Worcester, Mass., Apr 11, 2022 / 18:00 pm
Students, staff, and alumni at the College of the Holy Cross are petitioning the administration to disinvite Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester from attending this year’s graduation ceremony, although he he has already announced he will not do so, because they say his request of a local Catholic school to cease flying gay pride and Black Lives Matter flags is “antithetical to the ideals, values, and mission” of the college.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Worcester, Ray Delisle, told CNA that Bishop McManus had already communicated to the Jesuit College president, Vincent Rougeau, that he would not be attending commencement this year.
Bishop McManus turned down invitations to attend commencement at Holy Cross in both 2018 and 2019 according to the Telegram & Gazette. McManus didn’t attend in 2020 or 2021 either.
The petition, signed by a small number of protesters, including some not associated with the Jesuit college, claims that “In contrast to our values, the Bishop has insisted that Nativity School remove Black Lives Matter and Pride flags from their campus or face the consequence of losing the school’s Catholic identity;" and termed the bishop’s call to coherence with the Catholic faith "ignorant and bigoted."