‘I think it was a bad decision,’ congressman says after Buffalo Diocese cancels festival

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Congressman Tim Kennedy sent a letter Wednesday to the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo asking him to reconsider his decision to cancel a choral concert featuring the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus.

The congressman believes it is important to send a message of love and tolerance, and he believes this decision by the Catholic diocese should be reversed.

“I was moved to write this letter because I think it was a bad decision,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy.

Earlier this week, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo said in a statement that it canceled a summer choral festival at St. Joseph Cathedral because “a choir designated to perform is a group whose values ​​are inconsistent with Catholic teaching.

This group is the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus.

On Wednesday afternoon, Congressman Tim Kennedy sent a letter to Archbishop Michael Fisher asking him to reconsider this decision.

“I think the bishop reversing this decision would send a message that, firstly, the Church is listening. That the Church recognizes the diversity of our community and who we are as a community and a diocese,” Rep. Tim Kennedy said.

As a practicing Catholic, Kennedy says the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus should be celebrated, not canceled.

“I think a decision like this alienates people from our community from all walks of life, and what we should be doing is embracing each other and engaging people in the traditions of our wonderful faith, and I think that a decision like this is one that really turns people away,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy.

After being canceled at the cathedral, the festival found a new venue. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Main Street in Buffalo will host choirs June 9 at 5 p.m.

A spokesperson for the diocese told 2 On Your Side Wednesday afternoon that the bishop had received the letter and had no plans to hold the festival.