Gay priest comes out on TV, slams Prop. 8

(St. Paul Newman Center) He says he wouldn't have done it -- not from the pulpit -- except that his parishioners kept asking: Should they really vote for Proposition 8 and end same-sex marriage, as California's Catholic bishops advised? So you can argue that Fr. Geoffrey Farrow of St. Paul Newman Center in Fresno was pushed into making a coming-out statement he predicted would have "dire consequences." Watch the video now from Fresno's Channel 30 TV.      

About half the congregation stood up and cheered; the rest looked shellshocked.

Farrow did not address his own sexuality from the pulpit. But to a waiting TV reporter, he said, "It's a secondary issue. But yes, I am. And when I was a boy I asked, 'God, please make me normal,' and the prayer never got answered, and I realized why. Because God would've made somebody else; he wouldn't have made me."

The bishop of Fresno has not yet responded, except to say that Prop. 8 is not about homosexuality, but about "the institution of marriage, which is the basis of our society."

Meanwhile, another priest, the Anglican chaplain of the London Stock Exchange, is under pressure to quit for blogging that gays should come equipped with sodomy warning tattoos.

Comments

[Robert Snyder]

I have known Geoff Farrow for 25 years. And I can safely say our friendship has been a rocky one, but I today I can say without hesitation that I have never been prouder of him, prouder to call him friend. Though his days in active ministry are most likely over now, his last day may well have been his best. He preached the Gospel and walked the walk!

[barbara wilcox]

But what's the justification for kicking him out of active ministry?

[Robert Snyder]

Justification? JUSTICE has nothing to do with it. The REASON is he publically challenged the Roman Catholic bishops of California and the Churches blatant hypocracy when it comes to homosexuality.
Once again we are reminded that the biggest threat to the LGBT community comes from self loathing homosexuals especially those in the clergy and those who hold political power.

[Jim]

The Catholic church will never change its stance on homosexuality, and to be honest I don't think they should. Just like the GLBT will never change there stance on it either. They are seperate from one another, and the gospel does not accept homosexuality. And we can't change that just to try to make ourselves feel better. If we don't like the teaching of the Catholic church no one says we have to stay in the church or agree with them. But lets stop wasting our time in changing a institution that is 2000 years old. For heavens sakes there views on birth control have never changed. What makes anyone of us think they will change there mind on homosexuality. Move on folks.

[Robert T]

The Gospel is actually silent on homosexuality, per se. As for me, a gay Catholic, I remain within the Church as a visible witness that one can be gay and a believer. And there are many more of us like me. We choose not to "move on" but to stay. Whether I change minds or hearts is not my objective. My staying is beyond rhetoric, beyond politics, beyond poor theology--it's a response to faith.

[Jim Fosnaught]

At last, a Priest that follows the Teachings of Christ, VOTE NO on prop *, it's clearly DISCRIMINATION, and violates separation of Church and State (marriage based on the bible), denies gays freedom of religon (our churchs approve of gay marriage). VOTE NO on 8 now and save our courts the cost of having to overturn it like the last marriage law. WE WILL

[Elaine B]

How I wish all gay priests would have the courage to come out - they are legion!

[jockboy]

Here in so cal, my bf recently told me about a growing alternative religion called 'Congregation GOH,' a Gay oriented devout Order following Homosexual enlightened liberated lifestyles. It's revelation has converted us both to it, unifying gay and religion in ways we never dreamed of before.

[corrective_unconscious]

>The Catholic church will never change its stance on homosexuality

Yes, it will, and on the ordination of women, but both turnabouts will come way after the rest of society has come to terms with these issues, and so the Church will remain a laughing stock then as now.

But the flaming purses are FOREVER! Ya gotta have flaming purses!

[Dennis C]

well I think that everything has a time and when the time is reght it will happen in one way or another.
just having a group of God loving fathfull gay fallowers stand up and say I am gay and God loves me and I love myself enuf to stand united with others, will in some way bring heathy change, I am brought to tears just reading so many gay people embracing God and talking about it with eagerness for change! good job eveyone

[Steve]

Life's a Maybee

Fr. Geoffrey Farrow just made history as an on camera endorsing gay marriage. Good for him!

I'm a good Catholic boy at heart. I'll look him up whenever I get down to CA, because that's what the world needs --- fresh thinking.

