Fordham U. Won’t Fire Theology Dept. Chair Who Married Gay Partner

You are not signed in as a Premium user; you are viewing the free version of this program. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! Sign up for only one day for the low cost of $1.99. Click the button below.

See All Plans

NEW YORK, July 6, 2015 (ChurchMilitant.com) - Fordham University, a Jesuit institution, will not fire its theology department chairman who violated Catholic teaching by "marrying" his homosexual lover, going as far as to publicly wish him and "his spouse a rich life filled with many blessings."

Patrick Hornbeck II serves as the theology department chair at Fordham University while teaching medieval and reformation history. On June 28, he and his partner Patrick Anthony Bergquist publicly announced in the New York Times their "nuptials" at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church — one day after the Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay "marriage" in all 50 states. When asked why the school would allow an active homosexual living in direct opposition to Catholic teaching to serve as theology department chair, Fordham University senior director of communications Bob Howe said the university had no quarrels with it at all.

"While Catholic teachings do not support same-sex marriage, we wish Professor Hornbeck and his spouse a rich life filled with many blessings on the occasion of their wedding in the Episcopal Church," he told Aletia's John Burger. "Professor Hornbeck is a member of the Fordham community, and like all University employees, students and alumni, is entitled to human dignity without regard to race, creed, gender and sexual orientation."

Howe also stated that Fordham respects his decisions because same-sex "marriage" is "now the law of the land, and Professor Hornbeck has the same constitutional right to marriage as all Americans."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly states that homosexual actions are "intrinsically disordered" and can be approved "under no circumstances." Contraception and masturbation are given the same treatment.

Hornbeck has long been a proponent of the homosexual agenda in the Catholic Church, advocating for change in Church teaching regarding homosexuality and even hijacking Pope Francis' wildly misinterpreted "Who am I to judge?" statement to paint the Holy Father as an advocate for his cause. During a 2014 symposium at Fordham titled "Who Am I to Judge? How Pope Francis Is Changing the Church," Hornbeck said, "In the last 18 months Pope Francis has taken the Catholic world by storm." Hornbeck said he would talk about "the future of Catholicism as well as examine recent public statements from the pope on subjects that range from the role of LGBT persons in the church, to the restructuring of the Vatican Bank, to unmarried couples and divorce."

"American Catholics and their church have not been on the same page for some time," said Hornbeck. "But now the pope is opening up space for dialogue."

Have a news tip? Submit news to our tip line.

We rely on you to support our news reporting. Please donate today.