I first noticed a strange phenomenon within the gay community of co-opting the imagery and reconstructing the hagiography of the Saints into some strange mythology that incorporated homosexual life-philosophy and eroticism way back in the early 1990s. Then, with a group of gay friends, we made a tourist sweep across San Francisco, with a visiting buddy from the East Coast: making sure to hit all the crowded must-see hot-spots in the City. One excursion included the North Beach neighborhood and a stop at the National Shrine of St. Francis. At the time, I was a disinterested ex-Catholic, so I stayed outside and smoked a cigarette. When they walked out, I was surprised at the content and tone of their conversation. They regarded St. Francis as some kind-of proto-hippie and early libertine who skipped about the country-side, speaking to animals, and preaching a quasi-rule of free-love. I didn’t get it. But, at the time, I didn’t care. A couple of years later, I read a strange book by the gay historian John Boswell titled “Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe.” On the cover was a reproduction of an image depicting Sts. Sergius and Bacchus. I didn’t know who they were, but I assumed they were gay. Oddly enough, I would later dance at a rave, while wearing a t-shirt, that I bought at a Haight-Ashbury store, emblazoned with an image of a half-nude man tied to a tree and pierced with multiple arrows. When I purchased it, I thought it looked cool. I didn’t know that it was a Saint.
- Saints Sergius and Bacchus - The Lie: their inclusion in the book by Boswell have made them symbols of gay marriage in the homosexual community; some groups have even proclaimed them as the patron saints of same-sex unions. The Truth: they were actually Roman Christian soldiers who converted to the Faith and eventually martyred
- Saints Cosmas and Damian: The Lie – a variation on the Sergius and Bacchus theme; with Christian martyrs as gay lovers. The Truth: twin-brother physicians who were repeatedly tortured for their Faith, but would never recant their belief in Christ.
- St. Sebastian: The Lie – a gay Roman soldier whose imagery is often absorbed into the homosexual lexicon as an example of homoeroticism in Catholicism. The Truth – one of the great early martyrs who converted many through his example.
- St. John the Apostle: The Lie – the gay lover of Jesus. The Truth – the beloved of Christ because of his steadfast Faith and purity. The only Apostle at the Crucifixion and was entrusted with the guardianship of the Blessed Mother.
- St. Francis of Assisi: The Lie – A libertine and free-love advocate who heralded the new-age of Christian liberalism. The Truth – a devout promoter of chastity and a singular believer in the certainty of the Gospels.
I find this list remarkable, since the gay community subconsciously chose to target Saints that were unwaveringly dedicated to the Faith, giving their lives in the Lord’s service, and also committed to chastity. By attempting to subvert them and tear them down, they are truly revealing what they actually long for. They do not know it, but it's a cry for help.