On being Proud.

Yesterday morning, an envelope slipped through the letter box. It felt like an invitation to something and on the back were the intriguing words “10 Downing Street”.

It turned out to be an invitation from the Prime Minister to a reception to celebrate the LGBT community in the United Kingdom.

Will I be going? You bet I will.

Receiving that invitation made me realise in some small part why I’ll be marching in today’s Glasgow Pride march.

Now, Pride is an emotion that Christians tend to be a little wary of. After all, didn’t our Lady have something to say about scattering the proud in the imagination of their hearts? Surely she wouldn’t be found dead on a gay pride march?

Well, think again. Our Lady will be marching today in the form of a group of folk from St Mary’s, Cathedral. (Notre Dame de Glasgow indeed).

The word “pride” covers a number of things in English these days – some negative and some positive. The proud hearts that Mary was wanting to send on their way were surely those of the haughty and the disdainful. Rather a different crew to those marching from Kelvingrove into town today.

The pride that is celebrated today is a sense of delight in the well-being of one’s self and others. Entirely a different thing, I think.

I’ll go to the Prime Minister’s reception full of pride in many people.

-full post at  What’s in Kelvin’s Head?

(weblog of Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow)

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Catholic and other religious groups were well-represented at the World Pride March 2012 which wound through the streets of London on July 7th.  The Soho Masses community of London wore T-shirts that said “All Are Welcome at Soho Masses” on the front, while the reverse said “Nobody Knows I’m Catholic.”    Members of Quest, a Catholic LGBT group in the United Kingdom marched with their banner. And New Ways Ministry was present, proudly marching with our banner amid the thousands upon thousands of marchers and spectators.

Here are some photos which I hope will give you a sense of the strong faith presence in the march, as well as the diversity of attendees:

– more pictures at  Bondings 2.0.

Related articles

• LGBT Ministry: A Mustard Seed Begins to Sprout. (queeringthechurch.com)
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• Faith at (World) Pride: London, 2012 (queeringthechurch.com)
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Gay Pride Weekend Draws Mormon Allies and Equality Supporters

This weekend, organized contingents of Mormons marched in LGBT pride parades in 8 cities, from New York to Santiago de Chile, marking the high point in an historic season in LDS LGBT history that began with the Mormons Building Bridges Parade in Salt Lake City on June 3.

In Seattle, the Mormons for Marriage Equality contingent counted 55 marchers at the beginning of the Pride parade. As the group made its way down the parade path, an additional 20 Mormons left the sidelines to join, repeating scenes witnessed in Washington, DC, when the parade route became a site for reunions between active Mormons and gay Mormons long estranged from the faith community.

In New York City, 50 gay Mormons and allies marched behind the banner of Affirmation, the nation’s oldest Mormon LGBT group. Some held signs quoting a verse from the Book of Mormon: “All are alike unto God.” Nineteen LDS marchers held the Affirmation banner in Houston, as did an estimated 100 LDS LGBT and allied marchers in Santiago de Chile.

The largest contingent of the weekend gathered in San Francisco, where more than 100 LDS people gathered to march behind the Mormons for Marriage Equality banner, winning the parade’s award for “Absolutely Outrageous” contingent. Mitch Mayne, who is openly gay and holds a leadership position in his San Francisco LDS congregation, offered an opening prayer for the group. “I felt prompted to ask our Father to bless us with the capacity to be ambassadors of His unconditional love,” said Mayne.

-full report by Joanna Brooks at Religion Dispatches

Related articles

• Straight Mormon Allies at Gay Pride, in Nine US Cities.
• Faith at (World) Pride: London, 2012

• Mormons Marching in Gay Pride Events (queerchurchnews.wordpress.com)
• Mormons Take Even More Activist Message to DC Pride March (religiondispatches.org)
• Mormons Prepare to March in LGBT Pride Parades Nationwide (religiondispatches.org)
• Mormons March In NYC Pride Parade (lezgetreal.com)
• Breaking from Their Church, Mormons March in Seattle’s Gay Pride Parade (slog.thestranger.com)
• A Big Gay Yay” for the Catholics (The Wild Reed)
• A Catholic Presence at Gay Pride  (The Wild Reed)

Catholics, Mormons, many religious will march in Seattle’s Pride Parade

A new wellspring of support will be on display when the annual Pride Parade gets underway Sunday in downtown Seattle.  People of faith are coming out for same-sex marriage, speaking with voices and feet, even if their bishops continue to stand against marriage equality.

The Mormon contingent in Seattle’s Pride Parade on Sunday will dress in classic missionary attire of shirts and ties, over which marchers will be wearing  “Approve Referendum 74” t-shirts.

“We stand for marriage equality:  We don’t stand AGAINST anything, and we are not interested in attacking anyone,” said Scott Holley of Mormons for Marriage Equality.  Holley’s church stood against same-sex marriage four years ago and was instrumental in passage of California’s Prop. 8.

The newly formed Catholics for Marriage Equality will be marching nearby in the parade under a big, newly made banner.  Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain has fought against marriage equality, but CME leader Barbara Guzzo is standing her ground and walking her talk.

– seattlepi.com

Related articles

• Straight Mormon Allies at Gay Pride, in Nine US Cities. (queeringthechurch.com)
• Faith at (World) Pride: London, 2012
• Christians Together at (World) Pride.
• Mormons Marching in Gay Pride Events (queerchurchnews.wordpress.com)
• Mormons Prepare for WA Marriage Equality Fight (religiondispatches.org)
• Let’s Hear It For Catholic Leaders Who Defend Marriage Equality! (queerchurchnews.wordpress.com)

Over 300 Mormon allies march at Utah Gay Pride

Mormons Building Bridges came out in their Sunday best and celebrated the LGBT community

Over 300 Mormon allies dropped their bibles and marched in Utah’s Gay Pride parade on Sunday (3 June).

The group Mormons Building Bridges said they wanted to send a message of love to the LGBT community, saying it was compatible with their faith.

-full report: Gay Star News

Related articles

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