God. If you want to worry about Ian Paisley's Free Prysbeterian Curch of Ulster in Belfast or Fred Phelp's Westboro Baptist Church oin Topika.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 5:00 PM By Lisa T.
Dear Jimmy Mac,
It's wonderful that MHR has a ministry which is raising funds for the AIDS Orphans, however, isnt counterproductive that MHR and other pro-homosexual organizations/groups/clubs are always raising money for different AIDS charities while at the same time most of the members who belong to these groups are engaging in the very same unhealthy sexual practices that lead to more cases of AIDS? And, I've noticed that the events which are held to raise money for these various AIDS charities are actually encouraging the homosexual sex such as the SPI Revival Bingo with their sex toy prize give-a-ways**********************************************************************
Wouldn't it be better if PROFESSED CHASTE HOMOSEXUALS from a church that isn't okay with the fact that most of their parishioners are probably engaging in acts that lead to more cases of AIDS to RAISE MONEY FOR AIDS CHARITIES? Can you imagine how people would react if drug dealers or drug addicts (proud to be drug dealers and drug addicts) were raising money for drug rehab centers by selling and using drugs? Or if alcoholics (who are proud to be alcoholics) were raising money for orphans of parents who died of alcoholism by selling more alcohol? Doesn't that sound crazy?
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 5:47 PM By James
Jimmy Mac, I'm glad you mentioned these wonerful things done by parishioners at MHR. We are all called to love others. Jesus says, "even the pagans do that". But the real call of Christ is to transform our lives, our minds and ways of thinking to that of God. This is how we truly love. It is also a great challenge. It is our only way to salvation however, in this world and in the world to come. Let us pray that we all truly become disciples of Christ, that means not only showing works of mercy but changing our hearts and minds to the teachings of His Church. If the parishioners of MHR are doing these works of mercy along with speaking out against and absolutely condemning immoral acts like homosexuality, then they are true models for us to follow. If not, then they need to be called to the carpet. Remember, always love the sinner, but abhor the sin with every totality of your being.
|
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 6:18 PM By John L. Sillasen
The government also donates a lot of money to poor people ... uh, I mean sells a lot of money to poor people. The point remains ever this, is the organization living the life of Christ?
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 5:32 AM By Gene Tullio
Pray! Pray! Pray! for our priests who have dropped their shepard staffs and put on wolves clothing.
Soon, the CHurch will be purified by fire as God restores His Church and prepares the world for the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
From an earthly point of view, all of this is way too little and way too late. The unity of Catholics, like Americans, is shattered. The Trojan Horse has been allowed into the citadel and they have been busy for decades wreaking havoc under the cover of darkness.
Now, all we can do is pray over the bones of what is left of the Catholic Church in the USA after being led by such a weak group of shepards.
However, we know two things: First, the gates of hell will not prevail and second, in the end, a Pope will consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and a period of peace will be given to mankind.
"Be not deceived. God is not mocked" Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 8:28 AM By Grisha
Lisa T: You write "most of their parishioners are probably engaging in acts that lead to more cases of AIDS" I'm taken that when someone here made an assumption about his personal experience with NFP Christopher responded "because it's not for common consumption. I've never said anything about that aspect of our life to anyone at any time, and I'm not going to start now." PRETEND THERE IS A NEW PARAGRAPH HERE. As in other parishs (including mine I'm sure) the folks at MHR are gay, straight, and bisexual. Some are monogamous, some are celibate (by choice or circumstance) and I imagine some are quite promiscuous. Approaching a fellow Child of God for the first time with assumptions about his or her sex life is not a very good way to express the love of God and the fellwship of the Holy Sprit.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 9:17 AM By Angel
Lisa T., you stated that very well. There is no need to participate in events which promote evil, in order to do good.
For sure there are other events that can be done to raise monies for the ill. Participating in Gay parades to raise monies indirectly promotes and gives the ok for those satanic activities.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:46 AM By Lisa T.
Grisha,
The assumptions I have about MHR are based on numerous photos and a couple of videos of events I've seen and news articles and others peoples research such as Fr. Godfrey's Gays and Grays: The Story of the Inclusion of the Gay Community at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish” by Fr. Donal Godfrey, SJ. A quote from Gays and Grays***** “It started to dawn on me how gay it (MHR) was only after I started going there—you know the whole social thing, they are looking for boyfriends!” Jeff Ferris, quoted, p140.******I believe most of the MHR congregation are Gay, straights are in the minority (There are maybe five of six children in the whole congregation, and the children who are there may not have straight parents). I believe most (not all) are sexually active. If the majority of MHR parishioners were Chaste or at least striving to be chaste and believed in the church teaching on homosexuality they would have the largest Courage chapter in all of SF at MHR.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:09 PM By Grisha
"Hello St. Ziggurat's AIDS Ministry Helpline, Suzy speaking" ...... "Uh, hi my name is John and I've got a pretty advanced a case of AIDS. My T-Cell count is down to 9. I can't do much for myself anymore and I heard you can help."
