Report: gay man in Michigan removed from parish ministry after “commitment ceremony”

The Deacon's Bench ^ | June 18, 2014 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[NYer]

This story isn’t that unusual. But the swift response from the bishop is.

Details:

A gay man in Marquette was told he can no longer have an active role in his Catholic church after he and his longtime partner held a commitment ceremony, according to news reports out of Northern Michigan.

Bobby Glenn Brown and his partner ,Don Roberts, held a ceremony celebrating 31 years together among friends and family on Saturday, June 14. The next day, officials at St. Michael Parish said he couldn’t continue his role on the pastoral council or positions of cantor, lector and a member of the choir,UpperMichigansSource.com reported.

Brown was told he could sit in the vestibule and listen to the service.

The priest said because of his ceremony, he would no longer be able to minister, Brown told public radio WNMU in Marquette. He walked out and was joined by five other parishioners.

Brown said he didn’t hide the fact that he’s gay, according to the interview with WNMU, and had previously felt “welcomed and loved” at the church.

Bishop John Doerfler of the Diocese of Marquette said the public nature of Brown’s
relationship goes against Catholic principles, according to UpperMichigansSource. Doerfler said Brown’s commitment ceremony would indicate it is permissible to act on same-sex attractions and “that’s where the disconnect is from the church’s teachings.”

Read more.

Another report adds:

In a written statement Bishop John Doerfler says “Everyone is invited to follow Jesus Christ and is invited to be a part of the Catholic Church. One of the qualifications for the public ministry within the Catholic Church is willingness to give witness to the Gospel and the Church’s teachings. Such ministries include serving at Mass as a lector or cantor. The inability to serve in a ministry does not disqualify a person from being a member of the Church.”

To me, this seems incomplete. I’d like to hear the parish’s version of what happened.

[NYer]

Ping!

[Travis McGee]

Link to the full-text Free Republic thread.

[dcwusmc]

This is one area where I am quite in agreement with the RCC. A PRACTICING homosexual has NO place being active in ANY believing church. A CHASTE person with homosexual TENDENCIES is yet welcome as long as impulses/temptations are NOT ACTED ON.

[defconw]

Well just sitting here waiting for the Protestants to come tell us how evil we are and what the priest should have done. In 5....4....3...2...1...

[ConservingFreedom]

This story isn’t that unusual. But the swift response from the bishop is. [...] To me, this seems incomplete.

What do you think is missing - an explanation for the swiftness of the bishop's response?

[The Grammarian]

Let me be the first Protestant to defy your expectations, then. The priest acted rightly, both before and after the ‘commitment ceremony.’ All are sinners, and all sinners are welcome to seek reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, but continuing in sin is not an option for a Christ-follower (no matter what kind of sin that is).

[Ingtar]

It sounds to me (a Protestant) that it was handled quite well. But then, I was raised Catholic before seeing what was right for me.

[defconw]

Oh trust me! This was posted earlier. Apparently the very priests they dislike are supposed to be all knowing. The guy should not have been Baptized etc. I refuse to be upset by it, rather I now find it amusing!

[Sergio]

bkmk

[surroundedbyblue]

Your comment literally made me laugh out loud!

[cripplecreek]

Somebody needs to pimp those homos.

[SECURE AMERICA]

If it was understood that he was a non repentant sinner (homosexuality) and had no intention of ever repenting (31 years) what was he doing in a position with the Church to start with??? Obviously any efforts to save him have failed by this point..........

[terycarl]

DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL....noone cares if you’re queer...but if you tell, you cannot expect to control people’s reactions...

[Bigg Red]

Deacon, the word is “homosexual”. “Gay” means “happy”.

[NYer]

If it was understood that he was a non repentant sinner (homosexuality) and had no intention of ever repenting (31 years) what was he doing in a position with the Church to start with??? Obviously any efforts to save him have failed by this point..........

Being a homosexual is not a sin; acting on it, is.

[Farmer Dean]

I wll do no such thing.The Church is a victim in this,it’s what you do now that matters.Sounds like the right things are being done too,the freak was removed from his”ministry”,whatever that was.

[Farmer Dean]

By the time they reach that age,they need baggy clothes to hide the Depends.