The following comes from a Nov. 9 story by K.C. Reynolds.

For the first time ever, a Catholic church-approved group marched in the Palm Springs Gay Pride Parade, 10 am this Sunday.

They marched under the banner, “Palm Springs LCBT Roman Catholic Community welcomes you.”

About twenty marchers all wearing blue T-shirts that had a white crucifix and the words, “LGBT Catholic Community” marched between floats promoting gay bars and Leather Men (S&M) for about six city blocks to the entrance of the Pride Festival. Some sported rainbow rosaries.

The parade started with a bevy of women reminiscent of the Dykes on Bikes on motorcycles and ended with a float promoting medical marijuana.

Events listed as part of the Gay Pride weekend included a Drag Queen Pageant, Hot, Wet & Proud Beach Party, a (marriage) Equality Concert, and parties at the CCBC (Cathedral City Boys Club) famous for “piss parties,” nudity, and causal male sex.

The parade events are under an umbrella of political organizations: the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Coordinators (Inter Pride), the International Festival and Events Association, the International Lesbian and Gay Association, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Human Rights Commission.

This year’s Catholic marching unit was promoted and endorsed by Father John Kavcak, pastor of St Theresa Parish and mentor for Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Solitude parishes – all staffed by MSC (Missionaries of Sacred Heart) priests.

No such unusual participation could have occurred without the approval of Gerald Barnes, bishop of San Bernardino Diocese.

The San Bernardino diocese has a long history of gay priests, including the infamous sex offender (rape of a male minor), Rev. Paul Shanley, Fr. Peter Covas (former financial chancellor for Diocese with arrest record), and Archbishop Rembert Weakland (had his young gay lover in Palm Springs area).

The Catholic marchers were not the only Catholic oriented unit. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence also marched. This year they had a float with a man dressed in a collar as if

he were a priest and he was marrying two men. A man dressed as a bishop gave blessings to the couple and to the cheering parade watchers.

Most of the parade participants were older white men. However, there were some units with school children. These groups were organized by the Gay Straight Alliance Network.