November 21, 2014
Gay Rights Speaker Banned From Detroit Parish
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The Archdiocese of Detroit has banned a Catholic support group from using a Detroit parish for a meeting with a pro-gay rights speaker.
The Detroit Free Press reports (http://on.freep.com/1qGgPAS ) Archbishop Allen Vigneron prohibited a talk by Francis DeBernardo for Catholic families with gay members that was scheduled for Saturday. DeBernardo is the executive director of Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, an advocacy group for LGBT Catholics.
A spokesman for Vigneron says the group isn't an approved organization to address Catholic teachings on homosexuality.
DeBernardo says the ban sends the message to Catholics that they can't discuss how to stay in better communication with their church and their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender children.
Meeting organizers say they were allowed to hold the gathering of about 40 people last year at Christ the King parish without DeBernardo.
