A conservative Catholic group named America Needs Fatima is planning to convene outside the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., to express their dissent from the church’s scheduled “Pride Mass.”
Holy Trinity, a Jesuit-run parish under Cardinal Wilton Gregory, is marking its third annual LGBTQIA+ Pride Mass.” Reverend C. Kevin Gillespie, the church’s pastor, upheld the decision to hold the mass, using all-caps to emphasize his position that the mass is “an expression of our parish’s mission statement TO ACCOMPANY ONE ANOTHER IN CHRIST, CELEBRATE GOD’S LOVE, AND TRANSFORM LIVES.”
He further stated, “Our celebration of Pride is not celebrating personal vanity, but the human dignity of a group of people who have been for too long the objects of violence, bullying, and harassment.” His words claimed to be intended for solace and inclusivity but do not resonate with all the faithful.
Catholics rally against pride Mass in Washington DC: pic.twitter.com/HkL75pau0m
— OnePeterFive (@OnePeterFive) June 12, 2023
The protesting group, carrying rosaries rather than signs and posters, planned to gather outside the church to “ask for God’s mercy and offer reparation” for the Pride Mass. They maintain that their public rosary is intended to be “peaceful and legal.” Their announcement carries a foundational message for their faith: “The Catholic Church teaches that God endowed all people with dignity and they should be treated with compassion and respect. But the Church does not celebrate sin, most especially at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”
The conservative protesters believe the event contradicts Catholic teaching, which holds the LGBT lifestyle is a “grave depravity” and “intrinsically disordered.” Their stance affirms that, while all people deserve respect and compassion, celebrating what the church doctrine deems as sin, especially during Mass, stands in opposition to their faith.
Can't say I didn't see this one coming.
Jesuit-run church Joe Biden attends in Washington DC to celebrate LGBT ‘Pride Mass’ on Wednesday https://t.co/KhICVmkq5H
— Stephen Kokx (@StephenKokx) June 14, 2023
Indeed, Holy Trinity’s decision to celebrate the Pride Mass and Joe Biden’s continued endorsement of such events, despite being a practicing Catholic, is proving to be a contentious issue among conservative groups. Biden was one of the first politicians in Washington to support same-gender marriage in 2012, a position that remains controversial given the Church’s teachings. Furthermore, his administration’s overt backing of the LGBT ideology has drawn criticism from conservative quarters, as evidenced by the backlash for prominently displaying the Pride flag at a recent White House event.
The tension between the conservative belief in upholding traditional Church doctrine and the progressive push for greater inclusivity in the church is at the heart of this ongoing controversy. Whether the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and others like it will continue their course in the face of such opposition or concede to more conservative demands remains to be seen. However, one thing is sure – this issue embodies the broader clash between traditional and progressive values that continues to shape the discourse in today’s America.
