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THE QUESTION
gD'SNOTE:
f|H» question Is the second In a three
P*y,V r j? 8 0,1 Father George Hyde
*** Eucharistic Catholic Church.
Th# Quest published in the June
of the Barb gave the fadnating
beground of George Hyde. The
(V«*»'on deals with Father Hyde’s
de^alon to minister to gay people in
August we will present the third
installment “The Long Journey
Begins”, tells the story of a church
reaching out to gay people in 1947!
Within in the month Father
George notified his superiors of
h» s intention to not only
withdraw from the religious
order but also from the
obedience of the Roman Catholic
Church. He engaged during this
period in an extensive scries of
interviews with the venerable
Gerald O’Hara, Roman Catholic
Bishop of Savannah-
Atlanta (Georgia)
and his confessor the very
Reverend John Kirk. The result
of this openess on the part of Fr.
George was his immediate
expulsion from the seminary and
the refusal to administer
communion to him the next
day;“lest in doing so we do
imply that he is not condemned
to external punishment.”
The reaction of both Bishop
O’Hara and Father Kirk was
more moderate. Father Kirk
embraced his spiritual son and
wished him well, and continued
his close friend and advisor for
many years. Bishop O’Hara,
later the Apostolic Delegate to
England, attempted to point out
the difficulties of his decision
and the magnitude of such a
move, and advised:‘if you
believe with all your heart and
soul that this is the road you
must travel, rather that the
established avenue which you
can no longer respect, then 1
must admonish both you and
myself to pray to God daily to
give us the wisdom not to hate
the things we don’t understand:
you do not understand my
position and 1 do not understand
yours. But let us love...not
hate.”
The next pressing question
was how to secure priestly orders
for the rejected seminarian, who
had been elected to be pastor of
a new church uroup. Approaches
were made to several bishops,
but in each instance the requests
were denied. Eventually an
approach to Bishop John
Kazantks of the Eastern
Orthodox Church brought the
desired results. Thus, on July 1,
WORLDS
LARGEST
GAY
ENTERTAINMENT
CENTER
1946 the first free standing,
uninhibited open ministry to and
for the gay Christian community
was established.
While the original intent was
to identify this special ministry
as an independent” American
Catholic Church free of the
established Church” in an effort
to stress the sacramental nature
and intent of the ministry, and in
relation to the fact that the
Eucharist- the Sacramental
Presence of Christ- which the
established Church had
consistently denied the
homosexual, would be one of the
focal points, and no longer
denied.
Commenting at the time.
Father George said”l do not look
for any overnight progress or
flattering results to show
themselves immediately-
perhaps not even in my lifetime,
but if we unworthy men- each
one identified as either
homosexual or heterosexual
rather than as humans- rather
than as Christians- continue as
we have, we continue contraty to
God. Is it possible to be a simple
Christian, stressing what we
have in common as Children of
God. rather than our differences;
and loving each other even in his
difference? Yes, I think it
possible.”
Looking into the future, he
predicted the course of the gay
ministry for the next
decade:’* Progress, results,
future? This is not that difficult.
First of all we shall be simply
content to sow wide and deep the
seeds of Faith and Truth- that
common Truth, Heritage and
Faith, of both the homosexual
and heterosexual: One Lord. One
Faith, One Baptism, leaving
them to germinate and become
fruitful in God’s good time,
secure in .the knowledge that we
have discharged a mission
according to the limited talents
that God has granted, there will
come after us more talented
persons, more open persons,
who will have an easier path in
this ministry because of the
avenues we now construct for
them. We are not only
missionaries, we are builders;
builders of a bridge over a hugh
void, over which bridge will
travel the more active gay
ministries of the next decade.”
Next, Father George and the
small group set about trying to
locate a place of worship, and
trying to determine just how
such a body would function.
Already the group was in
agreement that their worship
would derive from the traditional
catholic liturgical and
sacramental forms, but clothed
in and enlightened theology. But
what of other portions of their
active apostolate? Father George
commented:“gay people have
been brain-washed by society-at-
large. and most especially by the
Christian Church. They have
been brainwashed into thinking
they are misfits, that they are
abnormal, that there is no hope
for a lasting relationship with
God. And while some have been
fortunate enough to come to
grips with this false teaching,
they also have suffered this
brainwashing and some of the
suds arc still present.” He then
determined that the first step
would be a “Service Center”
where gays might come for all
forms of assistance in learning a
philosophy which would enable
them to come to grips with their
life and cease feeling guilty.
