This weekend's planned Western Pennsylvania Roman Catholic service to show support for the LGBTQ community has been abruptly postponed. Promotional leaflets that referred to the event as a "Pride mass" sparked objections, leading to the announcement of the cancellation.
As a result of a flurry of protest emails and phone messages, some of which had threatening overtones, the local diocese requested that Sunday's mass at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh be canceled, according to reliable sources. While the demonstrations' specifics are unknown, this occurrence occurs in a larger cultural context where well-known companies like Target, Bud Light, and Starbucks have come under fire from conservatives for using Pride-themed branding.
Pride Mass in Pittsburgh Sparks Controversy
According to the organization's president, Kevin Hayes, the mass was conceived by Catholics for Change in Our Church and put together in cooperation with a number of LGBTQ+ outreach agencies. In the article shared in The Guardian, he said that earlier outreach programs for parishioners of color, particularly Black and Hispanic people, were analogous to the event.
The proposed mass, which was meant to be an inclusive gesture during Pride Month, came under fire after independent sponsors released a flier. The flier, which was meant to advertise the event, unintentionally infuriated and confused some people, claims Pittsburgh diocese Bishop David Zubik.
According to the story that was shared in Yahoo! News, in a letter to the diocese's priests, deacons, and seminarians, Bishop Zubik gave clarification on the recent incident. He claimed that although the event was promoted as a "Pride mass," the church could not support such an event for a number of reasons, including worries about people's conduct and lifestyle choices.
The Bishop further underlined that misunderstandings about his alleged approbation of the mass caused some people to react negatively. He said that the language used by those who condemned the occurrence was viewed as judgmental and threatening, and some may even claim to lack in the spirit of Christian charity, which he found disappointing.
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Unapproved 'Pride Mass' Canceled Amid Protests and Misunderstandings in Pittsburgh
The church has made significant efforts to welcome persons struggling with delicate personal circumstances, Zubik continued. According to the article in Associated Press News, he highlighted that it is everyone's duty to love people who are attracted to them in the same way, but he made it clear that the church could not condone activities that go against God's will. Zubik asked that the gathering be called off due to the controversies surrounding it and expressed sorry for how things turned out.
Following the event's postponement, Catholics for Change in Our Church president Kevin Hayes expressed his dissatisfaction and annoyance. The purpose of the event was to create a space where LGBTQ+ Catholics could feel welcomed and affirmed as beloved individuals in the eyes of a loving God while also being able to participate in the Eucharist, which they believed to be appropriate. He expressed regret, saying, "We are very sad and very frustrated."
Given the current backlash and cancellation, it still needs to be determined if a similar event will be planned in the future.
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