The priest of a Chicago parish authorized a same-sex couple to offer a “reflection” instead of the homily during Sunday Mass on June 19.
Old St. Patrick's Parish is a historic and prominent parish in the West Loop area of Chicago. The parish priest, Fr. Joe Roccasalva, introduced the two men immediately after reading the gospel, and announced that they were to give a “gospel reflection” for Father’s Day.
Once at the pulpit, the two men, who describe themselves as members of the parish for a decade, described their same-sex marriage as a “blessing” and the adoption of their two children as “miracles.”
"Let's be honest, there are probably not too many gay dads speaking on Father's Day in many Catholic churches on the planet today,” one of the men said.
Then one of them said, “We wanted to raise our children in the Catholic Church. . . . On the other hand, we didn't want to expose our children to bigotry and have them feel any shame or intolerance about their family.” – In other words raise them with respect for sin.
The men further described it as a “miracle” that they found an “LGBT”-affirming community at Old St. Patrick Parish, a community that describes itself as “radically inclusive” because they said they had experienced rejection and a lack of welcome at other Catholic parishes.
By acting in this way, the priest not only violated canon law, but he did and allowed the promotion of a state condemned by the Church.
It is clearly taught by Catholic doctrine on the one hand that homosexual acts are grave sins. And on the other hand that homosexual unions, even if recognized by the governments or society, can in no way be approved by the Church. On the contrary, it makes it an obligation to fight against their establishment by law.
Moreover, adoption in these unnatural unions is an abomination which places children under the influence of the most pernicious teaching and examples. An abomination that the priest allowed to be described in front of his faithful as a “miracle.”
It should be added that it is forbidden for lay people to deliver the homily: it is undoubtedly for this reason that the priest described it as a “reflection on the Gospel.” But that does not deceive anyone: the very moment chosen for this reflection is that which is reserved for the homily during the Mass.
Finally, it is perhaps worth recalling that in March 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made a point of saying that the Catholic Church does not have the power to give liturgical blessings to homosexual unions, because these are opposed to the plan of God.
And now what will the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blaise Cupich, do? What measures will he take against the guilty priest? What will he do to restore the truth to the troubled minds of the faithful?
