Catholic Rev Father Comes Out As Gay Gets A Standing Ovation From His Church Members

<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> <a href="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-14624 tie-appear" data-attachment-id="14624" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"\u00a9 Facebook","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="gay rev father" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?fit=356%2C475" data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?fit=356%2C475" data-orig-file="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?fit=634%2C845" data-orig-size="634,845" data-permalink="http://gossipmillnigeria.com/2017/12/catholic-rev-father-shocks-the-world-as-he-comes-out-as-gay/gay-rev-father/" height="475" sizes="(max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px" src="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?resize=356%2C475" srcset="https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?resize=356%2C475 356w, https://i1.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father.jpg?w=634 634w" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: middle;" width="355" /></a></div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> A Roman Catholic priest in Wisconsin says he feels “liberated” after coming out to his church ― and the world ― as a gay man.<span id="more-14623" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"></span></div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> The Rev. Gregory Greiten, who serves as the pastor of Milwaukee’s St. Bernadette Parish, received a standing ovation when he opened up about his sexuality to his parishioners this past Sunday.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> “I am Greg. I am a Roman Catholic priest,” he reportedly told the congregation. “And, yes, I am gay!”</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Greiten further detailed his journey toward self-acceptance in a lengthy column published in the National Catholic Reporter on Monday.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> “A few Roman Catholic priests around the world have mustered up the courage to break through the wall of silence and speak the truth about their sexual identity,” he wrote. “I pledge to you that I will no longer live my life in the shadows of secrecy. I promise to be my authentically gay self. I will embrace the person that God created me to be.”</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> He continued:</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> <a href="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-14625 tie-appear" data-attachment-id="14625" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"AP","camera":"","caption":"In this Dec. 19, 2017 photo provided by St. Bernadette Parish Rev. Gregory Greiten poses for a photo at the Parish in Milwaukee. The Roman Catholic priest was greeted with a standing ovation from parishioners when he told them of his sexual orientation. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Rev. Greiten came out as gay to the St. Bernadette Parish on Sunday, Dec. 17. He then came out in a column in the National Catholic Reporter on Monday. Greiten says he revealed his sexual orientation because he wants to be a role model for others. (St. Bernadette Parish via AP)","created_timestamp":"1513699020","copyright":"St. Bernadette Parish","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"Priest Sexual Orientation","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Priest Sexual Orientation" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?fit=475%2C464" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?fit=475%2C464" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?fit=3077%2C3004" data-orig-size="3077,3004" data-permalink="http://gossipmillnigeria.com/2017/12/catholic-rev-father-shocks-the-world-as-he-comes-out-as-gay/priest-sexual-orientation/" height="464" sizes="(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px" src="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?resize=475%2C464" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?resize=475%2C464 475w, https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?resize=768%2C750 768w, https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?w=1236 1236w, https://i0.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father1.jpg?w=1854 1854w" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: middle;" width="475" /></a></div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> <a href="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-14627 tie-appear" data-attachment-id="14627" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="gay rev father12" data-large-file="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?fit=475%2C317" data-medium-file="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?fit=475%2C317" data-orig-file="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?fit=960%2C640" data-orig-size="960,640" data-permalink="http://gossipmillnigeria.com/2017/12/catholic-rev-father-shocks-the-world-as-he-comes-out-as-gay/gay-rev-father12/" height="316" sizes="(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px" src="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?resize=475%2C317" srcset="https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?resize=475%2C317 475w, https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?resize=768%2C512 768w, https://i2.wp.com/gossipmillnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gay-rev-father12.jpg?w=960 960w" style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: middle;" width="475" /></a></div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> This fire burning deep inside my heart, I will no longer contain. I will not be silent any longer; the price to pay is way too great. I must speak my truth. I have lived far too many years chained up and imprisoned in the closet behind walls of shame, trauma and abuse because of the homophobia and discrimination so prevalent in my church and the world. But rather, today, I chart a new course in freedom and in integrity knowing that there is nothing that anyone can do to hurt or destroy my spirit any longer. First steps in accepting and loving the person God created me to be.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Greiten, of course, is not alone. Although most surveys are based on limited samples due to the sensitivity of the issue, more recent estimates have put the share of Catholic priests in the U.S. identifying as gay between 15 percent and 50 percent.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Despite the applause Greiten received Sunday, churchgoers seemed divided over the implications of his announcement.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Madge Powell, a parishioner at St. Bernadette’s for eight years, told the National Catholic Reporter that she couldn’t care less about Greiten’s sexuality. “I love him for the person he is,” she said.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Shawn Govern, who is opposed to same-sex marriage, took a more tentative stance. “He made a choice to walk in Christ’s shoes,” Govern said, “because he’s not going to be accepted by everyone.”</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> For his part, Greiten said his decision to come out was very much a personal choice.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> “The difference for me now is I get to live a life that’s open,” he told local NBC affiliate TMJ 4. “It is honest and it’s full of integrity, and that’s what’s most important to me.”</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Whether Greiten will face any church-based repercussions will depend on Milwaukee’s Archbishop Jerome Listecki. In a statement released to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday, Listecki seemed supportive of Greiten’s announcement and confirmed that the two had met beforehand.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> “We support Father Greiten in his own, personal journey and telling his story of coming to understand and live with his sexual orientation,” Listecki wrote.</div> <div style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> “As the Church teaches, those with same-sex attraction must be treated with understanding and compassion,” he added. “As priests who have made a promise to celibacy, we know that every week there are people in our pews who struggle with the question of homosexuality.”</div> </div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7982805782895847" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="4106508114" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script>

Catholic Rev Father Comes Out As Gay Gets A Standing Ovation From His Church Members

A Roman Catholic priest in Wisconsin says he feels “liberated” after coming out to his church ― and the world ― as a gay man. The Rev....

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