DUBLIN (LifeSiteNews) — Irish Catholics will hold a prayerful protest outside a Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Dublin hosting an “ecumenical LGBT prayer service” for the second year running.
The parish of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Dublin’s Donore Avenue proudly announced its upcoming LGBT ecumenical prayer service, planned for June 22.
In an update given in the parish newsletter, parish priest Fr. David Corrigan SM stated the event was being run in conjunction with the (Anglican) Church of Ireland and was inspired by Pope Francis:
Following on from Pope Francis’s [sic] statement to the LGBT community, stating that the church [sic] calls all its people together and that all are welcome and belong, we will celebrate with St Catherine and St James Church of Ireland parish, the 2nd Ecumenical LGBT+ Prayer Service in St Teresa’s Church this Thursday 22nd June at 7:30 pm for members of LGBT+ community, friends, family, allies and parishioners. Refreshments will follow. Everybody is welcome.
As the parish notes, the event is not the first; it follows an LGBT ecumenical prayer event hosted last June. Irish Catholic news outlet Catholic Arena provided pictures of the LGBT “Progress” flag being flown outside the church during the 2022 event and of the rainbow “Pride” flag held by attendants for a photo-op on the sanctuary.
In response to the planned event, The Irish Society for Christian Civilisation (ISFCC) is organizing a prayerful “rosary of reparation” outside the church during the service. In an email about the rosary, the ISFCC wrote that “welcoming” included highlighting Catholic teaching:
The most “welcoming” thing a Catholic can do for these people is to show them the truth on the Church’s teaching on sexual morality. This would be the truly Christian way. The LGBT Prayer service is simply promoting the acceptance of homosexuality in the Church. [Emphasis original]
The ISFCC noted that their witness would be a “peaceful gathering where we are simply making reparation and showing our opposition to this sinful event.”
Please show your love for our dear Mother and her Son by coming to this Rally. Demonstrate that there are still people in Ireland who love God and His Holy Law.
Highlighting the writing of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort on the importance of public witness, the ISFCC volunteers wrote that the “small sacrifice” of attending the prayer vigil will much valued:
But I cannot stress enough the importance of making public reparation to God for this awful offense against Him, our loving Father.
Public prayer, says St. Louis de Montfort, “is far more powerful than private prayer to appease the anger of God and call down His Mercy. Holy Mother Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has always advocated public prayer in times of public tragedy and suffering.”
Pre-empting any potential controversy, the ISFCC noted that their prayerful action was not at move to “defame or disparage anyone.”
We are not moved by personal hatred against any individual. In intellectually opposing individuals or organisations promoting the homosexual agenda, our only intent is the defense of traditional marriage, the family, and the precious remnants of Christian civilisation.
Rather, the group of Irish Catholics noted how, “filled with compassion,” their witness would be an act of prayerful support “for those who struggle against unrelenting and violent temptation to homosexual sin. We pray for those who fall into homosexual sin out of human weakness, that God may assist them with His grace.”
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Citing the promotion of same-sex “marriage” through legislation, the volunteers explicitly rejected “any violence,” noting that “we simply exercise our liberty as children of God (Rom. 8:21) and our constitutional rights to free speech and the candid, unapologetic and unashamed public display of our Catholic faith.”
We oppose arguments with arguments. To the arguments in favour of homosexuality and samesex “marriage” we respond with arguments based on right reason, natural law and Divine Revelation.
LifeSiteNews contacted the parish church, along with the Archbishop of Dublin, the archdiocesan communications office, the chancellor, and the moderator of the archdiocesan curia, about the planned LGBT prayer service.
No response was received from the parish about whether Catholic teaching on chastity would be promoted at the event, nor about whether the event was sanctioned by the Archdiocese. LifeSite’s numerous emails to the various Archdiocesan offices were all returned with the claim that the archdiocese suspected the messages were spam.
However, a statement was subsequently issued, revealing that the Archdiocese “is aware of the liturgical event planned for Donore Avenue parish.”
The spokesman directed LifeSite’s further inquiries to the parish, stating that “since it is organized by the parish and the neighboring Church of Ireland parish, the questions about the content, prayers and speeches would be best directed to the organizers.”
Continuing, the Archdiocese stated:
Speaking about LGBTQ people, Pope Francis has said: “God is Father and he does not disown any of his children” and “the style” of God is “closeness, mercy and tenderness.” When Pope Francis was asked “what do you say to an LGBT Catholic who has experienced rejection from the Church,” he responded as follows: “I would have them recognise it not as ‘the rejection of the Church’, but instead of ‘people in the Church.’ The Church is Mother and calls together all her children. Take for example, the parable of all those invited to the feast, the just, the sinners, the meek and the poor, etc. (Matt 22:1-15; Luke 14:15-24). A ‘selective’ Church, one of ‘pure blood’ is not Holy Mother Church, but rather a sect.”
Concerned Catholics are able to respectfully contact Archbishop Farrell via his assistant: [email protected]
The parish of St. Teresa’s can be contacted via this email: [email protected]
Details of the ISFCC prayer rally, as provided by the organization, are that it will take place opposite St. Teresa’s Catholic church, Donore Ave, Dublin. Between 7:00pm to 8:00pm, June 22, 2023.
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