Homosexual activists say they will descend today on San Francisco’s oldest Catholic Church for Good Friday protest

Today at 5:30 p.m. members of “ACT UP” and other anti-Catholic groups have announced they will descend on San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Church and place ashes from AIDS victims on the landmark church’s steps to protest what they claim is the complicity of the Catholic Church in the deadly epidemic.

Mission Dolores was founded on June 29, 1776, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, by Franciscan friars under the leadership of the Fr. Francisco Palou and the direction of Fr. Junipero Serra. It is the oldest Catholic church in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the oldest building in San Francisco. In addition, the mission is “the oldest original intact Mission in California,” according to the church’s website. The parish includes Mission Dolores Basilica and the Old Mission.

An event listing on the LGBTQI/Queer page of San Francisco’s IndyBay Media, a radical leftist website, reads, in part:

“The march will link the issues of gentrification and lack of affordable housing faced by people with HIV/AIDS and our communities today by starting at Wells Fargo, a major profiteer of the housing crisis. The march will continue to the steps of Mission Dolores Church, marking Good Friday and protesting the Catholic Church’s continued role of condemning people to die of AIDS globally and repression of sexual freedom and health here at home — by blocking access to condoms, and restricting access to reproductive health and abortion. Ashes of those who died during the epidemic in SF will be placed on the steps of Dolores Church… Its [sic] 25 years since we started ACT UP and the Catholic Church is still to blame.”

ACT UP (which stands for AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) began in 1987, and has regularly targeted the Catholic Church. In December 1989, thousands of ACT UP protestors disrupted Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York over the archdiocese’s position against the distribution of condoms and its opposition to abortion — themes echoed in ACT UP San Francisco’s planned activities today at Mission Dolores.

Ironically, the Catholic Church in San Francisco was the first and best responder to the city’s AIDS epidemic. Moreover, the availability of condoms does not seem to correspond with HIV infection rates. The most recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control shows that 61% of new HIV infections are among homosexual men — about 2% of the population of the United States. The CDC study also showed that the only group in which new HIV infections are increasing is among young homosexual men — a group not known for following the teachings of the Catholic Church. What abortion has to do with the AIDS epidemic is unclear.

Mission Dolores Church is located two blocks from Mission Dolores Park, which, for the past decade, has also been the site of the infamous Easter Sunday “Hunky Jesus” contest — an event where the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” mock the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

ACT UP says that, since the AIDS epidemic began, almost 20,000 San Francisco residents have lost their lives to the disease — and another 16,000 are living with the illness today.

“This Good Friday we will mourn our dead and fight like hell for the living here in San Francisco and around the world,” says the ACT UP announcement.

 

READER COMMENTS

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 12:11 AM By Clinton
Truly these sodomites do the work of their master, Satan. To do this on Good Friday, the day Our Lord gave up His Body and Blood is diabolical. The day of wrath is coming. May the Lord have mercy upon us. +JMJ+

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 12:20 AM By Dan
I am at least glad these lost souls finally admit the connection between their homosexual life-style and abortion. Both sins are connected by a rejection of the Natural /Moral Law. So the connection is rather clear: AIDS and abortion spring from the same contempt for God’s Law planted in our hearts. Whatever else one may say, their honesty if refreshing.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 12:49 AM By charlio
Crisis Magazine, 4-3-12, “Why Homosexuals Think they Are Hated” by Dale O’Leary: Pope Benedict XVI and others have recently drawn attention to the fact that simply putting forward the Church’s unchanging teachings on marriage and sexual morality puts a person in the position of being accused of “hate.” In particular, GLBT (gay lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered) activists are demanding that Catholics and those of other religions change 4,000-year-old teachings about marriage and sexual morality. When believers answer that they are not authorized to make such changes in what God has revealed, the GLBT activists accuse them of “hate,” even going so far as to charge them with “hate crimes.” It doesn’t matter how gently the words are spoken or how carefully the message is phrased, the GLBT activists only hear “hate.” Although there is no one cause for same-sex attraction (SSA), in many instances it can be linked to childhood gender identity disorder — the failure to identify strongly with one’s own same-sex parent or peers in the first two years of life. Some persons with SSA as children wanted to be other sex or pretended to be the other sex, while others simply felt ‘different’ from their same-sex parent and peers. Very often the child’s relationship with the father was seriously deficient. Not having a positive, healthy relationship with one’s father affects the way a person deals with authority, rules, and rejection. (Continued).

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 12:49 AM By charlio
Often persons with SSA were rejected by peers, who did understand their ‘different’ behavior. Every time the unhealed adult with SSA feels rejection, faces discipline, or is confronted with rules, he remembers the pain of his relationship with his father or peers. He transfers these feelings to those who oppose him and screams in pain “You hate me, you hate me.” The only real solution in these cases is for persons with SSA to forgive their fathers and to be reconciled with their father God. Until that happens we cannot take their anger personally. We must speak clearly about the need for healing and repentance — but remember that the sexual sin is the fruit of a developmental disorder and often the first sin that must be repented of is the sin of resentment. I had an opportunity to see this work with a woman who had been involved in lesbian activity. While the healing process was long and difficult, it began when she forgave her parents. From that moment on, she never returned to the same-sex activity. (Continued.)