Interestingly, this Center was
called “VIA”..deriving from the
Latin” a way”.
In November 1946 the
Church was fortunate in
obtaining the voluntary services
of Dr. Vicncc Bloodworth, a local
psychologist, who not only
offered counselling to the gay
community, but placed several
rooms of her office complex at
the disposal of the parish. In
early December 1946 a 24-hour
telephone answcring-referral-
counseling service was
established.
in a period of four months
much had been accomplished,
but as yet not one worship
service held because of the
inability to find suitable
quarters. In December, and with
the emotion of the approaching
Christmas season, some of the
(now) more-a ware gay Christians
felt unable to continue and
approached the owner of the
Cotton Blossom Lounge in
Atlanta, and asked to have the
facilities placed at the disposal of
Holy Apostles congregation for
the celebration of the Christmas
Eve midnight mass. They were
refused. The owner very shortly
consented, since the following
three nights his place of business
was almost completey empty.
These gay Christians had
probably conducted what was
the very first show of strength in
the area of boycott by
homosexual dollar.
Normally accomodating
about 50 persons, the cocktail
lounge-tumed-church saw 85
individuals crowded into its
small interior on December 24,
1946 for the historic occasion.
Following the religious
service, and as the congregation
exited onto busy Peachtree
Street about 1:30a.m.. they were
greeted by a small group of 8 or
10 "protestors” from nearby
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic
Church. Several expression were
Your
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sneered at the gay
Christians:"queer”- “heretic”-
” harlot”- and at one point
someone shouted "this is what
Christ told us to do” and threw a
rock into the group. This rock hit
against the wall of the building
and then bounced to hit Father
George on the right cheek.
During the entire demonstration
LOS ANGLES GAY PRIDE WEEK
LOS ANGELES - Sunday. July
4th. is the date for the annual
Gay Pride Parade down
Hollywood Boulevard sponsored
by the Christopher Street West
Association.- .... ,
The parade, highlight ot
activities during Los Angeles
Gay Pride Week June 27th to
July 5th. will be accompanied by
the third annual Gay Pride
Carnival and. for the first time,
by a full-fledged circus,
complete with chimpanzees,
ponies, clowns and elephants.
The carnival and circus will
open Friday evening. July 2. and
will continue daily through
Monday. July 5. at Sunset
Boulevard and Las Palmas
Avenue.
Musical Cabaret,
on altemauve in
evening entertainment.
Three different
shows nightly
Tues. through Sat.
8:30,10:30 and 12:30
Order dinner or drinks
from your table phone.
2359 Ffeachtree Road
P'tiee Battle Shopping Ctr
231-0160
r
DIGNITY
ATLANTA
CAHOLIC OUTREACH
TO THE
GAY COMMUNITY
Grow by sharing with
your Brothers and Sisters
in liturgy, socials,
discussion and sporting
activities. Services:
7:30pm at St. Thomas
Moore Church, 624 West
Ponce De Leon Avenue,
Decatur. For More
Information Call
14041355-1416
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The theme for all of this
year’s Gay Pride events is "We
Were There." It was chosen for
this Bicentennial year, according
to Christopher Street West
Association chairperson Sharon
Comelison. "to commemorate
the many contributions of
prominent women and men who
were gay, during the founding of
the republic and throughout
American history."
The theme is reflected in the
Gay Pride Week souvenir
button, which features a patriotic
American shield, as well as on
the official poster.
The July 4 parade will step
forth at 3 p.m. down Hollywood
11 THE BARB; Jtrtf 1476-
the Holy Apostles congregatioh'
uttered not one word, being
reminded by Father George of
these words from the Mass they
had just celebrated:
"....and as a Lamb is
dumb before its shearers, He
spoke not a word...."
this being a reference to the
Crucifixion of Christ.
Boulevard, from Argyle St. west
to Las Palmas Avenue.
Comelison said it will take close
to two hours for the colorful
floats, bands, politicians and
dignitaries, and cadres of
marchers from gay religious,
socia-service. political,
motorcycle and social groups to
pass by. Last year an estimated
2.500 marched, viewed bv a
crowd believed to number about
20.000.
Unlike previous years, the
Association is not sponsoring a
rally or speeches after the
parade this year. "The parade
itself is our statement.”
Comelison said.
The dignitaries joining the
Continued on page 13.
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