gay priests

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Pope Francis: Who Am I to Judge Gays?

Makes big statement on flight back from Latin America

(Newser) - Pope Francis continues to make news by making waves: for assuring the world that atheists can be good people , for blessing leather-clad Harley riders , and, now, for softening the church's position on gay priests. With the ink barely dry on yet another big news moment (he racked up the...

Pope: Vatileaks File Will Stay Under Wraps

Benedict will only let his successor see it

(Newser) - After last week's brouhaha , the Pope has decided to keep the Vatileaks probe between him and his successor, NBC News reports. The Vatican said today that the dossier regarding in-house leaks will stay under wraps, despite allegations in the Italian press that it revealed gay priests being blackmailed. A...

Cops: Priest Chased Boy Down Street in Underwear

Family rescues 12-year-old

(Newser) - It's midnight, and you see a 12-year-old boy running down the street toward you, begging for help. Moments later a man follows wearing only his underwear, and beckons the boy over. Do you let the man take him? Yeah, neither did Heather Rodriguez or her brother-in-law when that happened...

Church-Backed Study Blames '60s for Sex Abuse

Priests were ill-equipped to deal with social change, study finds

(Newser) - The Catholic Church's requirement for all priests to be celibate is not to blame for the church's sex abuse scandals, according to a study commissioned by and partially funded by America's Catholic bishops. The study concludes that most sex abuse cases involved priests trained in the '...

Jim McGreevey Bid to Become Priest Rejected

Not for being gay, but because former NJ gov is 'a jackass'

(Newser) - Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who resigned in 2004 after acknowledging he is a "gay American," had his eye on a new job—but so far it's not working out. McGreevey tried to join the priesthood, but the Episcopal Church rejected him, the New York Post...

Bishop Long: I Am Not the Man on TV

 Bishop Long: 
 I Am Not the 
 Man on TV 
SEX ALLEGATIONS
Sep 26, 2010 9:17 AM CDT

Bishop Long: I Am Not the Man on TV

'This thing I will fight,' he tells congregation

(Newser) - Bishop Eddie Long, the subject of various lawsuits alleging that he used his position to take advantage sexually of young men in his church, broke his silence today, telling his congregation that, "I’m under attack. I want you to know as I said earlier I am not...

Cops: Priest Used Stolen $1.3M for Male Escorts

Conn. priest lived the high life

(Newser) - A Connecticut Catholic priest spent $1.3 million in stolen church funds on male escorts, Armani suits, and stays at the Waldorf-Astoria, according to law enforcement authorities. Rev. Kevin Gray, until recently a parish priest in Waterbury, also paid the college tuition and rent of two of the young men...

Episcopal Church Names Second Openly Gay Bishop

Mary Glasspool will head to LA Diocese

(Newser) - The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles yesterday elected the Rev. Mary Glasspool as its second openly gay bishop, underscoring Episcopal commitment to accepting same-sex relationships despite enormous pressure from other Anglicans. "Any group of people who have been oppressed because of any one, isolated aspect of their persons yearns...

Lutheran Branch Allows 'Monogamous' Gays as Clergy

Branch is US' largest, with 4.8M members

(Newser) - The largest US Lutheran denomination will allow gays in “life-long, monogamous” relationships to serve in clergy and other leadership positions, the Washington Post reports. Delegates at the convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approved the measure 559-451; the denomination, which has 4.8 million US members, previously...

Conservative Episcopalians Form Rival Branch

(Newser) - Theological conservatives upset by liberal views of US Episcopalians and Canadian Anglicans formed a rival North American province today. The development is the culmination of a five-year rift that erupted when Episcopalians in New Hampshire consecrated the first openly gay bishop. The split represents a new challenge to the already...

Vatican Will Root Out Gay Priests With Sex Tests

New guidelines keep gays from priesthood

(Newser) - The Catholic Church plans to screen gay men out of the priesthood with psychological tests aimed to detect "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" in seminary candidates, the Scotsman reports. Under the new guidelines, issued yesterday by the Vatican, potential priests will also be screened for "grave immaturity" and “imbalances”...

