NEW YORK (ChurchMilitant.com) – A Mass of reparation was held on Saturday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in reparation for sacrilegious outrages at the recent funeral of a so-called transgender woman.
Cecilia Gentili
The funeral, held last Thursday, was for Cecilia Gentili, a well-known figure in the so-called LGBTQ community and an advocate for “sex workers” and AIDS patients.
Gentili’s funeral was replete with provocative attire, cross-dressing, blasphemy, cheering, dancing and shouting. One eulogy blasphemously referred to her as “St. Cecilia, mother of all whores.”
Father Edward Dougherty, who delivered the service, at one point remarked, “Except on Easter Sunday, we don’t really have a crowd that is this well turned out, you know?”
Applause errupted from the pews.
After outrage among the faithful, Catholic leaders quickly responded.
Archdiocese Denounces Funeral
The archdiocese of New York, represented by Fr. Enrique Salvo, expressed deep outrage over the exploitation of the church’s hospitality and the disrespect shown to its sacred spaces.
On Saturday, Fr. Salvo released a statement on the website for the archdiocese of New York:
Thanks to so many who have let us know they share our outrage over the scandalous behavior at a funeral here at St. Patrick’s Cathedral earlier this week.
The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way.
That such a scandal occurred at “America’s Parish Church” makes it worse; that it took place as Lent was beginning, the annual forty–day struggle with the forces of sin and darkness, is a potent reminder of how much we need the prayer, reparation, repentance, grace, and mercy to which this holy season invites us.
At the Cardinal’s directive, we have offered an appropriate Mass of Reparation.
Unanswered Questions
Uncertainty remains about what the archdiocese knew — and when — regarding Gentili’s identity, despite Fr. Salvo’s claim that the cathedral hadn’t anticipated what materialized.
The Funeral of Cecilia Gentili at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC
The 52-year-old Gentili was a well-known Argentine advocate for so-called transgender rights and protections for “sex workers.” He moved to New York City, where he engaged in LGBT activism and held leadership roles in several LGBTQ HIV/AIDS care organizations.
He cofounded a free clinic for so-called sex workers at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.
Gentili’s activism also led to the founding of DecrimNY, an organization that played a crucial role in the decriminalization of “sex work” in New York.
He was also a self-professed atheist who mocked Catholicism. For example, in one tweet on April 25, 2023, Gentili mocked the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary to promote his so-called one-woman show titled “Red Ink.”
Fr. James Martin Distances Himself
Father James Martin, a notorious pro-gay Jesuit, claimed to have been invited to speak at Gentili’s funeral. He distanced himself from some of the more blasphemous aspects of the proceedings.
Fr. James Martin introducing Metallica on The Colbert Report
“Obviously, I believe that LGBTQ people should be as included as any other parishioner in their church. Just as obviously, I believe that churches are sacred spaces and certain actions are out of bounds,” he remarked on social media.
“Full disclosure: I had been invited to preach but was out of town,” he added.
The disparity between the archdiocese’s public statements and the details surrounding Gentili’s activism and beliefs, coupled with Martin’s speaking invitation, raises significant concerns about transparency and the true extent of the archdiocese’s knowledge prior to the funeral.
