All Saints Catholic Church in the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, has been at the centre of increasing public controversy after hosting a “Pride Mass” on June 15, Trinity Sunday.
The Mass, which saw the sanctuary decorated with a rainbow flag, began with 70-year-old Fr Fred Daley – who openly identifies as gay – bowing to the congregation and saying “Namaste”. The priest then encouraged parishioners to wave at those joining from home and acknowledged that the service was taking place on the “territory of the Onondaga nation”. After the introduction, Fr Daley asked the congregation, as it is Pride Month, to give a round of applause to the “LGBTQ folks”.
