YOUR ARTICLE “For one priest, the choice is clear: On inclusion of gays, lesbians, he cites Jesus’ example’’ (Page A1, June 14) struck the right notes of justice and charity in detailing several tributes to the young pastor of St Cecilia’s Church for his willingness to host a welcome Mass in conjunction with Gay Pride Month. Too bad his anti-gay conservative critics apparently did not pay attention to their scripture reading for Pentecost Sunday, in which Paul tells the Corinthians that we are all part of the one body of Christ, and, regardless of who we are, “we are all given to drink of the one spirit.’’ This message of universal inclusion in Christ’s church is conveniently ignored by those who so wrongly believe in an excluding, proprietary Jesus.
The Archdiocese of Boston has lost its way, preferring to pander to the prejudices of a few, while trampling on the rights of the many. Church leaders forget that holy Mass does not endorse anybody’s lifestyle. The real scandal here is not the celebration (or cancellation) of a Mass welcoming gay Catholics, but the use of Mass as a political weapon. Yet this archdiocese has shamefully been doing exactly that for years, refusing to allow priests to say Mass for diocesan parishes holding protest vigils. Withholding Mass is a punitive misuse of a sacred liturgy that belongs to all Catholics.
Arthur McCaffrey
Newton
The writer is a member of the parish community of St. James the Great in Wellesley, which has been in vigil since the archdiocese closed the church in 2004. 