[queerplanet]

Let's see...

He spends his life dedicated to an institution that is notoriously anti-gay, anti-woman, and with a violent greedy past.

Then he comes out against this initiative and he's a hero?

Please.

[gcturn]

Well actually if I remember correctly; The Catholic church in Calif. under Pope JP the 1rst,did in fact "marry" same sex couples. Anyway, religion ,political- commerce; all of that, are institutions.
That said , their body of knowlegde is inflated- and corrupt- when it needs to be for it's own sake.
Humans are more than their sexuality.
Liberty is great.
I think.....(:.)>
I prefer not to be reduced to only my sexuality for the institutional convenience of a "mask" of morality for social nurturing of religion, or otherwise that has only power and $$ as a real concern .

[gcturn]

Well actually if I remember correctly; The Catholic church in Calif. under Pope JP the 1rst,did in fact "marry" same sex couples. Anyway, religion ,political- commerce; all of that, are institutions.
That said , their body of knowlegde is inflated- and corrupt- when it needs to be for it's own sake.
Humans are more than their sexuality.
Liberty is great.
I think.....(:.)>
I prefer not to be reduced to only my sexuality for the institutional convenience of a "mask" of morality for social nurturing of religion, or otherwise that has only power and $$ as a real concern .

[gcturn]

Well actually if I remember correctly; The Catholic church in Calif. under Pope JP the 1rst,did in fact "marry" same sex couples. Anyway, religion ,political- commerce; all of that, are institutions.
That said , their body of knowlegde is inflated- and corrupt- when it needs to be for it's own sake.
Humans are more than their sexuality.
Liberty is great.
I think.....(:.)>
I prefer not to be reduced to only my sexuality for the institutional convenience of a "mask" of morality for social nurturing of religion, or otherwise that has only power and $$ as a real concern .

[queerplanet]

St. Paul Newmen Center?

Did he get canonized already!

[barbara wilcox]

I bought a bag of Newman-0s the other day and it stretched to feed 5,000 people. So maybe.

[queerplanet]

Is that the parable of the O's and the ranch dressing?

[barbara wilcox]

welcome back, queerplanet
long time no hear from

[www.jackfritscher.com]

Hooray for Catholic honesty! The Catholic Church evolves. Slowly. Priest by priest. Woman by woman. Person by person.

If you want to see the "Dark Ages" of what the HIGH seminary life was like in the 1950s and 1960s, may I invite you please to visit Amazon to check out my Catholic boyhood book titled "What They Did to the Kid: Confessions of an Altar Boy, A Comic Memoir-Novel."

For eleven years (1953-1963) I was a pure (though gay) seminarian at the Pontifical College Josephinum where I saw it all.

Need I say that Bernard Cardinal Law, famous for his cover-up of priest molestations in Boston, was my schoolmate for six years.

My book rather much explains where Bernie Law learned how to cover up the sacred sexuality of the sacrament and divine gift of homosexuality. Oh, how differently this could have turned out if the liturgical conservative Kveens had not taken over the Josephinum and the Vatican.

[Vincent]

Nobody needs a marriage license or marriage certificate to love someone else with all your heart. All you need is your affirmation to one another.

As an ordained minister who performs commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples, I tell the couple that I am not there to confirm or authorize their vows, I am simply there to witness a lifetime commitment of love between two consenting adults and to share in their joy.

There is much work to be done in improving civil recognition of same-sex commitments but it must be done through love and perseverance.

Until that day comes, don't let your love feel diminished because of the actions of others. Your love is what brought you together in the first place and it, not some piece of paper or some public record, is what will hold you together in good times and bad.

[Kalbo]

Did Christ ever say whether marriage is between a man and a woman?

I'm not sure but I believe Jesus was silent on the issue. In the absence of a direct statement from Christ, other biblical references would be used, including looking at what the old testament says and refers to.

Someone named queerplanet brought up some of the old canards about the Catholic Church.

I'm here to bring up the role of the Catholic Church in the dark ages, Renaissance and afterward, the advent of the university system and the beginning of publicly-available schools for children. Prior to the renaissance, schools were only for the rich and royalty. In fact, it was the Catholic Church which ignited the Renaissance period in Western history. The Catholic Church brought about a renaissance in the sciences, humanities, language. Thanks to the Catholic Church, children of the lower classes could attend schools without charge and these weren't indoctrination centers for the church, they were where children were taught how to read and write, how to expand their minds in the sciences and humanities. And they were free of cost to those families.

