St. Paul the Apostle Changes Location for 'Pride Mass'

The Church of St. Paul the Apostle, a Catholic parish in New York City, has announced a change of location for its planned "Pride Mass." Originally scheduled to take place at the Stonewall National Monument, the event will now be held at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle due to security concerns. The decision has been met with criticism and accusations of blasphemy.

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
6/22/2023 (1 year ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: St. Paul Apostle, Parish, God is Trans, art, display, New York

In an email sent to parishioners on Wednesday, the church explained that the National Parks Service had informed them that the Stonewall National Monument would not be accessible to the public on the scheduled day due to security concerns in the area. As a result, the Pride Mass will now be held at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle at 6:30 p.m.

The controversy surrounding the parish began earlier this year when it hosted an art display titled "God Is Trans," which garnered significant criticism. The decision to hold a Pride Mass at the Stonewall National Monument has only fueled further backlash, with some labeling it as blasphemous.

Paul Snatchko, a spokesperson for the Paulist Fathers, who oversee the church, defended the decision, stating that the intention was to evangelize in the public square and share the word of God through hymns and liturgy. However, critics argue that using a Mass for political purposes is inappropriate and undermines the sacred nature of the event.

The Stonewall National Monument, dedicated to LGBT rights and history, occupies a 7.7-acre park in the West Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. President Barack Obama designated it as a national monument on June 24, 2016.

Father Thomas Petri, a moral theologian and president of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., expressed his view on the matter, asserting that the Mass should not be utilized as a platform for political statements. He emphasized the importance of focusing on worshiping God during the Mass and avoiding the inclusion of political symbols or campaigns.

Father Petri argued that celebrating Mass at Stonewall, with its statues and flags symbolizing a lifestyle and ideology contrary to the Christian understanding of human personhood, would be impious and potentially sacrilegious. He acknowledged the challenges faced by those experiencing same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria but maintained that embracing identities and lifestyles conflicting with the teachings of Christianity can ultimately harm one's relationship with God.

While recognizing the need for justice, Father Petri urged finding alternative ways to pursue it without compromising the pursuit of holiness. He emphasized that facilitating paths that contradict the teachings of the Church is not a pastoral approach.

In light of the security concerns and the ongoing controversy, the Church of St. Paul the Apostle has decided to relocate its Pride Mass to its own premises, distancing itself from the contentious setting of the Stonewall National Monument.