Posted on 11/29/2005 5:56:11 AM PST by NYer
The Rev. Leonard Walker, 58, who as pastor was chief executive of Queen of Peace church, is the first priest in the Phoenix Diocese to resign over church treatment of gay men, specifically a new Vatican document aimed at keeping gay men out of the priesthood.
Walker declined to disclose his sexual orientation, but he said he was no longer comfortable "wearing the uniform" of the priesthood.
"It's like a Jew wearing a Nazi uniform," Walker said. "I could no longer stay in that institution with any amount of integrity."
His decision comes on the eve of the release of an instruction from the Vatican that limits entrance into seminaries primarily to heterosexual men.
Many Catholics believe the document addresses concerns that the clergy abuse scandal was caused by gay priests because so many of the victims were young men. They also believe it will lead to a much-needed reform of seminaries, where a gay subculture has thrived, according to some reports.
The Vatican document, leaked to the Italian media last week, says candidates for the priesthood who are "actively homosexual, have deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture" cannot be ordained. It added that their sexual orientation "seriously obstructs them from properly relating to men and women."
The Rev. Chris Carpenter, pastor of Christ the King Catholic church in Mesa, said although the document speaks only about seminarians, "clearly it is sending a message that gay priests are unacceptable, not for what they are doing but for who they are."
The Rev. Fred Adamson, vicar general of the diocese and Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted's second in command, said no decision has been made about how they will implement the Vatican document. The diocese does not ask directly about candidates' sexuality.
Olmsted was not available for comment.
The new Vatican document reinforces long-standing policy for a church that teaches that homosexuality is immoral.
Walker said Monday that he had planned to resign quietly, telling his parishioners only that his decision was unrelated to any "accusation, suspicion or request by church authorities." But, he said, he changed his mind after what he called "mistreatment" by Adamson, who told him that he could not celebrate Mass for the final time at Queen of Peace and that his health insurance would be cut off immediately.
Adamson declined to disclose details of the discussion.
"I can tell you we were not aware of the reason for his resignation," he said.
Walker, a member of the Salvatorian religious order, said he also took a leave of absence from the order.
In the Catholic Church, a priest is ordained for life unless he resigns or is defrocked, a lengthy legal process. Priests serve in a variety of roles. Walker said he will continue to work as a hospice chaplain until he decides whether to leave the priesthood.
He said that Olmsted has been "aggressively anti-gay," unlike previous bishops, and that the Vatican also has taken anti-gay positions.
Among them:
• In 2000, the Vatican suspended the Rev. Robert Nugent, Walker's colleague in the Salvatorian order, from continuing a ministry to gays and lesbians in Washington, D.C.
• The Vatican is visiting American Catholic seminaries to assess their treatment of gay candidates, directly as a result of the clergy abuse scandal.
• Olmsted rejected the pro-gay Phoenix Declaration, signed by nine Catholic priests, after his two predecessors made no such move. He required the signers to revoke their support or risk their jobs. Walker did not sign.
• Finally, according to Walker, a Phoenix-area priest, whom he declined to identify, lost his job as pastor recently because of his homosexuality, a reason not disclosed by the diocese. Adamson said he knew nothing about that.
Carpenter, who is a diocesan priest, said Walker could be the first of many to step aside. He added that any priest who discloses that he is gay "risks immediate reprisals."
Walker was well-liked at Queen of Peace, which is in downtown Mesa.
"He will definitely be missed," said Loralynn Quintero, 33, of Mesa, who had worked with Walker on a counseling program.
"Everyone has an opinion" about homosexuality, she said. "(It's) a matter between him and God."
Maria Delgadillo, 29, of Mesa, said she was surprised and sad to hear Walker had resigned.
"I don't think he should be leaving," she said. "I don't think it is a good reason."
"We are sorry to see him go," said Sandra Lopez, a church member for a couple of years. "I'm going to stay neutral (on why he is leaving)."
Dear former "reverend" Walker,
Don't let the door hit your sorry caboose! May many more follow him out the door! Time for priests and bishops to be Catholic, not PC!
Salvatorian, eh?
Milwaukee's second-most-infamous child abuser was/is a Salvatorian. The order has a very light-footed-pink odor in this area.
Awwww ... po' widdle snookums gonna cwy.
The Priesthood is a better and cleaner institution now that he's gone.
This guy wants the door to hit him in the ass.
>>>>Sigh. Years of really lousy catechesis, I suppose, combined with years of pro-gay propaganda.
Of course, they were getting their catechesis from whom? The guy who just resigned because he disagrees with Church teaching.
patent
Those pictures from Viet Nam are amazing!
"It's like a Jew wearing a Nazi uniform," Walker said. "I could no longer stay in that institution with any amount of integrity."
Wow! Sounds like this was for the best.
Yes, from him and his buds, to say nothing of their former "shepherd," the bishop better known for things other than teaching...
Very encouraging, indeed.
LOL!
This is just so terribly sad.........NOT!
Homosexual Agenda Ping.
Very good news. May his departure be the first of many. His statement about "a Jew wearing a Nazi uniform" shows that he hates the Church and was always an enemy of God.
Very interesting article. Biased, of course - note how they manage to find three church members who are supportive of the homosexual "priest" and none who are glad that an imposter is leaving.
Freepmail me and DirtyHarryY2K if you want on/off this pinglist.
Note this: "an instruction from the Vatican that limits entrance into seminaries primarily to heterosexual men."
What do they mean "PRIMARILY"? I would say "EXCLUSIVELY".
Hopefully more will be honest and follow.
Sometimes when priests are transferred they serve as an administrator for a short time before they are announced as pastor. It's just rubrics.
Good one!
No longer a "Windswept" house, but truly a "swept out" house!
Nail.
Head.
I agree. I would gladly get up at 6:00 am, drive 40 miles, and stand in the back every Sunday if this policy were to mean fewer priests and fewer parishes.
I suspect however that we could even see MORE priests. I have been told that many good men simply can't deal with that "culture" in certain seminaries and either quietly leave or are forced out.
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