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 12:49 AM By charlio
Persons with SSA are themselves filled with anger and ‘hate’ and they project that on anyone who opposes their demands. They assume we must be as angry as they are. We must constantly remind ourselves that under their anger and their hate, persons with SSA are wounded men and women. As small children they accepted the lie that they were different. They were unable to embrace their true identities as sons and daughters of God. In spite of their anger and false accusations, we must continue to speak the truth. Only by this means can we help them find their way out of the lies in which have been trapped. And most of all we need to pray for them. (The End.)

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 1:03 AM By Anon
The SFPD should stop this.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 3:14 AM By MaryG
Abortion also belongs to Lucifer. That’s what abortion has to do with it.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 3:40 AM By RR
Unbelievable! They will mourn their dead? Why not RESPECT their dead loved ones themselves? What kind of respect are they showing to the dead, loved ones by not giving these loved ones a proper burial and respect? They are using the ashes of these supposed loved ones for their agenda. How sad is that? Deplorable!

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 3:40 AM By Luke
The ACTup people are idiots. The Catholic church’s teachings that people should be celibate outside of (heterosexual, or real) marriage would largely stop the sexual transmission of HIV, if followed. By comparison, the homosexual lobby’s preference for homosexuals to do what they want, just try to use condoms, would work substantially less effectively. Apparently the Catholic church looks out for the real interests of homosexuals better than ACTUP. (I’m not Catholic, FWIW, just observant and honest.)

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 4:00 AM By Maryanne Leonard
Yes, perhaps the deaths from AIDS are in some small ways the fault of the Church in a very twisted way of looking at it. Perhaps our beautiful Church is too accepting and kindly toward the mean-spirited, accusatory and mocking haters of our Church’s teachings with regard to homosexuals, and these poor afflicted same sex addicts misinterpret our kind acceptance and humble generosity toward them as approval of their sexually active homosexuality. I’ve noticed, judging by their posts on this site, that they have a penchant for misinterpreting and taking out of context virtually anything we try to share with them here, which reflects a strange sort of twisted thinking that borders on mental illness. Perhaps we need to make all the more abundantly clear that we are trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in loving the sinner but hating the sin. The homosexuals I have noted at a church I attend sometimes in Hollywood seem to be still in the throes of active sexual addiction to other men, and it may be that we are killing them with kindness.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 4:35 AM By RobertBurkholder
There is a way that seems right to a man ,but the end thereof is death. Those who are of the flesh cannot understand the things of the Spirit. Those caught in that web of homosexual deceit are blinded by their sin -and will blame God–or the Church for what they have chosen.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 5:11 AM By Canisius
OH how I wish I could be there with a few of my old comrades, they would wish they had never been born, another I detest homosexuals and the gay mafia…do you get that Peter…this is why

