Despite Calls for Cancellation, Pride Mass Held in D.C.

Washington, D.C.'s Holy Trinity Catholic Church hosted its third annual Pride Mass, defying calls to cancel the event. Approximately 250 individuals attended the Pride Mass organized by the LGBTQIA+ Ministry at Holy Trinity, located in the Georgetown neighborhood.

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
6/15/2023 (1 year ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: Pride, Mass, Washington, Biden, Holy Trinity, church, LGBQT

Notable attendees of Holy Trinity's Sunday Mass include President Joe Biden, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Father Kevin Gillespie, SJ, the parish's pastor, delivered a homily during the Mass, highlighting the heroic life of Franciscan priest and New York firefighter chaplain Father Mychal Judge. Gillespie emphasized Judge's ministry to AIDS victims and his activism for gay rights, acknowledging him as an openly gay priest.

The Mass incorporated prayers of solidarity for LGBTQ+ individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. Attendees held small "Progress Pride" flags, symbolizing homosexual and transgender pride and acceptance, which were distributed at a table within the church. The Mass programs also prominently featured the same flag.

Outside the church, a small group of approximately 20 people held a prayer vigil and protested the Pride Mass. Participants included members of Catholic groups such as "Tradition, Family, and Property America" and "America Needs Fatima." Bagpipes, recitation of the rosary, and chanting could be heard from inside the church during the Mass.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Ernest Raskauskas, leader of Holy Trinity's LGBTQIA+ ministry, asked attendees to exit through the side doors due to undisclosed events in the neighborhood, leading to laughter from the crowd.

Raskauskas expressed satisfaction with the event, describing it as a beautiful occasion that fostered a true sense of belonging within the entire parish.

Despite the online traction gained by calls to cancel the event, the Pride Mass proceeded as planned, with no official statement from Cardinal Wilton Gregory or the Archdiocese of Washington.

Anna Katherine Howell, a Catholic convert struggling with same-sex attraction, spearheaded the call to stop the event. Howell argued that "Pride" events sponsored or attended by Catholics contradict Catholic teachings, cause scandal, and harm chaste Catholics with same-sex attraction who do not wish to celebrate or be defined by their past sins.

Howell claimed that Pride Masses pose a significant threat to both the Church and individuals struggling with same-sex attraction. She emphasized the need for the Church to demonstrate both charity and clarity, acknowledging the inherent sinfulness of homosexual acts while promoting love and the call to chastity and holiness.

Howell's request for Cardinal Gregory to cancel the Mass, supported by hundreds of others, allegedly received no response. The Archdiocese of Washington has remained silent on the matter, including CNA's request for comment.

A similar event labeled as a "Pride Mass" at Pittsburgh's Duquesne University was canceled after Bishop David Zubik disapproved of the gathering, citing the Church's duty to love individuals with same-sex attraction while not supporting behavior contrary to God's law.

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Catholics for Change in Our Church, one of the organizing groups for the Pittsburgh event, expressed disappointment at the cancellation and believed that standing up in love and support would have been more impactful.