NYPD Bars "Dirty Hands" Protesters From Entering St. Patrick's Cathedral

GLAAD reports:

A group of gay and allied Catholics gathered to worship together at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City with dirty hands in response to comments made by Cardinal Timothy Dolan. However, even as they were gathering, they were told by the police that they would be barred from entering the Cathedral unless they washed their hands.  Joseph Amodeo, who organized the event, tonight issued a statement and is hopeful that an apology will be forthcoming for the inappropriate response to a peaceful demonstration. He told GLAAD: "In the wake of today's events, I only desire to once again feel welcomed in the Catholic Church. The Archdiocese's response to our silent presence, leaves many of us with a feeling of spiritual homelessness."

The protest was organized in response to a blog post by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in which he said that sinners - including gay people - are welcome in the Catholic Church, but first they must symbolically wash their hands of their sins.

The Church loves, welcomes, and respects a woman or man with a same-sex attraction . . . while reminding him or her of our clear teaching that, while the condition of homosexuality is no sin at all, still, God’s teaching is clear that sexual acts are reserved for a man and woman united in the lifelong, life-giving, faithful, loving bond of marriage.

Organizer Joseph Amodeo has written a lengthy account of the protest for Huffington Post.