The family of a trans activist and former sex worker whose funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was abruptly called off has denied the church was tricked into conducting the ceremony, and some loved ones are now in the archdiocese. is asking for an apology.
St. Patrick’s Church officials said they had no knowledge of Cecilia Gentili’s history before agreeing to celebrate her funeral mass on February 15th. At the time, she was hailed as the “mother of all prostitutes” and was photographed with a halo over her head. She is referred to as a “transvestite” and a “prostitute”.
However, Gentili’s family denied in a statement that they had ever misled the church about the activist’s background.
They said, “The only deception that exists in St. Patrick’s Cathedral is that it claims to be a place where all are welcome.” According to the New York Times.
The family also said the LGBTQ community praised Gentili, a prominent activist who advocated for the trans community, sex workers, and people with HIV/AIDS, for her “service, mothering, and love for all people.” He said he would continue.
“Her heart and hands reached those who the holy Church continues to despise, oppress, and discipline.”
Gay and lesbian advocacy groups in the transgender community also said in a statement:
“Funeral organizers advised cathedral staff to research Cecilia Gentili, her work, and the community she served,” the group said. According to Catholic News Agency.
“Putting the onus on funeral organizers to proactively disclose the gender identity of their loved ones imposes burdens on mourners that non-transgender people cannot expect.”
Some activists are now demanding that the Catholic Church apologize for cutting short the joyous ceremony, saying she was denied an equal right to attend her funeral.
“She doesn’t deserve this. Her husband doesn’t deserve this. Her family doesn’t deserve this,” Sayen Dorocho said in front of City Hall on Wednesday. According to New York 1 News.
She called on the church to “apologize for the decades of degradation and hatred you have inflicted on our community.”
The newspaper has contacted the Archdiocese of New York for comment.
Gentili’s funeral is believed to be the first for a transgender person at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Doroshow, who helped organize the funeral, said people close to Gentili wanted her to be memorialized at St. Patrick’s Cathedral because the Fifth Avenue church “represents her.” Ta.
But St. Patrick’s Cathedral is not among the few LGBTQ-friendly Catholic churches in the Big Apple. And Doroshow told the Times that when he hosted the funeral, he never mentioned that Gentili was transgender.
In the aftermath, Pastor Enrique Salvo stated in a statement The church said: “We only knew that family and friends were requesting a Catholic funeral Mass, and never expected our welcome and prayers to be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive manner.” ” he said.
“The fact that such a scandal occurred in the ‘Parish Church of America’ makes matters even worse,” he continued, noting that it happened just at the beginning of the holy season of Lent.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan also said he “didn’t know the background” before agreeing to host the funeral mass.
“We don’t do FBI checks on people who want to be buried,” he said. He said this in a podcast interview.
“All they know is that someone called and said, ‘Our dear friend has died.’ We want to have the funeral in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That will be a great comfort to us and to her family and friends. She is Catholic.”
“And, of course, the priest of the cathedral said, ‘Please come in, you are very welcome.'”
Church officials later decided to hold a rare “Mass of Penance” at the historic Midtown church to cleanse one’s sins.
