SYRACUSE, New York (LifeSiteNews) — An anonymous man has stolen and burned a “pride” flag that was flown outside an openly heterodox, pro-LGBT Catholic parish in Syracuse, New York.
Over the night of June 6-7, a Catholic man, whose identity remains unknown, ripped down a “pride” flag from All Saints Catholic Church in Syracuse, New York, according to the parish website.
“As noted at our masses last weekend, on that first weekend of PRIDE MONTH, over night of June 6 & 7, the PRIDE PROGRESS FLAG, flown proudly at our All Saints Roman Catholic Parish was stolen from the flag pole on our campus, and the American Flag, which had flown above it, was lowered to half-staff,” a message on the parish website reads.
“This obviously required deliberate effort and was intended to send a message,” it continued, adding that the parish would host a re-raising ceremony on June 14.
All Saints pastor Fr. Fred Daley, who describes himself as a “gay priest,” told local media that he has received emails from the man who took the “pride” flag.
According to Daley, the man anonymously emailed the parish, revealing that he is a recently converted Catholic and has burned the sacrilegious flag.
Daley and the man have exchanged a few emails, in which Daley attempted to mislead the man into believing that the Catholic Church supports the LGBT lifestyle.
Contrary to what Daley preaches, the Catechism of the Catholic Church declares that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and gravely evil and “under no circumstances can they be approved.” It also teaches that the homosexual inclination is “objectively disordered.”
The Catechism clearly states that God created humans “male and female” and that “[p]hysical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out.”
The Church additionally teaches that men who suffer from “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” must not be ordained to the priesthood.
However, Catholic doctrine does not seem to have a hold over this parish. As evidenced by its website, the parish prides itself on contradicting Catholic doctrine on sexuality in the name of “inclusivity.”
“Happy Pride!” the parish wrote in its latest bulletin. “Pride Month is in full swing, and we at All Saints are celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride all month long! So far, we’ve had an incredible time at Dewitt Town Pride last Sunday and Pride Night with the Syracuse Mets, two joyful events that brought our community together in love and solidarity.”
In addition to flying the “pride” flag, the parish hosts various LGBT groups, including flag raising ceremonies, “pride” worship nights, and LGBT seminars.
However, while Daley may believe that he is showing “love” to gender- and sexually-confused individuals, he seems to have forgotten the words of Jesus in the Gospel of St. John, “The truth will set you free.” It is only by realizing one’s actual identity as male or female as designed by God that a person can find true joy and peace.
Furthermore, it is the role of Catholics to direct and guide those who are confused. True love of another leads one to follow Christ’s directions to “admonish the sinner,” not to encourage them in their sin.
Through his misguided ideas of sexuality and “love,” Daley is further distancing people from God’s love and from their identity as children of God.
