On Pentecost Sunday, May 15, a Roman Catholic nun, a Catholic couple married 44 years, and a long-time gay-rights activist defied the Archbishop of Chicago’s ban on giving Communion to members of the Catholic gay group the Rainbow Sash Movement, according to a release from the National Coalition of American Nuns.
Members of the Rainbow Sash Movement wear a rainbow sash during Mass to signify support for equal treatment of gay and lesbian people in Church and society. Some American Catholic bishops, including Chicago’s Francis Cardinal George, have ordered that those who wear the sash be denied Communion. Other bishops, including Los Angeles’ Cardinal Roger Mahoney, have not forbidden Communion to the sash wearers. The day before Pentecost, the movement released a statement expressing its hope to ‘take part in the celebration of the birth of our Church, and to celebrate its diversity. This should be a joyous time of inclusion; not exclusion.’
On May 15 at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral, the sash-wearers approached the altar for Communion and were denied by associate pastor Rev. Ron Kunkel. The sash-wearers then returned to their pew. Dominican Sister Donna Quinn, director of the National Coalition of American Nuns; Joseph and Barbara Parot of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); and gay-rights activist Rick Garcia also attended. Then, Sister Donna, the Parots, and Garcia approached the altar and received Communion. In a surprising move, the four then approached the sash-wearers and gave them a portion of their consecrated hosts.
After the ceremony, Sister Quinn and the Parots approached the priest and expressed their displeasure and sadness at his action.