The bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, will not be attending the College of the Holy Cross’s commencement exercises, in the wake of a dispute over the flying of “gay pride” and Black Lives Matter flags.

Bishop Robert J. McManus informed the president of Holy Cross, Vincent D. Rougeau, that he will not be attending the May 27 graduation ceremony, even as a petition circulated at the college demanding that the bishop be disinvited.

Earlier this year, Bishop McManus demanded that a local school run by the Society of Jesus stop flying flags that he said contradict Catholic teaching.  

“While the Catholic Church joins with our nation in teaching that all lives are equal before God and the law and that all lives demand our respect regardless of race, gender or ethnicity, the flag with the emblem Black Lives Matter has at times been coopted by some factions which also instill broad-brush distrust of police and those entrusted with enforcing our laws,” the bishop said in an April 3 statement. “We do not teach that in our schools. And, while we teach that everyone is created in the image and likeness of God, gay pride flags are often used to stand in contrast to consistent Catholic teaching that sacramental marriage is between a man and a woman.”

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