Activists Urge Homosexuals to Wear "Rainbow Sash" at Sunday Mass

From Cybercast News Service:

(CNSNews.com) - A group of homosexual activists plan to protest Mass at Catholic churches nationwide Sunday in opposition to the church's stance on homosexuality. The group, Rainbow Sash, explained on its website that they "stand opposed to homophobia at the Eucharistic table" and "make no apologies for God's gift of our sexuality." The group encourages its members to wear the Rainbow Sash in a parish or cathedral as "an act of faith in the Lord, who works through weakness." "This year, Rainbow Sash has upped the ante," Catholic League President William Donohue said in a statement. He pointed to a May 2 press release in which the group said that the purpose of the protest is to "counter the lies that Pope Benedict XVI is promoting about our community" and called the new pope an "aggressive homophobe." Full Story

My Comments:
Cardinals McCarrick of Washington, D.C. and George of Chicago have banned Rainbow Sash members from receiving the Eucharist. This year, Archbishop Flynn of St. Paul has joined McCarrick and George in telling the Sash wearers to ditch the Sash or stay away from the Lord's Table, after having allowed them to come forward for Communion at Pentecost last year.

Flynn's reversal can be explained by his statement that "the Vatican has communicated to me that it does indeed consider the wearing of the Rainbow Sash during reception of Communion to be unacceptable, a directive I believe all Bishops will adhere to."

Hmmm. I wonder what Cardinal Mahony will do.

UPDATE (5/16/05):
I guess this answers my question regarding the Cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles (although it really doesn't address the subject of receiving Communion):

Joe Murray the US Convener of the Rainbow Sash Movement was contacted by Tod M. Tamberg, Director of Media Relations, Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The following is that communication:

"May 13, 2005

Dear Joe,

Just a note to say that, as in the past, members of the Rainbow Sash Movement who come to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels this Sunday will be most welcome to attend any of our Masses. Over the years, Cardinal Roger Mahony has consistently spoken to the faithful in Los Angeles about being respectful and inclusive of our Catholic brothers and sisters who are gay and lesbian. All of us struggle to be better Christians, but I think a good number of our parishes in the archdiocese are places where people feel welcome and included, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Tod M. Tamberg
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Los Angeles."