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 5:41 AM By Doc Mugwump
The city government cannot allow this health-hazzard. Aren’t their laws against spreading human remains on public streets and private property? It is just me or are the letters of this organizational name getting longer and longer as time passes? Perhaps the best place for the remains of these poor souls is at the footsteps of the Church – even though the protestors do not understand this; the people who died of AIDS will now in death be brought to the doorstep of a sanctuary of Jesus Christ. If they saw it in this light, I am certain they would not do this sad protest. May the Lord have mercy upon those who have died and may we pray for His forgiveness of those who live in a manner which contradicts His holy will for their lives. For all Catholics today is “Good Friday” for these people it could be called, “Sad Friday”.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 6:09 AM By Gabriel Espinosa 
I hope I die before God loses His patience.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 6:15 AM By Aa
So we can expect to hear later of all the ash pourers being arrested, right? They’ve given police advance notice of their intent to vandalize. Their argument – becaus the Church expects abstinence outside of marriage and doesn’t recognize homosexual unions as marriage, therefore, gays should remain abstinate; somehow it is the Church’s fault they ate dying from a sexually transmitted disease which requires copious blood to blood contact. They must have all gone to public school.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 6:35 AM By ally
Lessons in logic are lacking. It is not logical to blame those who are advocating that the only 100% cure for gay related AIDS is abstaining from gay sex.. Do they also blame the policeman who pulls them over for driving 100 miles an hour during a rain storm? Would they prefer that the policeman allow them to behave recklessly because they enjoy the thrill of speed? Should the policeman simply advocate the use of tires that are the best on the market because they might provide a better chance of not skidding at high speed? No, the policeman has a duty to keep the citizens in his charge safe. The church also has the duty never to advocate devices such as condoms that she knows are not 100% safe.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 6:42 AM By MacDonald
These thugs are lucky they don’t try such nonsense against a mosque in the Middle East! The Church, through countless people, including Blessed Mother Teresa, has reached out to help people living with AIDS, even turning the former convent at Most Holy Redeemer into a hospice. And yet these “activists” insist on anti-Catholic hooliganism on our High Holy Days. I hope the archdiocese calls the cops ASAP rather than waiting for more violation of our rights to worship.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 7:25 AM By Patrick
Sooner or later, one has to account for his own actions which lead to disease. AIDS is the penalty for same sex love. One can argue all day. But, it is preventable and totally up to those involved. If God is rejected and blasphemed by those seeking carnal pleasure over Him, He can hardly be blamed. He gives them free will even to destroy themselves.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 7:30 AM By Steve Seitz
ACT UP thinks that the Catholic Church is condemning people to die because it’s against the use of condoms. That’s funny because the last I checked, the Church was strongly against gay sex as well as any sex outside of marriage. And both of these behaviors are the main cause for the spread of AIDS. I wonder what ACT UPs position is on gay sex. In short [using ACT UPs own logic] ACT UP is condemning people to die of AIDS and is falsely transferring the blame to the Catholic Church.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 7:43 AM By Tom Byrne
“Fight like Hell”. Says it all right there.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 7:43 AM By Brad
Last line in the article: A gestalt and freudian slip. Hell indeed does “fight for” the living here on earth. That’s why we say the prayer to St. Michael. Against assaults such as this. The invisible fallen angels leading this charge are the real field marshals.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 8:00 AM By degu
Oh man, for once in my life I wish I lived in SF, I’d have so much ‘fun’ with these losers.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 8:30 AM By Cheryl
There are few people whose family’s or friends have not been affected by AIDS. Yet even if homosexuality was fully accepted -which is not the issue here- responsible choice is. Many doctors and researchers are continuing to search for an AIDS cure, and many of them are Catholic Christians. Blaming others, including the Catholic Church hierarchy, for a homosexual’s own choices will not cure AIDS. Despite their hostility towards the Church homosexuals are still included in our prayers, and through our vocations we intentionally work towards cures and alleviation of their suffering without judging or blaming them. We still embrace the person, just as Jesus would; we still pray and work for cures and healing of AIDS and HIV-related complications. Though their blaming of Catholics and disrupting Catholic worship may have some venting benefits for their pain and frustration, the reality comes back to them and their own choices. Some very good, kind, intelligent, and wonderful people have made very poor choices in how to build relationships and blaming is unproductive especially after the fact. Our prayers, work for AIDS cures, compassionate care of suffering individuals, and eventual grief at their painful passing is real. At some point an individual has to grow up and make a commitment to one partner, be celibate, or continue with brief, serial relationships which have their own dangers. And we will still continue to care without judging; it is as it is.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 8:41 AM By C&H
I am a lesbian. My girlfriend cared for AIDS patients as part of her Christian service course at a Catholic high school in the 80’s when all these people did was march around with stupid signs. The ACT UP people are despicable narcissists. They ought to be kicked out of the LGBT community!

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 8:42 AM By Laurette Elsberry
I wonder if ACT UP is getting a second life. We haven’t heard much about them lately. The disruption of a Sunday Mass during Advent at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NY in December of 1989 was quite an event, resulting in pubicity around the world. The ACT UP folks made a video of it called “Stop the Church”. (I looked for it on YouTube but could not find it.) In this celebratory film of how they set up the protest and how they dressed up to get into the Cathedral and then disrupted Mass is quite graphic. Although I would argue that there were not “thousands” of protesters disrupting Mass, there was a huge police presence outside to keep order, and police inside. Certain ACT UP members inside started their demonstration on cue, with one yelling out “Stop killing us”, meaning the Church’s, and Cardinal O’Connor’s policies on condoms. Before long many ACT UPers were lying in the aisles, repeating the theme that the Church was killing them. Police hauled them out on stretchers. I could suggest that the SF police take a cue from “Stop the Church” on how to prepare fort the assault on Mission Dolores, but the SF police in 2012 are a far cry from the NY police of 1989. We should take comfort in the knowledge that the continued and increasingly violent attacks against the Catholic Church by ACT UP, Planned Parenthood and its allies, and our own government, especially Obama, are proof that the Catholic Church is the last bulwark against the king of this world – Satan.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 9:14 AM By Paul
Sex without responsibility. Sex without love. Sex without accountability. “The wages of sin is death.”. The city of San Francisco works hand in glove with these hate-filled left wing fanatics, who think they ate going to coerce the Church to aquiesce in their murderous agenda. Sad and tragic as these deaths are, the victims reaped what they have sown. What do you expect from people who have no respect for themselves?

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 9:33 AM By Fr. J
If they had obeyed church teaching they would not have gotten the disease. Instead of blaming themselves for spreading it they blame the Catholics. This is insane. Act Up are the real haters.

Posted Friday, April 06, 2012 9:52 AM By Eagle eye
Why not stand together on the doorstep with enough people so that they can’t dump their ashes there. And call the SFPD it us against the law to dump human remains.