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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJune 4th, 2016
From The Advocate, October 24, 1973, page 10. (Personal collection)
The Church of the Beloved Disciple was founded in 1968 by Fr. Robert Clement. Modeled after the older rites of the Roman Catholic Church by way of three other breakaway catholic moments, Beloved Disciple’s main focus was serving the gay community. In 1970, his church innaugurated the sacrament of “Holy Union” as a substitute for marriage for same-sex couples. In 1973, the church moved into its first permanent home on 9th Avenue. Clement said the new church was “the first property to be owned by a gay east of the Mississippi River and north of Florida.” The Advocate described the church’s move to its new digs:
Fr. Robert Clement and Fr. Deacon John Noble. From GAY (New York, NY), November 1973, page 5. (Personal collection)
An estimated 75 members of the congregation assembled for the dedication march at I PM Sunday at the Moravian Church on Lexington Avenue at 30th Street, where Beloved Disciple worshipped for a time before its expulsion by Moravian officials. The group carried the Blessed Sacrament with vestments and altar furnishings to the new church.
There they were joined by about 300 other worshippers who entered the old three-story carriage house for the blessing of the altar and the sanctuary. Following the “Te Deum” sung in what he called “a festive setting.” Fr. Clement preached the sermon. The services followed the ancient Gallican Rite of St. Germain, thought to be the oldest Mass to survive complete in Europe.
Fr. Deacon John Noble, Fr. Clement’s lover, called “the simple splendor of the setting” a “moving experience for everyone who came.”
The Holy Union joined two young men from Montreal, who came to the services with 40 Canadian guests. Beloved Disciple, which has one mission in Philadelphia, is contemplating setting up another in Montreal.
According to another article in the New York City monthly GAY, the new church building would double as a community center. Rooms were being booked by a number of groups, including a lesbian Alcoholic Anonymous meeting.
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Leo77
June 4th, 2016
37 9th Ave. In the belly of the meat packing district. Across the street from the Hellfire/Manhole club. Must have been quite the location for a church in 1973. At least they didn’t have to worry about disturbing the neighbors on a Sunday morning.
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