Two sidelined after protesting altar call on ban on gay marriage
By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff | October 27, 2005
At the pulpit of St. Gabriel Church in Brighton, an official from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston was telling parishioners how to sign a petition to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
As he looked on, said Patrick Kilduff, the church's organist for 28 years, he grew angry that the archdiocese had chosen a Saturday Mass to make what he considered a political statement.
So before he was supposed to play the closing hymn of the Mass on Oct. 8 , Kilduff walked away from his organ in protest. His cantor, Colleen Bryant, stood in front of the congregation and told them that they did not have to sign the petition if they did not want to.
Moments later on that rainy Saturday afternoon, the church pastor fired Bryant, and Kilduff resigned in a fury.
In an interview yesterday, Kilduff recalled telling the priests of the parish: '' 'I'm done. I can't believe what you guys have done.' "
The pair's departure occurred as the archdiocese faces mounting criticism from laypeople and other religious leaders for its decision to remove a popular Newton priest from his parish.
The archdiocese contends that the ouster of the Rev. Walter H. Cuenin as pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Church was the result of accepting stipends larger than authorized by the archdiocese and the use of a car, also not approved by the archdiocese. But many Catholics and priests are expressing concern that the archdiocese is slowly eradicating from public ministry priests who disagree with its teachings.
Cuenin has been an outspoken supporter of the idea that the Catholic Church should welcome gays and lesbians.
For some critics, those concerns were exacerbated when on Oct. 2 activists opposed to same-sex marriage and backed by the state's four Catholic bishops said they were well on their way to collecting the 65,825 signatures needed to place a constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
The next weekend, the petitions appeared at tables behind the pews of St. Gabriel. At first, Kilduff said, he tried to ignore the stacks of paper. But when the archdiocesan official addressed the congregation from the altar, Kilduff said he became incensed. ''We never make political announcements of any type," Kilduff said. ''That was never brought up at my church. . . . Deal with [political statements] at the rectory, at the school, not during church, not during a holy service."
The pastor, the Rev. Justinian Manning, did not return a phone call seeking comment yesterday. Terrence C. Donilon, spokesman for Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley, said the pastor made the right decision. ''People have a right to their opinions," Donilon said. ''We respect everyone's opinion. It was just an inappropriate place to do it. It was an inappropriate time to do it."
Donilon, who said he was speaking on the pastor's behalf, also defended the use of a Mass to promote the petition. ''Any place and time we could reasonably expect a priest to promote those issues that are central to the mission of the church," he said.
But Kilduff and Bryant said the petitions and Bryant's firing, indicate that the leadership of the archdiocese is forcing its political views on parishes.
''It feels that people who are the type who make questions are the ones that are ousted, are the ones that are cut off," said Bryant, 28.
Kilduff, 41, has played organ for the church since he was 13. Twenty years ago, the church offered him the position of music director. During the week, he worked as a computer specialist.
But on weekends, he spent hours at the church, preparing and performing the musical selections for three Masses. The part-time job earned him about $200 a week before taxes.
Bryant, who received a master's degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory, was hired about six years ago and earned the same salary. ''It was like the constant thing in my life," she said.
The Mass on Oct. 8 , however, was her last at the parish. Kilduff approached Bryant and told her he would not perform the final song and walked to the back of the church.
Bryant stayed at the microphone. A supporter of same-sex marriage, she decided to express her discontent. ''I said . . . that by no means should anyone feel obligated to sign this petition, especially those of us who, like myself, may believe or may think that politics do not belong in this house of worship," she said.
Then she sang two verses of ''Now Thank We All Our God," without accompaniment, collected her things and left the church. On her way out, one elderly parishioner praised her for her comments, she said.
About 15 minutes later, Bryant said, she received a call from Manning, who was not at the Mass. He had heard about her comments from the presiding priest and was upset, Bryant said.
He asked her if she planned on making similar statements during the Sunday Mass, Bryant recalled. She did not give him a reply. Then ''he said, 'Well, then I don't want you to ever come back and sing,' " Bryant said.
When Bryant told Kilduff what had transpired, he immediately went to the rectory, turned in the keys to the church, and announced his resignation. Neither has returned to the parish since.
''I'm very sad," Bryant said. ''It's hard to have devoted so much time and energy to a place. It wasn't just a job for me, and then just to be abandoned, cut off, just completely cut off."
Donilon said the church, which has a weekend attendance of about 900, is looking for a new organist and cantor.
Masses, meanwhile, have been decidedly more somber since the pair left, said parishioner Dick Marques, 68, who signed the petition. ''I just feel bad that we haven't got an organist," Marques said. ''The singing was beautiful."
Find out how to contact us for more information. |
