A Kansas group known as “The Satanic Grotto” has announced that it is planning to hold a so-called “black mass”, which is an overt mockery of the Catholic Mass, at the Kansas State Capitol on March 28. Their intentions are to “dedicate the grounds and our legislature to the glory of Satan” by “performing rites” and “indulging in sacrilegious blasphemy.”
In response to this direct attack on the Church, the Kansas Catholic Conference (KCC) issued a statement last week, condemning the situation: “This explicit demonstration of anti-Catholic bigotry will be an insult to not only Catholics, but all people of good will. Spiritual and legal responses are being explored.” Simultaneously, a Catholic group launched a petition asking Governor Laura Kelly to shut down the event.
On Wednesday, Gov. Kelly published a statement saying that, even though she shares some of the concerns Catholics have raised about the issue, she has the “duty to protect protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful.” Consequently, the event will take place on the capitol grounds, but not inside the capitol building itself.