An LGBTQ group’s “Pride Mass” has been cancelled following a report from The Daily Signal highlighting the bishop of Pittsburgh’s condemnation of the event.
The Mass had been scheduled to take place on June 11, at 1 p.m. at Duquesne Holy Spirit Chapel, and was to be presided over by Father Doug Boyd, according to fliers obtained by The Daily Signal, which said the event would be co-hosted by various groups, including Catholics for Change in Our Church and the LGBTQ Ministry at St. Joseph the Worker.
The Daily Signal first reported that Bishop David Zubik was calling for the mass to be cancelled, emphasizing that neither he nor Duquesne University President Ken Gormley “knew anything about the Mass until calls came in to our respective offices over the holiday weekend.”
“What we have learned is that independent sponsors, without the authorization of the pastors of the parishes listed, promoted the event with a flyer that confused some and enraged others,” Zubik said.
“This event was billed as a ‘Pride Mass’ organized to coincide with Pride Month, an annual secular observance that supports members of the LGBTQ community on every level, including lifestyle and behavior, which the Church cannot endorse.”
Zubik also highlighted that the Catholic Church has invested “much energy” into welcoming those who deal with sensitive issues in their lives, noting that “we all have the responsibility to love those who have same-sex attraction.”
“But at the same time,” he said, “the Church cannot support behavior that goes against God’s law.”
Duquesne University officials ultimately told the organizers that the event was cancelled, according to the NPR Pittsburgh outlet, 90.5 WESA.
Catholics for Change in Our Church President Kevin Hayes lamented to the publication, “We just wanted a mass in which LGBTQ Catholics could feel welcomed as beloved sons and daughters of a loving God and just be affirmed for who they are.”
In his statement earlier this month, Zubik called on Catholics to adhere to Catholic Church teaching on LGBTQ topics.
“As Pope Francis has reminded us, the Church, and this diocese, have strongly encouraged welcoming, listening and accompanying those in LGBTQ communities with various ministries such as Courage and EnCourage,” he said. “We need to and want to do more in our pastoral care. We welcome, listen and accompany but cannot endorse behavior contrary to what we know to be God’s law. At the same time, we must be willing to love and welcome each other as children of God.”
“My hope is that the Church of Pittsburgh is welcoming to the LGBTQ community and in turn that the LGBTQ community is welcoming of the Church and her teachings.”
He added: “It is my prayer we all, inclusive of the LGBTQ community, gather together on June 11th in our churches and chapels to celebrate the great Solemnity of Corpus Christi, and focus our attention on the Body of Christ in the Sacred Eucharist and the Body of Christ as the Church.”
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