Saint Teresa’s Church in Donore Avenue Parish in Dublin drew widespread attention last year for flying a Pride Flag, contravening church policy.
They held an ‘Ecumenical Prayer’ event during that time, at the end of which they controversially stormed the altar and posed with a Pride Flag.
This year, the event took place again, albeit without the flag or bunting outside.
The ‘Ecumenical’ event also once again took place in the Catholic location rather than in a Protestant location, for reasons unknown.
In a rambling diatribe, one of those leading the ‘Service of Belonging’ bizarrely implied that the 50 or so Catholics outside should be following the non Canonical book of Leviticus, assuming that they derive their views from scripture alone rather than from the Catechism or Magisterium:
I don’t think many of us here are Leviticans? Though some seem to have gathered outside tonight. He is the founder of ‘a la carte’ Christianity embraced by so many, in place of the Word of God.
Has any Groom to be, in either Church, ever been refused marriage for trimming his beard, wearing socks of a blend of fibres, having enjoyed an Irish breakfast of bacon and sausages, or a Dublin Bay Prawn cocktail? No. But they are all on Leviticus’s list of Biblical ‘abominations’, the Churches rely upon to discriminate. They have an equal standing with our ‘abomination’. But only we are refused a church marriage. We are the only ones on that list capable of love. God is Love.
The individual also referred to it as a ‘Catholic slur’ to say ‘love the sinner and not the sin’.
He then criticised ‘both Archbishops’, assumingly the Catholic and Protestant ones of Dublin:
Both Archbishops could be here, but they are not. Who cares? I don’t. We are here and we are welcome!
The preaching did not stop:
Churches have been telling us for centuries who we are, in their heads. It is cruel nonsense. Are Churches now prepared to stop embarrassing themselves and finally listen? There is a lot of catching up to do. The basis of a potential new start may already be before our eyes?
Many of the comments under the Facebook post of the speech were full of rage against Catholics, with one even writing:
I left the Catholic Church, because of their cruelty to my true honest identity.
I joined the Unitarian Church and was baptised there, in my truth and gender identity,
Something the Catholic Church refused to do.
One of the organisers, in explaining why they invited this man, said:
We don't want, or expect you to white wash the failings in the organisational and institutional church
Certainly any group are entitled to have a prayer service, or to speak about their need to belong, but to use the pulpit (in the company of Protestants) to denounce the very church that is hosting you seems different altogether.
Outside, a large group of Catholics prayed the Rosary.
