Lenny
12-20-2005, 06:47 PM
Catholic Priest Admits He's Gay, Resigns
(AP) Collegeville, Minn. A priest at St. John's University is resigning from his leadership position in response to newly clarified restrictions against admitting homosexuals into the Catholic priesthood.
The Rev. Bob Pierson, in an e-mail Wednesday to administrators and students at St. John's and the nearby College of St. Benedict, said, "Because I can no longer honestly represent, explain and defend the church's teaching on homosexuality, I feel I must resign."
Pierson said he would resign effective Jan. 15.
Last month, the Vatican announced that it was toughening its stand against gay candidates for the priesthood. The Vatican specified in a document that even men with "transitory" homosexual tendencies must overcome their urges for at least three years before entering the clergy.
Pierson, the chaplain and director of campus ministry, said in the e-mail that he is gay and celibate. He said there were several elements in the Vatican document that he did not accept as true, including the assertion that homosexuals are "objectively disordered."
"I am not an infallible person, but I cannot remain silent about my disagreement in conscience with this document, or the church's teaching on homosexuality," the priest said.
Michael Hemmesch, spokesman for the university, said Pierson had been contemplating the resignation for some time. Pierson will remain a member of the monastic community at St. John's Abbey, but won't have any immediate duties at the university.
"As for future work, that is yet to be decided," Hemmesch said.
The Benedictine abbey is located on the campus and is closely affiliated with the university, but technically separate.
He said the university regretted Pierson's decision. "He has been a tremendous leader and director of campus ministry over the last four years," Hemmesch said. "We must respect his personal conscience in making this decision."
A message left for Pierson at the university was not immediately returned Thursday. Attempts to reach him Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Pierson is at least the second priest to resign to protest the Vatican policy, following one in Mesa, Ariz., last month. A third priest, in Bloomfield, Mich., responded to the policy by publicly declaring his homosexuality but stopped short of resigning.
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_349001841.html
(AP) Collegeville, Minn. A priest at St. John's University is resigning from his leadership position in response to newly clarified restrictions against admitting homosexuals into the Catholic priesthood.
The Rev. Bob Pierson, in an e-mail Wednesday to administrators and students at St. John's and the nearby College of St. Benedict, said, "Because I can no longer honestly represent, explain and defend the church's teaching on homosexuality, I feel I must resign."
Pierson said he would resign effective Jan. 15.
Last month, the Vatican announced that it was toughening its stand against gay candidates for the priesthood. The Vatican specified in a document that even men with "transitory" homosexual tendencies must overcome their urges for at least three years before entering the clergy.
Pierson, the chaplain and director of campus ministry, said in the e-mail that he is gay and celibate. He said there were several elements in the Vatican document that he did not accept as true, including the assertion that homosexuals are "objectively disordered."
"I am not an infallible person, but I cannot remain silent about my disagreement in conscience with this document, or the church's teaching on homosexuality," the priest said.
Michael Hemmesch, spokesman for the university, said Pierson had been contemplating the resignation for some time. Pierson will remain a member of the monastic community at St. John's Abbey, but won't have any immediate duties at the university.
"As for future work, that is yet to be decided," Hemmesch said.
The Benedictine abbey is located on the campus and is closely affiliated with the university, but technically separate.
He said the university regretted Pierson's decision. "He has been a tremendous leader and director of campus ministry over the last four years," Hemmesch said. "We must respect his personal conscience in making this decision."
A message left for Pierson at the university was not immediately returned Thursday. Attempts to reach him Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Pierson is at least the second priest to resign to protest the Vatican policy, following one in Mesa, Ariz., last month. A third priest, in Bloomfield, Mich., responded to the policy by publicly declaring his homosexuality but stopped short of resigning.
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_349001841.html