Episcopal Bishop Barred from Archbishop Cordileone's Installation

Sfist
October 5, 2012

http://sfist.com/2012/10/05/anti-prop_8_bishop_barred_from_arch.php

Salvatore Cordileone, right, waits to be introduced during a ceremony to install him as the new archbishop of San Francisco.

Marc Andrus, an Episcopal Bishop of California noteworthy for his public anti-Prop 8 stance, was not allowed to be seated at Thursday's installation of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, even though he was an invited guest. Instead, he was "escorted to a basement room at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral and detained by an usher until the time the service began." As soon as the debut performance (if you will) began, Bishop Andrus left the cathedral.

In an article explaining his basement-shaming at the hands of St. Mary's Cathedral, Andrus writes:

At this point no other guests remained in the downstairs area. The employee and I chatted while waiting. I began to wonder about the time holdup. I checked my phone; it was 1:50PM. I asked the employee standing with me if the service indeed started at 2, which she affirmed.

At 2PM, when the service was to begin, I said to the employee, "I think I understand, and feel I should leave." Her response was, "Thank you for being understanding." I quietly walked out the door. No one attempted to stop me. No attempt was ever made to explain the delay or any process for seating. I arrived early, before the time given my assistant, and waited to leave until after the service had begun.

My intention for attending the installation was to honor our ecumenical and interfaith relations in the Bay Area.