Dublin priest says he is gay during Mass – receives standing ovation

[eridani]

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/politics/Dublin-priest-says-he-is-gay-during-Mass--receives-standing-ovation.html

Father Martin Dolan, who has been a priest at Church of St Nicholas of Myra in Francis Street in Dublin’s city center for 15 years, opened up to his congregation at the Saturday night Mass. He also confided in his Sunday morning congregation. Dolan is the only priest in the parish.

Calling on his Dublin city congregation to support same sex marriage in the upcoming Irish referendum, set for the end May, Dolan said “I’m gay myself.”

Dolan’s statement at Mass on Saturday was met by applause and a standing ovation from his “proud” parishioners.

Speaking to the Irish Sun (subscription needed) community youth worker Liz O’Connor said, “We are all very proud of Fr Martin. Because he has admitted that he is gay doesn’t change the person that he was before he said it."

The admired priest is currently on a pre-planned holiday and will return to his parish soon

[JDDavis]

1. Church leadership, particularly in the RCC is so out-of-touch

out-of-touch with the people, who are, (for the most part) moving faster than RCC leadership can keep up.

Being a woman, being gay, lesbian, transgender: certainly not a reason to keep people from reaching and attaining their dreams of careers. Yet so many faiths are patriarchal, and often open to those whose ethnicity is white.

RCC leadership: (and true also for just about every other type of faith leadership, except a very few), having a real problem defending their continuing bigotry and prejudice against other human beings.

[Bagsgroove]

2. Courageous move by Father Dolan

I found it curious (and heartening) that Spain, one of the most Catholic countries in the world, was also one of the first to legalize same-sex marriage. The reaction of Father Dolan's congregation probably shouldn't be surprising. The rank and file of the Church really are way ahead of the Vatican leadership. I hope that Pope Francis' "softening of tone" on gay issues leads to some actual change of policy.