....well yes John, that's our job, but the FIRST thing we have to do is find out how you got AIDS. Now if it was due to a bad transfusion or a needle stick that's one thing. However if you got it through the sin of sodomy, before you receive any services, you'll have to complete our program where one of our volunteers, who is him or herself a sinner (But not THAT sin of course,) comes over to your home to admonish you doing his or her best Elmer Gantry impression, using the word "SODOMITE" no less than three times and ... John? John? Are you there John? "
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:12 PM By John L. Sillasen
Grisha, marriage acts are "not for common consumption". This does not include homosexual acts. Look at the Castro faire ... the homosexualists insist upon public viewing of their abominations. What true grounds do you use to continue to blaspheme God who has sanctified marriage and condemned homosexual acts? The difference is like that between God and the devil, between good and evil, between the destruction of Sodom and the creation of the Church.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:24 PM By Fr. M.P.
One never does an evil act for the intent of good. Basic moral theology. One does not condone sin, but rather admonishes the sinner, a spiritual work of mercy. The only work one should be doing in these type of events is telling the sinners to sin no more. Simple.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 1:49 PM By Fr. J
Jimmy, nice. But do you love the homosexuals enough to tell them the truth about AID's? To tell them to be chaste and live according to God's law? To call them to repentance?
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:14 PM By Anne
Thank you, Angel, for your last comment. You and Lisa T. are ever so right. I thank her, too.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:17 PM By ssoldie
Levada is in Rome and what a legacy he left.
|
Posted Saturday, June 14, 2008 8:14 PM By gravey
Grisha, Careful of that high horse. You're making assumptions about what people hold in their heart. Charity is a confusing virture: always grounded in faith but not necessarily nice.
|
Posted Sunday, June 15, 2008 11:49 AM By Grisha
Gravey : ~ I'm sorry, but I don't understnd your comment. My point *was* that we ought not to make all kinds of assumptions about what people hold in thier hearts.
|
Posted Sunday, June 15, 2008 1:34 PM By John L. Sillasen
Why not, as long as it is recognized as just an assumption?
|
Posted Monday, June 16, 2008 12:10 PM By Elizabeth
Yes, we do not know what is in a person's heart....
However, we can tell by their actions many things.
And we MUST JUDGE when it comes to a person's actions especially when they are so far from the teachings of the Church!
|
Posted Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:17 PM By Peter
The problem, St. Sillasen, is that sometimes people act on those assumptions - hell, for Chrisitians it's a God given right and practically a tenet of the faith - and you know what happens to people who assume . . .
|
Posted Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:10 PM By Brian
"the homosexualists insist upon public viewing of their abominations" And the heterosexualists insist upon public view of theirs. What's new.
|
Posted Wednesday, June 18, 2008 11:17 PM By John L. Sillasen
Peter, have you confirmed this appelation, "St.", which you bestow upon me? It seems odd that the Vatican would not have informed me of this honor, but I hear it only from you. *** As for Brian's question, "What's new?", Jesus is new, the same today as always, which is new.
|
Posted Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:30 AM By Fr. M.P.
Brian, normal God-fearing people do not parade with sex acts and such perversions in public, nor do normal God-fearing people try and pass laws that claim that disagreement with them is a hate crime (e.g. Big Brother thought police). On the latter point, a person cannot be forced to love, which includes abandoning sin. Such a choice must be made freely. Homosexuals do not wish to provide liberty to any person of thinking differently from themselves. That's truly unconstitutional as well. Rather they want to suppress their shame by not hearing anything good. See Sirach 41:16-17 for example.
|
Posted Sunday, July 27, 2008 10:24 PM By bernard
As a Catholic, not from the US, I am appalled at your obsession with what peple do in their bedrooms. The rest of the world watches the 100s of thousands of deaths in Iraq, the overflowing of your prisons with the poor and uneducated, your record of capital punishment, your many many citizens with no health care. Your record as the wealthiest nation in the world is the talk of the world. What does Our Lord think of you. He must be weeping for those you oppress and especially for you
|
© California Catholic Daily 2008. All Rights Reserved.
|