News

Tuesday June 15, 2010


NY Catholic Parish: ‘Live the Gospel at Pride Parade’

By Patrick B. Craine

NEW YORK CITY, June 15, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Jesuit-run Catholic parish in New York City is promoting the New York City “LGBT” Pride March in defiance of a directive from New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, reports Pewsitter.com.

The website says a confidential source has revealed that Archbishop Dolan has written to Fr. Joe Costantino, pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish, indicating he does not want a group participating in the June 27 march under the auspices of the parish.

The text of a brochure that is being handed out by members of the parish’s “LGBT” ministries was republished by Pewsitter.

“The Church of St. Francis Xavier is the only Roman Catholic Church in New York City — maybe one of a handful in the world — to participate in the Pride March,” the brochure reads. “We welcome all, as did Jesus. So we ask you to consider walking with the LGBT ministries on Pride Sunday, June 27, and represent a church that truly lives the Gospel.”

The St. Francis Xavier parish website is currently advertising the “Pride” march, in a section dedicated to their “Catholic Lesbians Group.” The site says about the march that: “Through our efforts at handing out flyers about our welcoming parish, a number of people find their way to St. Francis Xavier and back to the Catholic Church.”

St. Francis Xavier parish has been listed as a “Gay & Lesbian Friendly Parish” in the past by the Catholic Lesbians Conference.

LSN spoke with representatives of St. Francis Xavier parish and the Archdiocese of New York but received no response to inquiries by press time.