The Diocese of Buffalo Cancels Gay Men’s Chorus Concert 

The New York-based diocese canceled the concert, saying that the group’s “values are inconsistent with Catholic teaching”

The Diocese of Buffalo canceled the Summer Choir Festival event two weeks prior, citing a lineup — which included the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) — that had allegedly misaligned values between the group and the church.

Since news of the cancellation, members of the BMGC received an outpouring of support. Hosted by the Greater Buffalo Friends of Music, the Summer Choir Festival will no longer be held at the St. Joseph Cathedral, and will now take place at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on June 9, featuring the BGMC.

“In planning to serve as a venue for the Summer Choir Festival originally scheduled for Sunday, June 9, the Diocese did not receive all details on the choirs expected to perform prior to confirmation of the event,” read a statement by a Diocesan spokesperson at the time, Spectrum News reports. 

“When all participants had been confirmed, the Diocese chose to not host the concert because a choir identified to perform is a group whose values are inconsistent with Catholic teaching,” the spokesperson added. “While we are disappointed that we had to cancel the concert, we understand that another venue has been identified for the concert.”

BMGC’s artistic director Dr. Rob Strauss told Spectrum News that “It was a little bit of a head in the hands moment thinking, haven’t we come further than this in 2024?”

BMGC has produced vocal music in the rich tradition of men’s choral singing since its launching in 2001. “We seek through song not only to entertain, but to enlighten,” they write on their website. “We sing to create harmony as we celebrate pride in the community and in ourselves.”

“You don’t have to be straight. You don't have to identify as male to sing with us,” said Dr. Strauss, who explains that the BMGC exists for moments like this. “We’ve got a really great cross-section of people and it’s interesting, fascinating, wonderful to see them interacting, to learn from each other. I think it is beautiful as well.”

Following the diocese’s decision to cancel the festival, St. Joseph Cathedral’s music director and Greater Buffalo Friends of Music’s artistic director Tim Socha submitted his resignation to the Cathedral after 17 years.

“The Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus is angered and deeply disappointed to learn the Choral Festival scheduled on Sunday, June 9th at St. Joseph Cathedral, was to be canceled by the Catholic Diocese, in part due to the inclusion of the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus,” the BMGC posted on Facebook.

“This news, announced less than three weeks before an event that many groups have been preparing for nearly a year, came days after our concert, WALK TOGETHER, which promoted and celebrated unity, love, acceptance, community and standing up to those who deem us unworthy of dignity and life based on who we love, and within months of our traveling to Minneapolis to participate in the GALA Choruses Festival, to perform a set sharing our joy to be part of the Buffalo community,” the group added. 

“We are so grateful to our friends at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for stepping up to welcome us all into their facilities so the event can still happen. We thank the Greater Buffalo Friends of Music for organizing the event, and to other participating choral groups, with whom we look forward to having fellowship, sharing stories, and bonding through the power of music.”

U.S. Congressman Tim Kennedy has called for the reversal of the decision in a recent letter to Bishop Michael Fisher dated May 29. A spokesperson for the diocese has told 2WGRZ that the Bishop received the letter and “is not reconsidering hosting the festival.”

“Growing up Catholic, the most important lesson taught to me and my siblings was the importance of helping people, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Kennedy said. “Our job is to help those who are in need, to stand up for those who are forgotten by society, and to build a better world based on love and understanding. This can be summed up by Mark 12:31: You must love your neighbor as yourself. It is my hope that the diocese will embrace this view as well and reverse this decision.”

“We wholeheartedly welcome the gay men's choir,” Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Jeff Wilson said in ABC7’s report. “People may see that or think that we're trying to be politically correct or espouse a particular political agenda. But love is not partisan. We feel that it’s an honor and privilege to welcome people.”