The Archdiocese of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City condemned the “scandalous” and “sacrilegious” funeral of a transgender leader and activist following outrage from the Catholic community.
In a statement, the Rev. Enrique Salvo wrote that the funeral of transgender activist Cecilia Gentili was an “outrage.”
“Thank you to so many who have let us know that they share our outrage at the outrageous behavior at a funeral here at St. Patrick's Cathedral earlier this week,” Salvo wrote.
The Archdiocese of Manhattan said the Cathedral did not know what the funeral would entail when it agreed to host Gentili's funeral.
DETRANSITIONERS SAY THEY FACE VITRIOL FROM TRANS ACTIVISTS WHO PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED A 'SECOND FAMILY'
People with flowers and a banner honoring Cecilia Gentili outside St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan on February 15, 2024, in New York. (Sheetal Banchariya/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral mass for a Catholic, and had no idea that our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive manner,” Father Salvo said.
The funeral, which attracted more than 1,000 people, sparked outrage after the funeral focused on praying for transgender rights and access to gender-affirming healthcare.
A video eulogywho called the transgender activist “Mother of all s—–,” sparked outrage from the Catholic community.
In the video, the eulogy remembered Gentili as the “big b****.”
“This s***.” said the eulogist to loud applause. “This great b***h. Saint Cecilia, Mother of all b***hs!”
“Today we say that we will see each other soon and that you will give us the strength, the courage to continue your legacy,” he continued.
Cecilia Gentilli (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO/Archive)
CatholicVote, a conservative political activist group, called the funeral “Just amazing and sick.”
CHRISTIANS SHOULD TAKE A 'SPIRITUAL INVENTORY' DURING LENT, URGES FAITH LEADER AND AUTHOR
His comments came after Billy Porter, an LGBTQ+ activist, opened Gentili's funeral with a performance of the song “Our Father.”
The group called him “mocking.”
St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images/File)
Two days after the funeral, Salvo said the church would begin a “Mass of Reparation.”
“That such a scandal occurred in the 'America Parish Church' makes it worse; that it occurred just as Lent, the annual forty-day struggle against the forces of sin and darkness, began, is a potent reminder of how much we need prayer, reparation, repentance, grace and mercy to which this holy time invites us,” Salvo said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“At the direction of the cardinal, we have offered an appropriate mass of reparation,” he continued.
