Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has decided to allow a special mass at his Westminster diocese every two weeks specifically for gays. The move is already proving controversial as the Catholic church teaches that homosexuality is a sin and that communion should not be offered to non-celibate gays:
“A statement from the diocese stressed that the move did not represent a shift in Church teaching, which says that homosexual practice is a sin and that non-celibate gay people should not be given communion. However, traditionalists fear that by endorsing these services the Cardinal has implicitly sanctioned ‘sacrilegious' Masses and that it may make it far easier for practising homosexuals to take communion in church. It is also thought that the move could act as a blueprint for other dioceses to follow.”
Murphy-O'Connor approved the services to be more inclusive of gays, sources told the Sunday Telegraph. A statement from the archdiocese seemed to affirm that: “The mission of the Church is to minister to all people. The Church utterly condemns all forms of unjust discrimination, violence, harassment or abuse directed against people who are homosexual.”
A gay Catholic campaigner said that the Cardinal had obtained the backing of the powerful Vatican department Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome before approving the Mass.
Cardinal's permission for gays' Mass dismays Catholic traditionalists [sunday telegraph]
