Posted on 03/30/2004 6:08:19 AM PST by NYer
UTICA, N.Y. (AP) _ A priest with a history of advocacy for gay and lesbian rights has publicly acknowledged he is gay.
The Rev. Fred Daley, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church, is believed to be the first priest in the seven-county Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse to publicly disclose that he is homosexual. ``I'm the same person today as I was yesterday,'' Daley said. ``My expectation and prayer is that people will continue to love and respect me.''
Despite a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety about coming out publicly, Daley said he felt called by God to do so and is ready to accept whatever ``rejection or misunderstanding'' he encounters. Daley told his congregation over the weekend. All priests are committed to celibacy, and sexual orientation alone does not lead to dismissal from the priesthood, said Danielle Cummings, communications director for the diocese.
Daley, 56, has been pastor of St. Francis de Sales since 1992. For at least 30 years, the Utica parish has had a reputation for supporting the poor and fighting injustice. Last week, Daley received a ``Real Hero'' award from the United Way of Greater Utica in recognition of his work with the poor.
Daley was ordained in 1974. He also served at St. Mary Church, Jamesville. In 1987, while co-director of vocations for the diocese, he led a group of 16 local Catholics on a 10-day retreat in Nicaragua.
In September 2002, organizers of an interfaith Sept. 11 memorial service in Utica removed Daley as the main speaker after criticism of his advocacy for the gay and lesbian community. Daley has celebrated Masses for gay and lesbian Catholics. Diocesan officials have said his participation in such services is not in opposition to church teaching.
In the interview on EWTN, Archbishop Raymond Burke said that it would take a big stretch for him to accept an acknowledged homosexual into the priesthood.
Amongst the bishops, there are the ultra conservatives and the ultra liberals. One camp gains, while the other one loses. Here in the Albany diocese, heterosexual candidates for the priesthood have been turned away because they were considered 'homophobic'.
Please remember these bishops and priests in your prayers.
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