Homeless at San Francisco cathedral intentionally drenched with water while sleeping

[Newsjock]

Source: KCBS

KCBS has learned that Saint Mary’s Cathedral, the principal church of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, has installed a watering system to keep the homeless from sleeping in the cathedral’s doorways.

The cathedral, at Geary and Gough, is the home church of the Archbishop. There are four tall side doors, with sheltered alcoves, that attract homeless people at night.

“They actually have signs in there that say, ‘No Trespassing,’” said a homeless man named Robert.

But there are no signs warning the homeless about what happens in these doorways, at various times, all through the night. Water pours from a hole in the ceiling, about 30 feet above, drenching the alcove and anyone in it. The shower ran for about 75 seconds, every 30 to 60 minutes while we were there, starting before sunset, simultaneously in all four doorways. KCBS witnessed it soak homeless people, and their belongings.

Read more: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/03/18/homeless-saint-marys-cathedral-archdiocese-san-francisco-intentionally-drenched-water-sleeping/

[jehop61]

1. Dear Cardinal

This is another example of why people don't go to your church any more. Sell a golden chalice or two and find beds for these unfortunates. Jesus wept.

[lonestarnot]

2. yeah, maybe they should convert to a homeless shelter, better for business.

[riderinthestorm]

8. +1000. Great post. And seeing as CA is in a dire water shortage makes it even worse

[KamaAina]

24. You got it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10409501

Maybe the water cops will come along and frog-march the archbishop.

[heaven05]

17. +1000

excellent suggestion.

[valerief]

28. The RCC doesn't need people donations. They're a network of corporate entities

with more money than god.

[In_The_Wind]

3. Shame on Saint Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco!

[kath]

4. Jesus would think this is a great idea!

NOT.

Shame, shame, shame on these people who call themselves "Christians".

[whatthehey]

13. Man I precalled this exactly

Before I opened the thread I guessed we'd have a NTS hand-washing within 4 posts pretending that ..get this... the fucking Archbishop of a major city even.. isn't a "real" Christian because he sanctions this.

He is a very real Christian. Just about all DU-proclaimed "Christians" are, despite the loathsome bigotry that assumes real Christians can only be good and kind and that thus anyone who is not good and kind gets kicked out of the club with scarequotes and lumped in with the rest of us non-believing subhuman filth, who by definition must not be kind and good. That keeps all non-scarequoted Christians smugly assured of their own unsullied nobility.

They're real Christians. They behave vilely. It's possible. Deal with it.

[NightWatcher]

16. Nothing says "Christian or Christ-like" like shitting on the homeless

Sure, he may call himself a Christian, but he's not acting very much like the guy he claims to worship.

This is why some people dump on some religious people. Preaching one thing and doing another polar opposite thing strikes some people as hypocritical.

[kath]

34. Exactly. That was my point.

Hypocrisy to-the-max to say you follow Christ, then shit on the "least of these my brothers" like this.

Don't think Pope Francis would be down with this kind of behavior.

[chemenger]

5. Catholic charities in action

nt

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. I thought California had a Water Shortage. Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?!

[hobbit709]

7. Somehow I don't think the one they claim to follow would be pleased.

But the operative word here is "claim"

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Who would Jesus drench?

Read Matthew 25, assholes.

[MineralMan]

10. The true motivations for these churches is evident in this.

I recommend a thorough reading of Matthew for everyone in charge of this. If Jesus existed, he would not be pleased with this, based on my reading of that book in the Bible.

[spanone]

11. how christian of them.

[Orrex]

12. I'm surprised that they don't bless it and declare it a sacrament.

They could call it "pissing on the destitute."

I think Jesus exhorted his followers to do something similar.

No?


Wait--what book is this fucked up church reading?

[Are_grits_groceries]

14. Man, those shitheads better be careful & that's straight out of the Bible they don't use:

Hebrews 13:2 King James Version (KJV)
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Dumping water on angels is not a path I would choose.

[niyad]

15. so much for do unto others. . .

[trusty elf]

18. Cursed are the poor.....

[img][/img]

[Roland99]

19. Wonde what the Jesuit Pope thinks of this?

[LunaSea]

20. Go with it!

Someone should drop off a few shower curtains (with a string to hang it on) and some er, appropriate soap, and perhaps cleanse some souls.

[KamaAina]

21. Pope Francis could not be reached for comment

The archbishop of SF is probably already on thin ice with the Holy Father (and definitely with 99% of SF!) because of the homophobia.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014827658

And note, that's "Cordileone", not "Corleone".

[Bluenorthwest]

37. What a sickening and absurd claim. Francis is a homophobe and active hate speaker against LGBT

people. It's self indulgent privilege that allows religious people to keep insisting that the world's leading anti gay activist is somehow not.

[KamaAina]

38. O rly?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12215923

[LibDemAlways]

22. It apparently never occurred to the idiots in charge that

they would be caught and called out. Good for the station for embarrassing them. Now they'll no doubt go into damage control mode.

A few years ago the local paper ran a story about charitable organizations that were providing free dinners on Thanksgiving. Every one of them was offering a meal to anyone who showed up no questions asked. However, there was one exception. Catholic charities wanted proof of low income. I forget exactly what documentation they wanted to see, but I've never forgotten the callousness of the request.

[griloco]

23. 24 hr baptisms? nt

[Omaha Steve]

25. Just wait until the Pope hears about this

I suspect it will hit the fan.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

26. Underneath the Cathedral and Plaza --

is a cavernous maze of large rooms used for community events. Some are so big they could actually be used to comfortably house a great many people...

[arcane1]

35. They own an unused building at Gough and Turk, too.

It was briefly taken over during the Crustie Rebellion in 2010, and has otherwise sat empty. A crew came in and boarded the windows a few weeks ago, and I fear it might be getting torn down for more condos.

[zappaman]

27. Wow.

That doesn't sound very churchy to me.

[mountain grammy]

29. Oh don't be silly

It's just baptism.

[WinkyDink]

30. Matthew 25:37-40.

[Jamastiene]

31. I hope it malfunctions and drenches whoever decided this was a good idea.

This is what Republicans mean when they want to cut "welfare" and leave it up to "faith based charities" to "help" the poor and homeless.

[Aerows]

32. I remember a song

"Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
If the poor seek shelter at His house,
No donations, they should be doused!"

Not really. Shameful.

[arcane1]

33. Also known as Our Lady of the Washing Machine Agitator n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

36. Most doorways in San Francisco need to be hosed down every 30 to 60 minutes

[Initech]

39. This is literally the exact opposite of what Jesus would do.

[Omaha Steve]

40. The sprinklers have been removed...story in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141043114