Wanna Feel Old? Check This List
Wanna Feel Old? Check This List
Aug 19, 2008 3:57 PM CDT

Wanna Feel Old? Check This List

Facts of life for fall's college freshmen include Leno as only face of Tonight Show

(Newser) - A glance at this year's Mindset List, from Wisconsin's Beloit College, provides a glance into the facts of life for the 18-year-olds beginning their freshman year in college. Via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
  • Harry Potter, created in 1990, is old enough to be a fellow freshman.
  • GPS navigation systems are about
...

Benedict's US Trip Improved His Image

Majority of Americans feel better about both pope and the church

(Newser) - Both the pontiff and the Catholic Church got an image boost following the pope's recent US visit, reports Reuters. A post-trip poll found that 61% of Americans, both Catholics and non-Catholics, believe the pope's 6-day stint met or exceeded their expectations; 65% now have a more positive view of Pope...

Conservative Anglicans Plan Splinter Summit

US bishop blasts gay clergy cover-ups

(Newser) - Widening the Anglican gay divide, conservative leaders unveiled plans today for a summit to challenge the traditional Lambeth conference this summer, the Guardian reports. Planners of the Global Anglican Future Conference wrote on their website that Anglicans are "divided into liberal and conservative factions" and will likely splinter over...

California Episcopals Split Over Gay Rights

Legal battles likely to ensue after diocese breaks with church

(Newser) - A California diocese split with the Episcopal Church today over its defense of gay and women's rights, Reuters reports. The Diocese of San Joaquin, home to 47 churches and 8,800 congregants around Fresno, voted for the break by a vote of 173-22 among delegates. “This is the first...

Chicago Episcopalians Pass on Lesbian Bishop

But new bish calls for 'full inclusion' of gays

(Newser) - Chicago’s Episcopal Diocese today passed up lesbian Tracey Lind for its bishop post, instead electing popular Midwest-native Jeffrey Lee. But Lee is a firm supporter of gay inclusion, much to conservatives’ chagrin. “I believe God is calling us to full inclusion of gays and lesbians in ministry of...

Gay Vatican Priest Outed on TV; Ousted by Holy See

I'm not 'sinning," monsignor says on hidden camera

(Newser) - The Vatican yesterday suspended a senior official caught on hidden camera making advances to a man and saying that he didn't believe he was sinning by being involved with gays. Italian television showed the priest with his face distorted, but Vatican officials recognized the office where he was filmed. The...

Episcopalians Affirm Gay Rights Stand
Episcopalians Affirm Gay Rights Stand
Sep 26, 2007 10:09 AM CDT

Episcopalians Affirm Gay Rights Stand

But pledge 'restraint' in naming gay bishops to avoid schism

(Newser) - Episcopal leaders wrapping up their meeting in New Orleans yesterday pledged to “exercise restraint” in selecting gay bishops and blessing same-sex marriages, but declined to disavow either practice. The move was designed to appease Anglicans, who sought a ban. “This is a ‘try to keep your foot...

Former Gay Converters Apologize
Former Gay Converters Apologize
Jun 28, 2007 11:14 AM CDT

Former Gay Converters Apologize

Erstwhile opponents affirm homosexuality

(Newser) - Three ex-leaders of the country's largest Christian gay-conversion ministry apologized for their behavior yesterday, saying the group had caused psychological distress to those it claimed to help. An Exodus International co-founder, now out as a gay man, lamented that the organization had made people feel "compelled to try to...

McGreevey Makes a Leap Of Faith
McGreevey Makes a Leap
Of Faith
May 3, 2007 7:29 AM CDT

McGreevey Makes a Leap Of Faith

Gay former N.J. governor to become an Episcopal priest

(Newser) - James McGreevey, who resigned as New Jersey governor to avoid being outed by a former gay lover, plans to become an Episcopalian priest. McGreevey, who had been a Catholic, was received into the faith at St. Bartholomew's Church in Manhattan Sunday, and has been accepted into the Master of Divinity...

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