But this past Friday, at the end of the mass that she and her classmates attended next door at St Francis of Assisi Church in northeast Baltimore, the shirt caused a stir:

At Father John J "Jack" Lombardi's direction, witnesses told The Brew, the school principal directed the homeroom teacher to tell the girl her shirt would have to come off. The teacher made her remove it in front of the other students as they stood at the back of the church.

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The police reportedly said they were unaware that the march had been organised to advocate gay rights until just before it was scheduled to begin.

But Oceania Pride founder Jasmine Kaur has told the Australia Network she properly notified police about the rally.

"We got all the permits that were necessary, we got the permits from the police department as well as some from the city council for the use of their roads, we also advertised the closure of the roads in the newspaper," she said.

"So everything from our side was done."

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His homily was in direct defiance of the Archdiocese's policy but brought a standing ovation, the first any parishioner can remember.

"Here, you all can say 'I can worship the God who made me as I am,' " Unni said.

Unni's fiery message of unconditional love is what he called God's "acceptance of all".

Last week the Boston Archdiocese directed St Cecilia's Catholic Church to cancel the scheduled Mass, themed "All Welcome Here."

The Mass coincided with the celebration of Boston's "Gay Pride Month".

The Archdiocese said it did not want to give the "unintended impression" that St Cecilia's supported Gay Pride.

"This parish is a great example of people who are civil and exhibiting a real fellowship," said Terrence C. Donilon, a spokesman for the archdiocese, in a phone interview. "But that doesn't mean we can be put in a position where we look like we're endorsing Gay Pride activities."

St Cecilia's congregation has a large gay and lesbian population, many of whom arrived after the South End's predominantly gay Jesuit Urban Center closed in 2007, parishioners said. Almost 200 members of St. Cecilia's are now active in its Rainbow Ministry, which hosts events for members and supporters of the LGBT community.

Unni, who has been at St. Cecilia's for seven years, said the Mass has now been postponed indefinitely. He said he will discuss the goals of the "All Are Welcome" Mass with the parish and address fears about the service or recent backlash.

Members of the Rainbow Ministry first suggested the Mass to Unni six to eight weeks ago, he said, and he told them yes, "not knowing what would happen," he said.

Instead of the Mass, the Rainbow Ministry will hold a sidewalk prayer service next Sunday at 6 p.m., with readings and reflections from lay people, said Richard Iandoli, vice chairman of the parish council.

Rainbow Ministry member Michael Skully expressed his frustrations with the archdiocese and said he "fully expected to be standing in front of locked doors" next Sunday.

Sources

• Boston Globe
• Huffington Post
• Boston Globe
• Image: St Cecilia's Parish