The following comes from a July 19 email from one of our readers:

Approximately 40 people prayed during a Holy Hour in reparation for sins against chastity on the eve of San Diego’s “gay pride” parade, Friday evening, July 17, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in San Diego’s Old Town neighborhood.

Led by Immaculate Conception pastor Father Richard Perozich, the Holy Hour included adoration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament punctuated by beautiful Latin hymn-singing by members of the San Diego-based Brothers of the Little Oratory.

During his remarks before and after the Holy Hour, Father Perozich spoke of “gay pride” supporters and participants as “our brothers and sisters, whom we love, but whose actions we condemn, and whom we lift up to Christ for healing so He can present them to His heavenly Father as chaste sons and daughters.”

For several years, Father Perozich was the San Diego diocesan director of Courage, the Catholic Church-sanctioned ministry that helps people who struggle with same-sex attraction to lead chaste lives, and Encourage, the companion ministry that helps those whose loved ones suffer from this affliction.

Members of nearby St. John the Evangelist parish, pastored by Father William Dillard and located in the heart of San Diego’s homosexual Hillcrest enclave, also offered Mass and prayers for the repentance and conversion of those attending San Diego “pride.”

Allyson Smith, who helped organize the Immaculate Conception prayer vigil, said, “We give grateful thanks to God for these faithful shepherds, Father Dillard and Father Perozich, for their willingness to host ‘gay pride’ reparation prayer vigils. We pray that other parishes — not only in the San Diego diocese but throughout California and the rest of the nation — will do the same next year.”