Coincidentally, two separate Washington D.C. events have just rescinded invitations to conservative Christian clergy, in response to public outcry over each man’s previous statements. In brief:

–Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, who formerly headed the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy, will no longer be leading a Latin Mass this Saturday, in Pope Benedict’s honor, at the Basilica in Washington. He has been disinvited because of fresh controversy over his role in the sexual abuse scandal: a 2001 letter in which he praised a French bishop for refusing to report a priest who had raped children. The New York Times has more on this story.

–Evangelical leader Frankllin Graham will no longer be speaking at the Pentagon at a May 6 National Day of Prayer event. The invitation was rescinded in response to objections by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which cited Graham’s past remarks about Islam as an evil religion. On Faith has more on this story.

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