This Pentecost Sunday, May 15, the Rainbow Sash Alliance USA plans to once again interfere with Catholic Mass in several churches across the country. But this time, the First Amendment enters the picture as the Alliance further reveals itself as unCatholic in its behavior.

Ironically, Alliance actions actually promote a different kind of homophobia.

Having openly opposed mistreatment of people said to be "gay", abnormal homophobia is foreign to my thinking. People should not be held in contempt just because they have inclinations we don't like.

But today, 'gay protest activity' within Church property means that some 'gays' are boldly trying to remove Catholics' First Amendment rights to the free exercise of our religion. Such willingness gives new meaning to 'homophobia', with good reason to fear intruders who would truncate First Amendment rights.

The problem is that the Alliance operates disrespectfully in the midst of a worshiping Catholic assembly as if the Alliance enjoyed imagined protection for their action by some yet unwritten civil law. 

Their imagined law would allow the Alliance to violate the First Amendment right of Catholics in Church to worship, free of harassment and free of laws that prohibit free exercise of their religion, in the traditionally peaceful setting of Church. 

However, neither Congress nor any lesser body has the right to allow passage of such laws "prohibiting the free exercise (of religion)". Accordingly, the Rainbow Sash Alliance, USA abuses Catholics' rights to meditate on Church property -- undisturbed by Alliance intruders.

As with the limitation on free speech in a crowded theatre, a higher right supersedes the normal right of the individual to free speech or display.  One cannot whimsically yell "fire" in a theatre because in that context it interferes with the higher right to be free of unnecessary hazard from possible panic.

In the case of a Catholic church setting, individual or collective display of the Rainbow Sash in Church constitutes loss of the higher right of Catholics to worship without interference from symbols that contradict Church teaching or  challenge God's Plan for mankind. Intruders have no civil or other right to interfere.

The contradiction and challenge exist even if Sashes are only generally displayed in Church while sitting in the pews. They become especially offensive if brought to the Holy Communion line. The offense is obviously not due to some assumed contempt for the sash bearer. Only intruders bring such problems into Church, not faithful Catholics.

The welcome to homosexual Catholics remains sincere if they do not use their visit to protest the Church, the pope or to challenge God, and if they are willing to learn and accept Catholic teaching on homosexuality in order to continue as  practicing Catholics.

However, it seems that the Alliance already knows the teaching and rejects it despite its being revealed in scripture, especially in St. Paul's letters.

People are free to quit the Catholic Church though the Church will still strive to seek their best interests in eternity. Sometimes, that is why some bishops hold back on use of canon law, often at great cost to the many faithful sheep. History records a few truly weak bishops who sometimes duck difficult decisions by hiding behind "pastoral" or "other" considerations.

There is no surprise because God allowed examples of weakness and traitorship even within the Original Twelve, with Peter and Judas.  Moreover, Jesus used the word prevail to indicate that trouble would come again and again but not have final victory.

Thankfully, canon law does not come into play regarding First Amendment civil rights. Lay Catholics can preserve the sanctity of worship in Churches by using the First Amendment, independently of a bishop's uncertain responses to the problem and regardless of dissenting Catholics favoring the Sash. 

Indeed, the First Amendment does not dissolve for everyone because some say they enjoy the Sash. The right is in possession of each and every individual affected - pertaining  to the constitutionally named "free exercise thereof" 1st-Amendment clause.

Local laws cannot defend the Alliance's disruptions but local citizens do have the right to call for civil protection of their American rights - which are really universal rights.

In preserving First Amendment rights, Catholics should at least address the concerns of the Rainbow Sash Alliance which may not have thoroughly thought things through. For example the recent statement of Pope Benedict XVI, about his God-given authority on matters Catholic, informs Catholics that the problem is often one of so-called "expert scholars" deceiving the sheep.

Perhaps it is such "experts" who mislead the Alliance.  Internal dialogue on controversial issues is not useful until one accepts Christ's authority in the Church - as handed on to His teaching magisterium.  Otherwise, the position of the Alliance is that the Alliance has authority from God.

Perhaps Alliance Catholics will come to recognize Catholic Church authority as real and then re-approach the always welcoming Church without implied threat to bishops and worshiping congregations.

Even a cursory look at "experts" who imply they are the source of truth on scripture interpretation shows lack of understanding, speculation, and major assumption making -- by such "experts".  Many end up by claiming the real reason the Catholic Church "errs" is that it is homophobic. Those who so claim can show no trace of ongoing authority back to Peter.

Those who attribute a homophobic character to the Catholic Church often assert that God creates "homosexuals" and, therefore, the correct interpretation of St. Paul in Romans 1 is that God is displeased by heterosexuals acting unnaturally and also displeased by pederasty and other exploitative or promiscuous same sex relationships, etc. but not displeased with same-age, same-sex, loving relationships.

No matter how they stretch St. Paul, however, experts have to admit they cannot rule out that St. Paul was presenting natural law truth, from the Holy Spirit, for the Ages to come that homosexual sex, independent of intention or degree of commitment, is gravely morally offensive to God -- if culpably pursued.

Catholic groups like the Knights of Columbus and Catholic League are the natural groups to defend our American right of free exercise of religion - free from laws that would tolerate intruders invading the Catholic congregation.

There is an old principle in psychiatry: believe behavior. It is the behavior of the Alliance inside Catholic Churches, especially during Catholic Mass that betrays them as intruders. But behavior can be reversed by them - by their choice.

It is intriguing that the Alliance would provide an acceptable basis for justified homophobia via their attacking First Amendment rights of Catholics to worship in peace, free of in-your-face symbols of challenge to Christ's authority, especially during Holy Mass and in connection with protest before the Holy Eucharist.

Copyright by William F. Folger

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