Holy Name Cathedral Protest: LGBT Groups Protest Catholic Leadership In Chicago

Story of Kate Sosin, courtesy of the Windy City Times:

Despite a blistering cold morning, more than 20 LGBT activists protested outside of Holy Name Cathedral Feb. 12, a demonstration held in conjunction with National Freedom to Marry Day.

The protest, held every year outside the church around Valentine's Day, carried special weight this year after Catholic Cardinal Francis George compared the annual Pride Parade to a Ku Klux Klan gathering in December.

The pro-gay protesters were greeted by a counter-protest of approximately 10 people on the steps of the Cathedral, who came bearing signs that read "one man, one woman."

Protesters marched outside the church for more than an hour, chanting "equal rights for everybody" and "stop politicizing love."

Read the whole story and view more photos from the demonstration here.

Comments

[janesvillekidd]

07:34 AM on 02/14/2012

Where is pest control when you need them?!

[itsjimmy]

12:37 AM on 02/14/2012

The pro-gay protesters were greeted by a counter-protest of approximately 10 people on the steps of the Cathedral, who came bearing signs that read "one man, one woman."

Just goes to show you how out of touch these people are when only 10 show up.

[Zippy1169]

11:06 PM on 02/13/2012

Question from a former Catholic to my Catholic friends.

Why do you still go to a Catholic Church? Tradition & the Eucharist (It can't be the Church)

The church says Birth Control is wrong and sinful. Yet 98% of you use it. Thus, you are in direct conflict with your church. I know that the church is wrong on this and you simply don't care what they say. But?

Why allow the Church's hateful obsession with keeping Gays down to continue. At a minimum vote for Equality. Do you know Christ never said being gay was wrong.

Their views on sex are based on the original view that man's sperm contained the whole child. That is why to the Church birth control, masturbation, and being gay is deemed wrong.

Why do you support a church that covered up one of the greatest atrocities of the modern time in the US.

Are you aware that the Catholic churches own studies find that between 40 - 60% of all priest are gay. Do you think their might be some self hate in that group.

The Catholic Church's obsessions with Birth Control and Homosexuality is not fortifying this church, it is destroying it. There are some great traditions in your and my former faith but the Hate of the Faith is killing it.

If you chose to stay please fight for a new understanding. If you chose to leave know there are Churches that want you.

[EllyBean]

12:52 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm not Catholic, but as someone with Catholic friends, I'd say that for some they stay because much of what the church teaches they believe, they believe in helping the Church return to its catholic (little "c" intended) roots, and they believe in change from within.

It won't be those of us on the outside who change the Catholic Church.

[Zippy1169]

03:22 PM on 02/14/2012

I agree but these folks who stay need to start speaking up. Either in voice or money. I have many friends who are priests and many of them are very upset with the hierarchy of the church. They are so out of touch it is scary.

Not one of them has criticized me for leaving.

[EllyBean]

06:14 PM on 02/13/2012

I actually find this protest really inappropriate and disappointing. The Catholic Church has every right to state its beliefs and encourage its membership to follow them.

When we turn the focus of equality into an attack on any specific religion, we risk the opportunity of all religions to advocate for their beliefs. Our focus should not be on the Catholic Church, or on any other religious institution for that matter, but on reminding our secular government that its laws are for all, religious or not, and that we want to protect religious freedom. ALL religious freedom, and that includes both conservative and liberal religions.

[valkygrrl]

03:27 AM on 02/14/2012

A protest alongside a counter protest is healthy. This is what we want in a free society.

[EllyBean]

12:49 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm not saying that protests in general aren't healthy, I just feel this one is misdirected. I'm not commenting on the right to protest, but rather the intention of this particular group and the possible negative consequences.

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:45 PM on 02/13/2012

Good. The Catholic Church needs to be protested. I'm sick of them (and other groups) trying to force their religious beliefs into law (or maintaining said belief in some cases). Stay out of my life and my legal rights and then you won't have to worry about me and other GLBT people picketing you.

[timesrtough]

05:33 PM on 02/13/2012

ColleenHarper Posts "I'm NOT Catholic. Stop trying to tell me how I am to live my life!" Ok and I am not homosexual so stop telling me it is normal, natural and acceptable. I'll stop if you will. Deal?

[Zippy1169]

10:45 PM on 02/13/2012

Your problem is understanding who was the first to attack. The Church attacked first so it is up to you to stop the Church's attacks. Once that happens I promise the retaliation strikes will stop.

[timesrtough]

02:00 PM on 02/14/2012

Attack? Attack? Really you think that is an attack? How thinned skinned are you? Oh wait, any disagreement, any other POV, any non-compliance with your position must immediately be labeled as an attack. Drag out the strongest possible words to counter the simplest comment. How dramatic are you going to be? It is a comment and a comment that will be or would be viewed by a very few. Stop with the over dramatization of every comment that doesn't stay in lock step with your position. Good grief, you are having some real definition issues on what constitutes an attack.

[ColleenHarper]

05:11 PM on 02/13/2012

Considering that the Bishops and Priests are trying to force their religious beliefs on everyone, including those who are NOT a member of their faith, it is only right that people protest at their doorstep!

I'm NOT Catholic. Stop trying to tell me how I am to live my life!

[itsjimmy]

12:38 AM on 02/14/2012

Verbal rape!

[psandysdad]

12:45 PM on 02/13/2012

"The common people find religion true. The intelligent find it false. Rulers find it useful."

[BurtonDesque]

09:30 PM on 02/13/2012

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”

-- Seneca

[mrld20]

10:32 AM on 02/13/2012

Now all we need to do is burn Cardinal George in effigy... Maybe that will get the Church's attention... The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence did 20 years... Time to take a militant stand for LGBT rights...

[CogentThought]

01:16 PM on 02/13/2012

I respectfully disagree. That would make the cardinal into a victim. He does not deserve any sympathy.

[random100]

09:59 AM on 02/13/2012

Heterosexuals should be protesting the no birth control policies of the church. Jesus never spoke on this.

[BooBoo Bob]

10:35 AM on 02/13/2012

Frankly, I just protest the church, period, but that's just on general principles.

[borschjs]

12:02 PM on 02/13/2012

Benedetto Casanova said it best when he penned this ""religion is the source of all evil, the cesspool of ignorance and but a tool in the princes' "(princes of the church = Cardinals and Bishops ) " hands to subjugate the masses"

[random100]

12:27 PM on 02/13/2012

Well said.