New Year, New Direction -- Reflections From a Gay Catholic Priest

Posted: 12/31/2013 9:14 am
Fr. Gary M. Meier.
Author, 'Hidden Voices, Reflections of a Gay, Catholic Priest'

On the eve of 2014, I can't help but reflect upon what an incredible year 2013 was.

It's been just over six months since I announced that I am the author of Hidden Voices, Reflections of a Gay Catholic Priest, and a lot has happened. The book was released on May 23rd, 2013, and led to a series of television, radio and newspaper interviews. Many of these interviews can be found on my website, but to be honest there were too many to capture -- I did the best I could.

My book has generated a lot of interest and literally thousands of emails and correspondences from people all over the world. Of those I've received, only a few have been negative. The rest are a combination of affirming supportive emails and emails from those who have been hurt by the Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality. It saddens me, that a church I love, can be so hurtful to so many of its' members -- good and loving people. I've heard from seminarians, priests, a few bishops, LGBT youth and their parents, and LGBT allies -- all of whom are desperately trying to reconcile what they believe about homosexuality with what the church teaches. If I've learned anything in 2013, it's that the level of hurt we have caused is deeper than I could have imagined.

I got an email from a mother of a child in a catholic grade school who is trying to reconcile her beliefs with her school's decision to expel the boy scouts from the premises because of their 'new gay policy.' She wrote, "Do I really want to belong to an institution that won't allow gays on the premise?" A straight man wrote, "It has become increasingly more difficult for me to continue going to mass knowing that my gay friends and their spouses are not welcomed at the altar." A grandmother wrote, "My grandson is gay and is getting married in a few months and I don't know what to do. I love my grandson and I love his partner -- and I love my church. Do the bishops realize the position they're putting us in?" A gay priest in his 60's wrote, "A little piece of me dies each time I pick up the newspaper and read more anti-gay rhetoric coming from the catholic bishops. I feel trapped. Trapped into remaining silent or I will lose my income, my retirement, my health benefits -- everything."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fr-gary-m-meier/new-year-new-direction-re_b_4518923.html