A Roman Catholic priest in Milwaukee has come out as gay, writing that he will no longer live in the shadows of secrecy and plans to be authentic to his gay self.
The Rev. Gregory Greiten disclosed his sexual orientation on Sunday to the St. Bernadette Parish and was greeted with a standing ovation from his parishioners, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
He also wrote a column that was published Monday in the National Catholic Reporter.
It’s rare for a priest to come out. Greiten said he revealed his sexual orientation because he wants to be a role model for others.
He said he’s helping to break the silence of gay men in the clergy so he could reclaim his own voice.
‘I will embrace the person that God created me to be,’ Greiten wrote.
The Rev. Gregory Greiten disclosed his sexual orientation on Sunday to the St. Bernadette Parish and was greeted with a standing ovation from his parishioners
He said he’s helping to break the silence of gay men in the clergy so he could reclaim his own voice. ‘I will embrace the person that God created me to be,’ Greiten wrote
Greiten wrote that has decided to stand with the ‘few courageous priests who have taken the risk to come out of the shadows and have chosen to live in truth and authenticity’
‘In my priestly life and ministry, I, too, will help you, whether you are gay or straight, bisexual or transgendered, to be your authentic self – to be fully alive living in your image and likeness of God.’
Greiten wrote that has decided to stand with the ‘few courageous priests who have taken the risk to come out of the shadows and have chosen to live in truth and authenticity.’
The church’s silent stance on gay priests perpetuates toxic shaming and systematic secrecy, Greiten wrote.
The church needs healthy role models for priests who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation, he said.
Greiten believes that there are between 8,554 and 21,571 gay Catholic priests in the United States
He writes that a change in policy is necessary since priests who are forced to remain in the closet make great efforts to do so
Greiten met with Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki before coming out, according to an archdiocese spokeswoman.
‘We support Father Greiten in his own personal journey and telling his story of coming to understand and live with his sexual orientation,’ Listecki said in a statement Monday.
‘As the Church teaches, those with same-sex attraction must be treated with understanding and compassion.’
Greiten believes that there are between 8,554 and 21,571 gay Catholic priests in the United States.
He cites a book titled The Changing Face of the Priesthood by author Donald B. Cozzens.
It was Cozzens who through his research came up with a range of 23 percent to 58 percent of priests in America who are gay.
It’s rare for a priest to come out. Greiten said he revealed his sexual orientation because he wants to be a role model for others. The St. Bernadette Parish is seen in the above stock image
In his essay, Greiten blasted the Catholic Church for being in denial about its clergymen.
‘By choosing to enforce silence, the institutional church pretends that gay priests and religious do not really exist,’ Greiten writes.
‘Because of this, there are no authentic role models of healthy, well-balanced, gay, celibate priests to be an example for those, young and old, who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation.
‘This only perpetuates the toxic shaming and systemic secrecy.’
He writes that a change in policy is necessary since priests who are forced to remain in the closet make great efforts to do so.
Greiten argues this energy would be better spent helping the community.
This past May, Greiten celebrated a milestone – 25 years as a priest.