Some of the greatest scientific discoveries of the renaissance and beyond were made by Catholic clerics. As one example among many, Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics was a Catholic priest. Many great scientists now and throughout history also just happen to be Catholic clerics.

Copernicus, the scientist who told us that the earth is NOT the center of the universe was a Catholic priest. He single-handedly brought about a revolution of scientific thought which has brought us to where we are today. Other astronomers had proposed theories of heliocentricity but it was Copernicus who put the matter into objective terms which could be duplicated independently by any other scientist or individual. He put it within the context of what we call the "scientific method."

Priest/physician Augustino Gemelli pioneered 20th century neuroscience and psychology. He began the discipline which is known today as industrial and organizational psychology. Look him up. There's a lot to be said.

There are literally thousands of Catholic clergy scientists who've pioneered understanding into everything we know and who continue to train and teach others to expand beyond what we know today. These include Catholic men (priests and brothers) and women (nuns and laywomen).

Catholic clerics, nuns and institutions have pioneered everything from the hard sciences, physiology, chemistry, mathematics, philosophy, literature, art, history and archaeology, cosmology, physics, astronomy, engineering and countless other disciplines to diplomacy, charity, civil relief, refugee assistance, teaching job skills to the disadvantaged, advocacy for the voiceless and oppressed, advocacy for the environment, assisting battered and abused women, you name it.

The scientific method which we use today was advocated and promoted hundreds of years ago by Catholic universities and scholars.

This may all sound incredible or counter-intuitive to some of you but I assure you it's true. Do some independent web research and you'll see that what is say is not exceptional but actually quite extensive within the Catholic church.

queerplanet, I agree that this man is no hero and I'm sure he'd never agree to be called a hero. He's just a man serving others in the best way he knows how. He didn't asked to be called a hero and he did nothing more heroic than communicating with his parish in a sincere, honest, direct, loving and heart-felt way. It's refreshing to see such a thing in such a cynical world but it's not heroic, it's human.

[Jesse]

Hurray for Fr. Geoffrey! As a gay catholic I am greatful that some priests are taking a stand on issues that affect themselves as it affects human kind. Yes, human kind because we are are gods children.

Side note, what a sexy priest! :) Who wouldn't want to have him as his/her priest!!!

:)

[Chuck]

I loved your post, Vincent. Your comments are right on the money.

[queerplanet]

Here we have a gay man who dedicates his life to a group of people who hate homosexuals, who oppress women, and who use violence and tyranny to amass fortunes over the centuries.

When he walks away and decides not to be a priest we can talk about his loving message. That would be refreshing.

Instead, one more time, we have gay men making excuses for the very institutions that oppress them.

From the gay Republicans to the gay Catholics, there is nothing sexy about gay men who support their own oppression.

So what if he supports marriage? Who wants to get married? Same people who want to join the military!

Let's see him get out there showing the damage his church does to the environment and civil rights. Do some research on the global effects of his church. Let's see him talk about how the Catholic church invests in some of the worst, most violent, most polluting governments and corporations in the world.

The is life beyond marriage and the church you know.

Your make believe god friends won't save you from environmental and economic collapse caused by ignorant institutions like the Catholic church.

[Anonymous]

The Catholic Church is not a democracy. The priest is wrong and should not have been ordained in the first place, if you people don't like it, then too bad. The idea that there are priests like this in our holy temples makes me angry. Prepare for the coming warning. The idea some of you call yourselves Catholic deeply insults me. Your sins of the flesh are bad enough but to commit the sin of scandal (causing others to sin) is a very serious sin.

[Anonymous]

How exactly can a Priest say he is gay? Priests take an oath of celibacy. They are supposed to abstain from sex. So is Fr. Geoffrey Farrow saying that he is not celibate? Is that not a offense that would disallow a man to be a Priest? Just because Fr. Geoffrey Farrow "feels" like God made him this way does not make it true because it is contrary to scripture. Scripture is supposed to be the compass he lives his life by and what he chose to dedicated his life to. If he does not believe scripture then he should change his profession and stop dragging his "feelings" into the church.