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US Archbishop Finally Bows to Rome and Sort of Denies Communion to Homosexual Activists

Has received notification from Rome

MINNEAPOLIS- ST PAUL, May 6, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After ignoring years of protest and public outcry from Catholics for his controversial acquiescence to homosexual activists, the Archbishop of Minneapolis St. Paul has given what many consider the barest minimum response. In a letter to the Rainbow Sash movement - a homosexual activist group which protests Catholic teaching against homosexual sex - Archbishop Flynn writes, "No one wearing the sash will be permitted to receive the Blessed Sacrament."

Flynn's belated compliance with the requirements of Catholic moral teaching, however, is far from wholehearted.  The Archbishop has asked the Rainbow Sash protesters only to remove the sash before going up to the priest for Communion.

In his letter, the Minneapolis Catholic church leader says that the decision is out of his hands since he has received notification from Rome. He stated, "Finally, the Vatican has communicated to me that it does indeed consider the wearing of the Rainbow Sash during reception of Communion to be unacceptable."

In December 2004, however, the head of the Vatican's office of Divine Worship and Sacraments, Francis Cardinal Arinze, was more forthright. He said in an interview on Catholic television network, EWTN, "These rainbow sash people, are really saying, 'We are homosexuals, we intend to remain so and we want to receive Holy Communion.' The Catechism of the Catholic Church...says it is not condemning a person for having homosexual tendency. We don't condemn anybody for that. But a person stands condemned for acting on it." Arinze then said that they must be refused Communion if they do not repent.

Despite Archbishop Flynn's claim of ignorance of the group's goals, the Rainbow Sash Alliance has never kept its attitude towards Catholicism a secret. Upon the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the group joined the screeches of anger heard from homosexual activist groups everywhere. They issued a media release that called Pope Benedict a 'homophobe' and liar for his defence of Catholic teaching on human sexuality.

The archbishop's mild and friendly response to the homosexual activists is a sharp contrast to the reply he gave to a group of concerned Catholic parents after hundreds of letters protesting the advancement of homosexual propaganda in the Catholic schools. In April 2004, Archbishop Flynn wrote to Colleen Perfect, of Catholic Parents Online, "From now on I am sending to you all the letters which assault my office because of communications which you have made.

"I must remind you that I am the Archbishop and choose to influence in a different manner than you and many of the people who would write to me. I think it is totally unfair of you to engage others in these letter-writing, e-mail campaigns. So, since it is you who have contacted these people, you are the one who will receive all of their responses. I would ask further that you not call and ask for an appointment concerning this."

Read Wanderer coverage of Flynn's response to Catholic Parents Online: http://www.thewandererpress.com/b4-1-2004.htm
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Vatican Cardinal Ends Debate: No Communion for Pro-Abortion Politicians or Rainbow Sashers
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/05021603.html
Rainbow Sashers Call for Day of Protest on Pentecost, Call Pope Benedict a "Homophobe" and Liar
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/may/05050305.html

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