UPDATE: Satanic Temple denies plans to desecrate Eucharist during planned 'black mass'

CNA Staff, Oct 25, 2024 / 5:20 PM

The so-called Satanic Temple denied Thursday that it plans to use a consecrated host during a sacrilege “black mass” event planned for this evening.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta has since confirmed that “a representative of the Satanic Temple of Atlanta has now assured us that they do not have, and will not be using, an ordained host at their event tonight.”

In the past, a direct mockery of the Catholic Mass, a so-called ‘black mass’, has sometimes led to desecration of the Eucharist, stolen from a Catholic church.

Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer of Atlanta on a Friday statement said legal representatives from the archdiocese had contacted the venue and event organizers to “demand that, if they had any consecrated host in their possession, they return it and not use it in their Black Mass.”

“We were prepared to seek a court order if such a host was determined to fall into the hands of the satanic group. The Satanic Temple of Atlanta responded through their attorney that they did not have such a consecrated host and that such a consecrated host would not be used in their Black Mass,” Hartmayer said. reported.

“While their letter continued to mock the Eucharist and our beliefs, it also demonstrated that we understood how seriously we took this threat to our core belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They called their event entertainment and defended their right to express their beliefs by mocking ours.”

The Satanic Temple is a provocative Salem, Massachusetts-based political organization that openly and unequivocally denies belief in God, Satan, or the supernatural. The group is known for protesting against religious symbolism in public spaces.

“Satanic Temple Atlanta has not engaged in theft or illegal activities of any kind. In particular, we have not stolen a consecrated host, nor are we promoting illegal behavior,” the group said in an Oct. 24 Instagram post.

The group said this statement was made in direct response to Hartmayer, who said in an Oct. 8 memo called on all Catholics to counter the Satanic Temple’s “attack on faith.” through prayers of reparation and penance.

“The Satanic Temple does not believe in or advocate a belief in the supernatural, nor is it the place of any other religious organization to define for us how our rituals should be performed to conform to their assumptions,” persecuted the Satanic Temple in Atlanta. in his Instagram post.

The group claimed that the so-called “Black Mass,” which will take place Friday evening at an event space in Atlanta, “is intended as a theatrical performance for entertainment, religious practice and empowerment within our community” and is intended as a “personal declaration of independence from superstition .”

Hartmayer said in his earlier memo that Catholics must respond to “this attack on our faith through prayer, penance and prayers of reparation.”

In his updated statement October 25 The archbishop said the chancellery office has been “overwhelmed with phone calls, emails and all kinds of messages offering support” since news of the black mass emerged. He urged Catholics to respond to the planned event with “love that is stronger than hatred or violence.”

“(Re)member that ‘by our love they will know that we are Christians.’ I keep asking for prayers. I strongly condemn any threats, violence or dangerous behavior against anyone involved in this event or the venue where it will take place. We must respond as Jesus would,” Hartmayer said.

“While there will always be those who mock and blaspheme Our Lord in the public square, we also know that He will be defended by all of us who love Him.”

In recent years, the Satanic Temple has done just that engages in pro-abortion advocacylosing the several lawsuits it filed against pro-life state laws in Missouri and Indiana. It too announced last year the creation of an “After School Satan Club” at an elementary school in Connecticut.

(Story continues below)

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

In 2014, a planned ‘black mass’ at Harvard University sparked considerable outrage of Catholics, as happened another later that year in Oklahoma City.

This article has been updated.

Jonah McKeown is a writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, public radio producer and videographer. He is based in St. Louis.