Pride Parade Compromises For Catholic Church, While Cardinal Compares Them To KKK

The organizers of the Chicago Gay Pride Parade responded graciously to complaints from a Lakeview Catholic Church by changing the 2012 parade's start time so as not to interfere with church mass. As they quietly made the change, though, area leader Cardinal Francis George went ahead and compared the pride parade to a Ku Klux Klan rally.

"You don't want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism," George told Fox Chicago. "So I think if that's what's happening, and I don't know that it is, but I would respect the local pastor's, you know, position on that." The video of the exchange is posted below. After he said it, the interviewer gave him an opening to backtrack, suggesting perhaps the analogy was a bit strong. George steams ahead, saying, "You take a look at the rhetoric," and "Who is the enemy of the Catholic Church?"

"Whether it was the best choice of analogy I don't know. Taken out of context the meaning can be misinterpreted," a spokeswoman of the archidiocese told the Tribune. "I would suggest people read the whole interview."

The gay pride parade had to change the schedule for 2012, as the event has outgrown its route as a victim of its own success. When the new route was announced, the parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church pointed out that it will pass by the church just in time for Sunday mass, which could prevent churchgoers from attending. They started to pass petitions, but now three weeks later parade planners said they'll go back to the regular noon start time.

Like many churches in Lakeview, Mount Carmel is gay-friendly. It is home to the Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach, AGLO Chicago, and Cardinal George has taken part in its liturgies. George clarified his stance on AGLO to Fox Chicago:

“Well, you start with respect. You start with people who are homosexually oriented, gays and lesbians. However they picture themselves, you start with respect,” the cardinal said.
"So, if they want to publicly be part of that community, you still have to see to it that they have the spiritual helps -- the sacraments, the preaching of the Gospel that they need to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ, which means to live chastely if you're not married."

LGBT Catholic organization Rainbow Sash Movement released a statement on George's words. "Cardinal George wants to promote a doubled standard when it comes to the Gay Pride Parade," the statement read, via Windy City Media. "One only has the look at the Chicago Marathon, and negative impact that race has on parishes such as Assumption Parish, St. Joseph's Parish, Immaculate Conception Parish and St. Michael's Parish just to name a few."

We think Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda, summed it up best, telling the Chicago Tribune, "To equate a movement that is about acceptance, diversity and joy to a group of men in white hoods standing on a lawn and burning a cross is very hurtful and it's just not truthful."

Cardinal Francis George Warns That Chicago Gay Pride Parade Might 'Morph Into Ku Klux Klan': MyFoxCHICAGO.com

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By Samantha Abernethy in News on December 23, 2011 9:15 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Jeannie

Cardinal George asked, "Who is the Enemy of the Catholic Church?" May I suggest that the good cardinal look in the mirror. The Catholic Church always like to quote: "The Gates of Hell will not come against the (Catholic) Church," when Jesus NEVER said that the Gates of Hell wouldn't come against the "Catholic" Church, but that's beside the point. I've heard that there have been massive layoffs at "Gates of Hell, Inc." lately, and it's due to men like Cardinal George, who do more harm to the Church from WITHIN than minions of demons can do from the outside! Because of Cardinal George, and the way in which he has (ineptly) led the Church through the Priest Pedophilia Scandal, "Legions of Demons" are out of work and on unemployment! Now he compares gays to the KKK! Where was this guy when God was passing out brains?

Navin_Johnson

Maybe the parade could try to work in some horrific, systematic, institutional child abuse to appease the elite Catholic clergy? Nothing makes these holy hypocrites stfu and draw the blinds like that.

Jeannie

Estimates of homosexuality in the priesthood range from 40-70%. Maybe the homosexual community should embarrass Cardinal George by inviting his priests to join them on Sunday. In that event, he wouldn't need to worry about Catholics missing Mass, because there wouldn't be too many priests around to perform the ceremonies!

magooisim

i can just picture the sea of rainbow colored hoods and cloaks marching down the street to burn a louis vuitton logo is some poor straight family's front yard.

rexbab

I would like to point out to the Cardinal that among the parade marchers are always representatives of a variety of churches and faiths. Are his fellow clergy really analogous to the KKK?

PATRICK HICKEY

"two-thirds of the national Klan lecturers were Protestant ministers," says historian Brian R. Farmer.

Batman1234

LGBT Catholic organization Rainbow Sash Movement released a statement on George's words. "Cardinal George wants to promote a doubled standard when it comes to the Gay Pride Parade," the statement read, via Windy City Media. "One only has the look at the Chicago Marathon, and negative impact that race has on parishes such as Assumption Parish, St. Joseph's Parish, Immaculate Conception Parish and St. Michael's Parish just to name a few."

That's just not true. I doubt that half as many people come out for the marathon as do for the pride parade, and they're not concentrated in about 8 blocks. Moreover, the runners do not blast Lady Gaga or LMFAO as they pass. Totally not the same thing.

JoeChicago

Actually, there are large portions of the marathon that loud music like Lady Gaga and LMFAO are blasted by organizers to pump up the runners. And the Chicago Marathon has 1.5 million spectators watching the course while gay pride parade has 800,000 spectators. I think both events have a big impact on churches along the route and it it is wrong of the Cardinal to single out the pride parade because he doesn't like its message.

High_n_Dry

"I would suggest people read the whole interview." a spokesperson said. Really, this is how you want the problem to be remedied, by requiring people to read the whole interview. This isn't Catholic school, you can't give us homework.

BlueFairlane

The problem with organized religion is they don't know who they're worshipping. Jesus roamed a desert with 12 sweaty guys and a hooker. His most famous miracle is manufacturing alcohol for people too cheap to pay for it. He would not have said anything about this parade, because he probably would have marched in it.