Vatican official says Sash wearers disqualified from Communion

Published: 2005-02-04

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican's top liturgy official said Rainbow Sash wearers disqualify themselves from receiving Holy Communion because they are demonstrating their opposition to church teaching on homosexuality. Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, made the comment in a written response to Catholic News Service in early February. Rainbow Sash, which describes itself as an organization of gay and lesbian Catholics and their families and friends, has criticized church statements on homosexuality, including the church's teaching that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" and that homosexual orientation is "objectively disordered." To underline their point, the group's members sometimes attend Mass and receive Communion wearing the sash. Cardinal Arinze discussed the issue with at least one U.S. archbishop during U.S. bishops' visits to the Vatican in 2004. A Catholic Web site recently reported that in a private communication, Cardinal Arinze's secretary said the cardinal thought sash wearers should not receive Communion.

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