Free Republic

<p>The pastor of a Dallas Catholic church harshly criticized orthodox parishioners over the weekend for "hate and vengeance" in prompting the removal of his homosexual assistant pastor, who told a pornographic Internet clergy chat room that he lusted for Hispanic men and youth. Msgr. Lawrence Pichard of St. Pius X Catholic Church in east Dallas chastised members of the parish for "hatred" in refusing to forgive the Rev. Clifford Garner, 36, after he professed sexual desires for Hispanic men, including a church youth pastor who was his roommate at a national Catholic youth retreat. "He's no Ricky Martin — but he is Hispanic and we got along — wonderfully. It was almost like we were meant to be together," Father Garner told St. Sebastian's Angels, a 60-member homosexual clergy chat room which features nude erotic pictures of priest members.</p>

<p>A Dallas priest who professed his attraction for Hispanic men on an online homosexual pornographic chat room has left his parish after receiving what church officials called "threats against his life."</p> <p>The Rev. Clifford Garner, 36, "will not be coming back," Monsignor Lawrence Pichard, pastor of St. Pius X Catholic Church announced at Masses last weekend, after the priest's comments on the Web site were reported by The Washington Times. "He will no longer be here at St. Pius again," Monsignor Pichard told parishioners, the Dallas Morning News reported yesterday. The monsignor said Father Garner had reported to the police two "threats against his life." However, the Dallas Police Department said he reported Thursday just one anonymous telephone call from a man who threatened "to beat him up." At around 9 p.m. EDT, the St. Pius X Web site (www.spxdallas.org) was cleansed of references to Father Garner as part of the parish. The site had earlier listed him among the parish priests, had provided a biography and had linked his e-mail address. However, an interactive question-and-answer section called "Ask an Expert by Fr. Cliff Garner" was still on the site last night. The threat against Father Garner came after newspaper reports of the priest's homosexual advocacy on the St. Sebastian's Angels Web site, which included pictures of nude men. In messages he posted to the site, Father Garner declared his desire for Hispanic men, including a youth pastor from Dallas with whom he shared a room at a Catholic retreat. The weekend before last, accompanied by Dallas Bishop Joseph Galante, Father Garner apologized to his parishioners for "inappropriate" remarks.</p>