Few protests set for pope's visit, but he's invited to an LGBT picnic

Though only three public-demonstration permits have been requested for the weekend Pope Francis comes to town, another kind of demonstration is in the works, and he's invited.

About 100 LGBT Catholics and their families from around the globe are planning a "papal picnic" here to celebrate their faith and call for inclusion in the church.

The organizers are a Massachusetts-based nationwide Catholic LGBT coalition known as Equally Blessed. The picnic guest list includes Margie Winters, the teacher fired by a private Catholic school in Merion over her same-sex marriage; Mark Segal, publisher of the Philadelphia Gay News; and Democratic mayoral nominee Jim Kenney.

Relations between Catholic LGBT activists and the Philadelphia Archdiocese grew tense this summer after Winters' firing by Waldron Mercy Academy. LGBT groups also faulted World Meeting of Families planners for including just one session on homosexuality, led by a gay, celibate man. And workshops Equally Blessed is staging that week (such as "Full of Grace: Journeys of LGBT Catholics") had to find a new venue when St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Center City reneged last month on its promise to lend space.

The Equally Blessed group said it invited Francis to the picnic, set for Saturday, Sept. 26, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the private courtyard of the John C. Anderson Apartments on South 13th Street.

The pontiff is to greet seminarians at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary around 12:45 p.m. that day and speak at Independence Hall around 4:45. While it seems unlikely he will go to the picnic - an email seeking Vatican comment went unanswered Monday - Kenney said that was not really the point.

A Catholic who championed LGBT rights while on City Council, Kenney said in a statement: "It's less important to me that the pope attends than it is that these families' voices are heard, and I think we'll accomplish that, and that's why I'm going to help amplify those voices."

He also said he wished the archdiocese would do better at embracing Francis' inclusive message: "I appreciate the marginal progress the pope has showed on this issue, but I'm disappointed to see how little that progress has trickled down to our own archdiocese, as indicated by the recent firing of Margie Winters and the group ousted from St. John's."

Meanwhile, the city has received just one permit request for a public demonstration that weekend, and the National Park Service two.

The Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania was approved to gather in Welcome Park at Second and Sansom Streets, said Jane Cowley, public affairs officer for Independence National Historical Park. A second group, Operation St. Cyprian, a Catholic missionary group, has a request pending.

Cowley said it was possible neither gathering would amount to a protest. "It could be a celebration," she said.

An individual filed a request with the city to hold a "demonstration for religious freedom," said the city's assistant managing director, Robert Allen, who would not reveal the individual's name. He said the request was pending.

Permits are required for demonstrations involving 75 or more people on public property or for events likely to draw a crowd that would affect delivery of normal city services, Allen said.

He said he was not surprised so few had come knocking.

"Typically for special events we handle, there isn't too much of a counterprotest element, but this is kind of a first for us in having this level of dignitary," he said. "Because we've only received one, it's consistent or less than what we expected, and we obviously don't know to what level non-permitted demonstrations will take place."

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