A CATHOLIC Bishop has come in for strong criticism online after urging Catholics not to attend Pride events because they promote a culture that is “contrary to the Catholic faith”.
The Bishop of Providence, Thomas Tobin, took to Twitter to urge Catholics not to support or attend any of the LGBTQ “Pride Month” events being held in the US over the course of June.
Bishop Tobin tweeted that LGBTQ events promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals” and “are especially harmful for children”.
A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) June 1, 2019
His tweet soon went viral, with many quick to highlight the hypocrisy of such a warning given the number of sexual abuse allegations being levelled at the Catholic Church.
Numerous cases of alleged sexual abuse involving members of the Catholic church have come to light in recent years, with the Catholic Church also implicated in several alleged cover-ups.
Actress Mia Farrow was among those to criticise the tweet.
Kids are in far more danger at a catholic church than at a gay pride gathering.
— Mia Farrow🇺🇦 (@MiaFarrow) June 2, 2019
Star Trek actor Wilson Cruz was similarly critical.
You know what’s proven to be actually harmful to children..? The Catholic Church.
— Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73) June 3, 2019
As was wrestling legend Kevin Nash.
Not as much as the horrific mass sexuall abuse that the church continues on the children of the church. The Pope could put an end to it. Take the tax exceptions away until they right their church. Nothing is more harmful than the Catholic Church to our children.
— Kevin Nash (@RealKevinNash) June 3, 2019
It was a worrying development for one writer.
Always staggered by the extent to which senior Catholic church officials still believe they have any moral authority over the welfare of children. https://t.co/RAmeEXHDWa
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) June 2, 2019
While the UK's very own David Schneider was similarly scathing.
As opposed to the Catholic church which has never been especially harmful to children.
Get your own house in order before telling people how they should live.— David Schneider (@davidschneider) June 2, 2019
One American broadcaster, meanwhile, was quick to highlight Bishop Tobin's past.
Also: “Between 1992 and 1996, Tobin served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, one of six Pennsylvania dioceses covered in a scathing grand jury report on the cover-up by Catholic Church officials in Pennsylvania of decades of child abuse by more than 300 priests.” 1000 victims https://t.co/fRZYc0v87Y
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) June 2, 2019
Another saw the tweet as an example of why change is needed in the Catholic Church.
A reminder that the Catholic church controls 90% of Irish state funded primary schools in what is supposed to be a modern inclusive republic. Patronage reform urgently needed. @McHughJoeTD https://t.co/oFdkt5A9fg
— Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) June 2, 2019
Despite the widespread condemnation of Bishop Tobin's claims, the offending tweet has nevertheless been retweeted 6,226 times and liked a further 23,140 times.
