Free showers for the homeless

[Gob]

A church in San Francisco has promised to remove controversial sprinklers it installed to deter rough sleepers.



After an outcry, the city's archdiocese admitted it had been "ill-conceived" for St Mary's Cathedral to treat homeless people in this way.

The water system was put in place two years ago for safety reasons, it said, to stop needles and excrement being left in alcoves near the back door.

The sprinklers may also have been illegal, a church statement said.

"We have also now learned that the system in the first place required a permit and may violate San Francisco water-use laws, and the work to remove this system has already started, and will be completed by the end of the day," it said on Tuesday.

The archdiocese said it prided itself on its work with the homeless and the people affected had been informed before the sprinklers were installed.

"The idea was not to remove those persons, but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the cathedral, which are protected and safer.

"We are sorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognise that the method used was ill-conceived."

[rubato]

I give them credit for responding appropriately when it was brought to their attention.

But will they follow up and make atonement? I'll give them the benefit until they respond.


yrs,
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[Joe Guy]

I'm sure it had nothing to do with wasting water during the current drought and the threat of being fined...

[MajGenl.Meade]

Barbed wire and glass - works every time. (In places where razor wire is illegal). (Written solely for rube's benefit)

[rubato]

Barbed wire and glass - works every time. (In places where razor wire is illegal). (Written solely for rube's benefit)

?? Bile ducts backing up on you again?

yrs,
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[Lord Jim]

...the people affected had been informed before the sprinklers were installed.

..."The idea was not to remove those persons, but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the cathedral, which are protected and safer.

The only thing I see wrong with what the church was doing here is the use of the water during a severe drought...

For that, they should atone....

[rubato]

...the people affected had been informed before the sprinklers were installed.

..."The idea was not to remove those persons, but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the cathedral, which are protected and safer.

Describe to me how you could inform people who had not gotten there yet? How is it that people "who were informed" got soaked by surprise anyway?


Magical thinking?


yrs,
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[oldr_n_wsr]

to stop needles and excrement being left in alcoves near the back door

I would do something to discourage that also.
Now the church will probably get fined for having $#it on their stoop.

[Lord Jim]

How is it that people "who were informed" got soaked by surprise anyway?

I guess the same way that you keep repeating the same BS on multiple topics despite being informed of the facts...

Maybe they just have really poor memories...

[BoSoxGal]

Jesus wept.

[MajGenl.Meade]

I'm not sure that would work any better than the sprinklers

[Gob]

[Scooter]

It's more than a bit ironic that while the Pope is creating shower facilities in St. Peter's Square for use by the homeless of Rome, that a Catholic Church in the U.S. would be doing so to drive the homeless away.

[rubato]

The local RC-Churchola franchise got a new manager who is pushing the Nostalgia menu on the patrons. He says sales and revenue are up and he cleared it with the Home Office.;


http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/0 ... -catholic/

Peeved Parishioners Leaving SF Catholic Church Over Ban On Girls As Altar Servers
January 23, 2015 6:50 PM


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A Bay Area church is now under fire over a controversial new policy saying only boys can be altar servers.

The new practice is making waves at the century old church Star of the Sea. Since the ’70s, they’ve used altar girls during masses.

The well-known Richmond District church also has a school serving about 230 kids. When the new priest banned girls from being altar servers, it generated outrage among parents and parishioners alike. The priest admits some parishioners even left the church.

“It’s disturbing,” said churchgoer Connie Porciuncula.

Star of the Sea School parent Tara Widmer agrees. “They’re definitely taking a step in the wrong direction,” she said.

Father Joseph Illo took over five months ago and decided to train only boys to be altar servers. He said he has no choice but to exclude girls because the future of the church is at stake.

“The specifics of serving at the altar is a priestly function,” Illo said. “And the Catholic church does not ordain women.”

But many parishioners and parents criticize the new practice saying it sends the wrong message.

“It just kind of makes me feel that I’m not good enough because I’m a girl,” said a 7th grader at the school who wishes to stay anonymous.

Some have left this church, others are threatening to leave.

“Those who can or cannot serve based on gender, that is discriminatory,” said parishioner Dunstan Alabanza.

Illo said he believes the new practice will help promote priesthood. He admits some people have left, but thinks this decision will actually bring in more parishioners.

“We have seen an overall increase in numbers and the income is up,” Illo said.

But Alabanza disagrees. “If that’s their argument,” he said, “that’s very shallow.”

Shallow, and some say, discriminatory.

“I feel kind of insulted,” the 7th grade student said.

Illo said he did get permission from the San Francisco Archbishop to train only boys to be altar servers. KPIX 5 found out so far this policy only applies to the Star of Sea Church. "

yrs,
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[Scooter]

There was a similar uproar here when JPII visited Toronto early in his pontificate - St. Michael's Cathedral had used girl altar servers for years, but Cardinal Carter, who was then the archbishop, declared that only boys would serve on the altar when the Pope celebrated mass there. Catholics throughout the archdiocese and beyond were incensed, and correctly interpreted it as part of the agenda to keep women subservient that marked JPII's entire pontificate.

I have no doubt that the current Pope would have taken the Cardinal to task for that blatant display of misogyny.

[rubato]

There was a similar uproar here when JPII visited Toronto early in his pontificate - St. Michael's Cathedral had used girl altar servers for years, but Cardinal Carter, who was then the archbishop, declared that only boys would serve on the altar when the Pope celebrated mass there. Catholics throughout the archdiocese and beyond were incensed, and correctly interpreted it as part of the agenda to keep women subservient that marked JPII's entire pontificate.

I have no doubt that the current Pope would have taken the Cardinal to task for that blatant display of misogyny.

OH, I don't know. I think he would have just 'celebrated the unique contributions' of female alter servers and let it go.


yrs,
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[dgs49]

The Catholic Church in San Francisco provides food, clothing, shelters, addiction treatment, AA venues, and a myriad of other services and benefits to that city's homeless population, few if any of whom are Catholic.

But in this one instance a few homeless people MIGHT HAVE MOMENTARILY EXPERIENCED SOME UNWANTED MOISTURE, and look at the grotesquely disproportionate media coverage.

And they try to say anti-Catholic bigotry is a myth.

Thank you, brothers and sisters for elucidating this issue.

[rubato]

"...

But in this one instance a few homeless people MIGHT HAVE MOMENTARILY EXPERIENCED SOME UNWANTED MOISTURE, .... "

Boy, you pushed the crazy button ALL the way down this time.


Hilarious! "Momentarily" = several hours, "Unwanted Moisture" = soaked clothing and bedding. "Few" = everyone who tried to sleep there in the shelter of the building.


You don't actually try to make a lick of honest sense, do you?


yrs,
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