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Cardinal Vincent
Nichols Presided at a Mass welcoming LGBT Catholics, Parents and
Families on Sunday 10 May 2015 at 18:15.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Catholics,
their parents and families, gave a warm welcome to Cardinal Vincent
Nichols when he presided at the Mass they attend at Farm Street Jesuit
Church in Central London on Sunday, 10 May, 18.15.
The LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council
moved its gatherings from the Church of the Assumption in London's Soho
to the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, Mayfair
in March 2013.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of
Westminster, requested that they focus on pastoral support and
development for LGBT Catholics and their parents in this new and
better-resourced location.
The 10 May Mass was the first time that a
Cardinal has presided at a Mass welcoming LGBT Catholics in London. It
took place, coincidentally, after the 16th anniversary of the first
such Mass which was held on 2 May 1999 in a Catholic Convent, two days
after the Admiral Duncan pub bombing in Soho.
However, this is not the first time that Cardinal
Nichols has met with LGBT Catholics in Westminster Diocese. He welcomed
them to Farm Street Jesuit Church on 4 March 2013 and engaged in an open
Question & Answer session on that occasion. He also attended a meeting
of the LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council in November 2013.
Further details: LGBT Catholics Westminster
Pastoral Council 020 8986 0807 /
lgbtcatholicswestminster@gmail.com
Report
Cardinal Vincent Nichols was welcomed by a packed Farm Street Jesuit
Church on Sunday, 10 May 2015, when he presided at the scheduled 18.15
Mass which welcomes LGBT Catholics, their parents and families. This was
the first time that an Archbishop of Westminster had presided at such a
Mass which was concelebrated by Monsignor Keith Barltrop, the Cardinal's
Liaison with the LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council, Farm
Street's Parish Priest, Fr. Andrew Cameron-Mowat SJ, and Fr. John
O'Leary, Cardinal Nichols' Secretary.
Specially-composed music, including Live every day in my love, based on
the day's Gospel reading, and a new version of Psalm 97 were sung by the
Beacon Music Group which accompanies Farm Street's 2nd Sunday evening
Masses. Members of the LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council were
among the readers at the Mass.
Expressing his delight in being able to celebrate this Mass, Cardinal
Nichols highlighted the day's scripture readings: God has no favourites,
but anyone who does what is right is acceptable to God. Affirming that
in God's mercy and love, all are acceptable and accepted, the Cardinal
warned against those who would set God's mercy and Commandments against
each other. It is this understanding of mercy which is informing so much
of Pope Francis' ministry, and also the Synods' processes. The
Commandments are not simply regulations imposed from on high, but
indications of how God's mercy can be received and embraced as we
journey in the transformation to which we are called. The Cardinal
emphasised that it is in the Eucharist that we become what we see: the
Body of Christ. A link to Cardinal Nichols' Homily is included below.
Following the Mass, the Cardinal spent time with the congregation over
refreshments in Farm Street Parish Hall. The Cardinal thanked both the
Parish and the LGBT Catholic Westminster Pastoral Council for journeying
together in this important pastoral outreach.
In order to respect the occasion's privacy a request had been made that
no recording or photographs should be taken. It later emerged
that someone present disregarded this, recording proceedings in the
church and hall. An LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council
spokesperson said: The fact that this person deliberately ignored the
parish priest's request tells much of his intentions and lack of
respect.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols Homily:
http://rcdow.org.uk/cardinal/homilies/mass-at-farm-street-parish/
Further details: LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council
lgbtcatholicswestminster@gmail.com
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