The Archdiocese of Boston has condemned plans for a re-enactment of a “black mass” satanic ritual by a Harvard University student club.
The re-enactment was to be at a pub on the Harvard campus on May 12 (US time).
Archdiocesan officials are organising Eucharistic adoration at a nearby church at the same hour, in response.
The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club said the re-enactment they were planning is intended as an educational activity, as part of a student-led series exploring different cultures.
A black mass is an often obscene mockery by satanic cults of the Mass celebrated in the Catholic Church.
The ritual, for example, might substitute the bare back of a woman for an altar.
To complete the desecration, the black mass generally uses a consecrated host, which Catholics believe is the Body of Christ.
The Harvard club said an ordinary piece of bread would be used, not a consecrated host.
“Our purpose is not to denigrate any religion or faith, which would be repugnant to our educational purposes . . . ,“ the club stated.
But this did not mollify the Boston archdiocese.
It expressed “deep sadness and strong opposition” to the planned ritual.
“In a recent statement, Pope Francis warned of the danger of being naive about or underestimating the power of Satan, whose evil is too often tragically in our midst,” an archdiocese statement noted.
“We call upon all believers and people of good will to join us in prayer for those who are involved in this event, that they may come to appreciate the gravity of their actions and in asking Harvard to dissociate itself from this activity,” the statement continued.
Harvard Catholic chaplain Fr Michael Drea called the planned black mass “a matter of hatred”.
“It’s an affront to our Catholic sensibilities,” he said.
While stopping short of endorsing the event, the Harvard Extension School said that it supported “the rights of our students and faculty to speak and assemble freely”.
The black mass re-enactment will be performed by the members of New York-based Satanic Temple, while a narrator provides commentary and historical context.
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