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Health & Fitness

Catholic Church hosts booth at St. Louis Pride Festival

The Catholic Church will be represented at the St. Louis Pride Fest on June 29-30 at Soldiers’ Memorial downtown.

St. Catherine of Siena American National Catholic Church (ANCC) will be supporting the GLBTQ community, in contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, which has a history of discriminating against and rejecting gay Catholics. The festival hours are noon to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“We want to show St. Louisans that you can be both openly gay and proudly Catholic,” said Fr. Phillip Lichtenwalter, pastor of St. Catherine’s. “We welcome everyone into the fullness of the Catholic faith, no matter what orientation.”

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St. Catherine’s Board President, Lisa Pini commented, “Since returning to St. Louis, I was in search of a Church Family. Coming to St Catherine’s was the missing piece in my spiritual journey. There is no judgment, no criticism and no scare tactics; just a peaceful atmosphere where we can worship God together as one family. We invite you to come and join our family. St Catherine’s could be the missing piece to your puzzle.”

Mass will be celebrated by St. Catherine’s at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at Booth B-15 in the Pride Fest.

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Founded in early 2011, St. Catherine of Siena has welcomed former Roman Catholics who have been disappointed by the Roman church. Catholics in St. Louis and throughout the United States are searching for a credible and viable alternative to Roman Catholicism, due to the politics, corruption and sex abuse scandals in the Roman church.

In addition to a GLBT ministry, the Church maintains a ministry to the homeless and forgotten, an outreach to the imprisoned and recently released, and a response to food insecurity through monthly grocery drives and donations. Plans are underway to establish a second parish location in West County.

"From the moment I stepped through their doors, St. Catherine of Siena ANCC has been fully supportive, regardless of my multi-variant careers or my sexual orientation. If you are looking for an openly inclusive and truly welcoming parish, look no further,” commented Seminarian Joseph White.

While maintaining the core theology and liturgical practices of Roman Catholicism, St. Catherine of Siena ANCC differs in several important areas. Unlike Roman Catholicism, priests are allowed to get married and women are permitted to be ordained as priests. The seven sacraments are open to all people regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.

St. Catherine’s doesn’t require an annulment prior to remarriage within the church and welcomes those who have been divorced to full and active participation in the church. The church unites same-sex couples in the Sacrament of Matrimony and ordains qualified gay and lesbian priests who are called by God.

St. Catherine of Siena ANCC is located at 826 Union Blvd. in the Central West End and celebrates Mass in the historic Danforth Chapel at 10 a.m. Sunday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

For more information on St Catherine of Siena American National Catholic Church visit www.SaintCatherineSTL.org.

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