Apparently there are only two such altars in Canada, one in Montreal “in the heart of the gay village” and the other in Hamilton. While I don’t think Hamilton’s residents regard their home as a “gay village”, Christ’s Church Cathedral is undoubtedly a gay cathedral in the heart of a gay diocese – and proud to be so. An interesting inference in this article is the tacit acknowledgement that HIV/AIDS is predominantly a gay disease, in spite of decades of liberal propaganda to convince us that it isn’t.
When will the lady priests get their own altar dedicated to vaginas?
From here (page 2):
It is noteworthy that this Cathedral continues to bear witness to the hundreds of lives lost from AIDS in this community. Its special altar dedicated to HIV/AIDS is, to my knowledge, one of only two that exist in Canada. The other, called the Chapel of Hope, is at the Catholic Church of St. Pierre L’Apotre Montreal in the heart of the gay village.
Within North America, there are two more Chapels in San Francisco and New York, and both are housed within Anglican churches. Think of it, New York, San Francisco, Montreal and Hamilton.
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“Think of it, New York, San Francisco, Montreal and Hamilton.”
Seems to be an element of pride there.
Might I suggest that to follow the same logic as the HIV /AIDS altars, the lady priests would need to have altars dedicated to all their number who have suffered from vairous gynaecological afflictions, or have been pregnant or have died in childbirth.
Odd to dedicate an altar to a disease. The Prayer Book calls it a “Table” not an “Altar” and uses the following dedication:
GRANT, O Lord, that this Table may be hallowed for the celebration of the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of thy beloved Son; and that our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving which is here offered unto thy Divine Majesty may be acceptable unto thee, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, our only Advocate and High Priest. Amen.
Bishop. This is the Bread which cometh down from heaven;
Answer. That a man may eat thereof and not die.
Bishop.
GRANT, O Lord, that whosoever shall receive in this place the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ thy Son, may come to that holy ordinance with a true penitent heart, lively faith, and perfect charity; and being filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, may, to their great and endless comfort, obtain remission of their sins, and all other benefits of his passion; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
@Michael D:
I think it is well established that the ACoC does not regard texts in the same way as you or I – that is, with real meaning. Every believe is completely disposable or malleable to individual preference, predilection, and belief.
Fun times ahead. Maybe in the not too distant future we might find altars dedicated to the High Prince Condom, or to Testicular Cancer, given that the ACoC has turned irreverence into a virtue.
Have they lost their minds? I think an altar dedicated to the flu, or perhaps alcoholism which kill so many more of us, would be much more appropriate if one is going to indulge in this vanity.
Read the letters on page 3. They say a lot in a very little space.
I remember – 20 years’ ago – Southwark Cathedral (south London, UK) had something like a prayer request board, in a side-chapel, listing, and dedicated to, the known local victims of AIDS (Southwark is traditionally “Liberal”).