Bishop: No Prayers for Marriage Equality in Cathedral

The Roman Catholic bishop of Springfield, Ill., said a plan to pray the rosary for marriage equality was 'blasphemous,' and police were called to keep equality activists out of the city's cathedral.

After Illinois marriage equality activists rallied in the capital city of Springfield Tuesday, some of them planned to pray the rosary for their cause at the city’s largest Roman Catholic church — but the local bishop said they weren’t welcome.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the diocese of Springfield said people wearing a rainbow sash, which is a symbol of a Catholic movement for LGBT equality, or otherwise identifying themselves with the movement would be barred from entering the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, The State Journal-Register reports.

“It is blasphemy to show disrespect or irreverence to God or to something holy,” reads a written statement from Paprocki. “Since Jesus clearly taught that marriage as created by God is a sacred institution between a man and a woman (see Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9), praying for same-sex marriage should be seen as blasphemous and as such will not be permitted in the cathedral.”

The Journal-Register had no figures on how many marriage equality supporters planned to enter the cathedral. At least one, activist Rick Garcia, came in for 5:15 p.m. Mass without incident, but he was not wearing a rainbow sash.

http://www.advocate.com/politics/marriage-equality/2013/10/24/bishop-no-prayers-marriage-equality-cathedral