A Catholic church in New York has sparked controversy after hosting a pride parade, during which congregants were encouraged to give “applause for our LGBT folks.”
All Saints Catholic Church in the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, hosted the Mass on June 15.
The service began with openly gay Father Fred Daley bowing to the crowd and saying “Namaste.” A rainbow flag was draped over the sanctuary, and a transgender member of the community was invited to share his “journey to the truth, his truth.”
Controversially, the Mass was held on Trinity Sunday — which coincided with New York’s Pride weekend.
“The rainbow is a beautiful symbol of God’s diversity, and we’re called to celebrate God’s diversity,” Father Daley said.
All Saints Parish states that it “rejects white privilege” and acknowledges that it has contributed to “conscious and unconscious enabling of the creation of and support for oppressive systems and racist policies.”
In a move that has further stirred strong reactions, it invited congregants to attend a local art exhibition that “confronts the toxicity of religious orthodoxy and sheds light on the struggles of breaking free from rigid belief systems.”
Their mission statement reads: “In the spirit of Vatican II, All Saints Parish is an open and welcoming Catholic Christian community, joyfully grounded in the Eucharist that strives to live the Gospel call to holiness and justice and loving service to all.”
