St. Paul, Minn. – A Roman Catholic priest denied Communion to more than 100 parishioners Sunday, saying they could not receive the sacrament because they wore rainbow-colored sashes to church to show support for gay Catholics.
Before offering Communion, the Rev. Michael Sklucazek told the congregation at the Cathedral of St. Paul that anyone wearing a sash could come forward for a blessing but would not receive wine and bread.
A group called the Rainbow Sash Alliance has encouraged supporters to wear multicolored bands since 2001 on each Pentecost Sunday, the day Catholics believe the Holy Spirit came to give power to Christians soon after Jesus ascended to heaven. Sunday was the first time they had been denied Communion.
Archbishop Harry Flynn had told the group the sashes were a protest against church teaching.
Sister Gabriel Herbers said she wore a sash to show sympathy for the gay and lesbian community. Their sexual orientation “is a gift from God just as much as my gift of being a female is.”
Ann McComas-Bussa, her husband and their three children wore multicolored ribbons and were denied Communion. “As a Catholic, I just need to stand in solidarity with those that are being oppressed,” she said.
While parishioners sat or kneeled after going to the altar, sash-wearers stood with their hands cupped as a symbol that they still wanted the sacrament. Their silent protest lasted about five minutes, until other parishioners rose to hear the benediction before being dismissed.
Parishioner Larry Pavlicek was not sympathetic. As a divorced man, he said, he has to live with the church’s teaching that he cannot remarry and cannot have sex outside of marriage.
“If you’re going to be a Catholic, either live with it or call yourself something different,” he said. “They’re trying to change something that has been taught by the church for 2,000 years.”
