Wear the Rainbow Sash on Pentecost Sunday, May 11, 2008


Again this year,  faithful Roman Catholics look forward to the chance to join their fellow Catholics wearing the Rainbow Sash at their local cathedral on the traditional day for this celebration, Pentecost Sunday.  We hope Catholics around the nation will take the opportunity of this Pentecost Sunday, May 11, to write to their local bishop, explain what the Rainbow Sash means, and attend Mass wearing the Rainbow Sash.


In St. Paul, Minnesota


Gay Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have an especially urgent task this year.  The new archbishop, John Nienstedt, will be installed soon, perhaps before May 11.  In the November 15, 2007 edition of the archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Spirit, Archbishop Niensted wrote:

Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil and, if they do so knowingly and willingly, are guilty of mortal sin.  They have broken communion with the church and are prohibited from receiving holy Communion until they have had a conversion of heart, expressed sorrow for their action, and received sacramental absolution from a priest.

The glbt community in the Twin Cities responded to this comment by staging a peaceful, prayerful protest, that included a "die-in," on the steps of The Cathedral of St. Paul on December 2, 2007.  In this context, it is especially important that we have a large number of glbt Catholics, their families, and their friends wearing the Rainbow Sash at The Cathedral of St. Paul on May 11, 2008.

As in years past, we will meet at 11:30 a.m., to organize ourselves for the 12:00 noon Mass at the Cathedral.  We will meet on the Selby Ave. side of the cathedral.  Please join us.  We will provide the sashes for folks to wear.

Brian McNeill, 612-721-6341