Gay Choir Director Fired

CMR ^ | September 17, 2008 | matthew archbold

[NYer]

According to TwinCities.com,

After decades of honing his musical skills, Charles Philyaw landed his dream job in 2004 as the full-time director of music liturgy at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Verona.

The church, with 1,643 adult members, was more than just a place to work for Philyaw. He and his partner, James Mulder-Philyaw, joined the parish and participated fully in the religious community.

Then in June, it all collapsed. Philyaw said he was told by the parish priest, the Rev. Dave Timmerman, that he would no longer be retained because he was living an openly gay life. He was given two weeks' notice.

Far from attempting to obfuscate the issue, the issue was made plain.

"Absolutely, Chuck lost his job because he's openly gay," said Jo Ellen Kilkenny, one of the five whose inquiries triggered Philyaw's dismissal.

She calls him a "wonderful music director" and said she feels horrible that he lost his livelihood, yet it became indefensible for him to be in a highly visible role as an active homosexual, she said.
"We are all sinners, but when you hold a leadership position, you're held to a higher standard than people in the pews," she said.

I must tell you that this is a very well done article as it states plainly the Church's side of the issue with quotes like these:

Brent King, spokesman for the Madison Catholic Diocese, said Bishop Morlino does not comment on personnel issues. But the diocese made available the Rev. Monsignor James Bartylla, director of vocations, who is helping to coordinate locally a program called Courage, a national Catholic initiative that counsels people with same-sex attraction.

While same-sex attraction is considered a disorder by the Catholic Church, it is not a sin in and of itself, Bartylla said. "It is acting on the attraction that makes it a sinful act, a grave depravity," he said.

People with same-sex attraction must control their desires and live chaste lives, he said. If they do so, they can participate fully in church life, including in leadership positions, he said.

Because of this distinction between same-sex attraction and acting on it, it would be a mistake to say the Catholic Church dismisses anyone from employment simply for their sexual orientation, King said.

As for parishioners who are sexually active homosexuals, Bartylla said the church would welcome them, then "begin dealing immediately" with the issue. "We'd encourage them and challenge them to come into conformity with church teaching, the same as with any parishioner dealing with sin."

In this case, the article doesn't say if any lawsuits are pending but sexual orientation is becoming a constant addition to anti-discrimination statutes across the country. How long until churches lose the right to discriminate at all? I think we're a bit of a way off from the government stepping in and forcing women priests or gay priests on us but couldn't you see it argued that when an employee's main duties are not necessarily ecclesiastical or ministerial that the Church will no longer be able to say who it hires and fires. The government could just say, "oh he's just the musical director" or "Oh he's just a teacher."

The government is already forcing Catholic hospitals to give out abortifacients. They're forcing Catholic adoption centers to arrange gay adoptions. How long do we have before America and Catholicism are mutually exclusive?

[NYer]

Bishop Morlino has been sweeping up the diocese, ever since his arrival a short time ago.

[tioga]

God Bless him. He will not lead his sheep astray. Brave man, Christ centered. Confident.

[weegee]

A swinger or an adulterer who flaunted it would be fired as well.

I guess they need better lobbying groups so they can stop getting negative press.

[mlocher]

I picked up on the words that he was “openly gay.” I am assuming that if he were more discreet, he would still have his job. Seems like a fair compromise to me.

[netmilsmom]

>>Philyaw said he believes he was born gay and that God led him to the Catholic Church.<<

All of us are born as little animals who will act on impulse. We overcome that.

[Antoninus]

Good. More please. Faster.

[weegee]

In this case, the article doesn't say if any lawsuits are pending but sexual orientation is becoming a constant addition to anti-discrimination statutes across the country. How long until churches lose the right to hold to moral teachings that are thousands of years old.

The same government that cannot spread Christianity cannot make it criminal to say someone is a sinner.

Meanwhile Islamic imperialism in the West goes unchecked.

[weegee]

Since it was his “dream job” yet he seems to pick and choose what church teachings he follows, I have to wonder if this was a setup case like Lawrence v. Texas was when the lover of one man called the police to report a disturbance between 2 men. Some writers originally speculated that the caller was a hateful homophobe; he was another gay man who had an assault charge filed against one of the other men and then was murdered and that case still has not been solved.

From the get go those men then said that they would challenge the state law. What liberal legislators are afraid to overturn, the courts are quite willing to.

[JimRed]

Keep it quiet, keep your job. The affliction is not the problem, the behavior is!

[Bosco]

While same-sex attraction is considered a disorder by the Catholic Church, it is not a sin in and of itself, Bartylla said. "It is acting on the attraction that makes it a sinful act, a grave depravity," he said.

Scriptures consider "same-sex attraction" a sin, and acting on the wicked thoughts as a sin as well.

[incredulous joe]

Yeah, it seems to me, if my “dream job” was to be choir director in a Catholic Church that I would go to great extremes to ensure that I could keep it discrete. Heck, I might even consider living a celebate life.

I’ve worked with homosexuals in the private sector who kept their sexuality a secret for professional and personal reason.

My guess is this guy was totally out of the closet, flaunting his situation and daring the administrators to discipline or fire him for his “lifestyle”.

Now he no longer has his “dream job” ~ like duh!

[ricks_place]

...but couldn't you see it argued that when an employee's main duties are not necessarily ecclesiastical or ministerial that the Church will no longer be able to say who it hires and fires.

Sung Prayer is a Liturgical Ministry in the Catholic Church.

[TexGuy]

Scriptures consider "same-sex attraction" a sin, and acting on the wicked thoughts as a sin as well.

I believe he was stating that it is not a sin to be tempted but acting upon those temptations is a sin.

[tnlibertarian]

Gay Choir Director Fired

Who would want to direct a gay choir?

[RichInOC]

“Rule One...

[Clock King]

I am assuming that if he were more discreet, he would still have his job. Seems like a fair compromise to me.

I don't really agree. Our church went through almost the exact same thing some years ago. The choir director turned out to be gay. But he was a "down-low" brother; ie, he was a married man who liked other men. I think that a person is gay, let them state and such openly and then maybe society can deal with it. If they keep it "discreet", then it causes more damage later on when (as in the d/l case) families get broken up, wives are devastated, etc.

[MEGoody]

Scriptures consider "same-sex attraction" a sin

Can you point me to the scripture(s) you are refering to here?

We know temptation itself is not sin. Scripture says that Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are but did not sin.

Perhaps you are refering to the 'entertaining of thoughts' or something like that, which would go beyond being tempted.

[ko_kyi]

There are straight choir directors?

/long-time singer

[MEGoody]

I think that a person is gay, let them state and such openly

That's fine as long as they either:

Remain celibate, or

Don't expect to hold leadership positions in a church or other religious organization.