Rash of Gay Firings Prompt Calls of ‘Unjust Discrimination’

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MIAMI (ChurchMilitant.com) - Following the firing of two LGBT Church employees, dissident Catholics are raising their voice in protest.

Father James Martin, best known for his promotion of homosexuality in the Church, shared his reaction Tuesday to what he's calling "unjust discrimination" towards two active homosexuals fired this month for being in gay "marriages."

"These firings are clearly discriminatory," Martin complained, "since straight church employees do not have their personal or sexual lives placed under a microscope, nor are they 'investigated' in the shameful way Mr. Guevarra was."

Francis DeBernardo, head of the Vatican-condemned New Ways Ministry, told America Magazine, "With each new firing, the injustice of these actions becomes clearer and clearer to Catholic people in the pews."

And Cathleen Kaveny, professor at Notre Dame Law School, questioned the prudence of the firings: "Is this a prudent and charitable way of communicating the Catholic message, or is it something that's going to make it harder to hear Catholic teaching and receive the good news?"

The comments come in light of the firings of Catholic first-grade teacher Jocelyn Morffi from Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Miami on February 8, and Mark Guevarra, pastoral associate at St. Albert Catholic Parish in Edmonton, on February 6.

Guevarra said on Facebook he was investigated by his employer for two issues before being fired: the formation of an LGBT Catholic support group, CORE, and his claim that he had a male partner and a daughter. 

The investigation started with CORE's development without the approval of the archbishop. Guevarra stated his reasons were that the group was in its trial period, and he did not think he needed approval for starting a prayer and support group.  

Resource page on Fr. James Martin

After talking with the archbishop and meeting with an investigator and priest about his same-sex relationship, and refusing to answer direct questions about his relationship, Guevarra was fired.  

"They took my refusal to answer as sufficient evidence to prove that I am in one," commented Guevarra. "I believe being terminated for conscientiously and respectfully disagreeing with a church teaching is a slippery slope for all church workers and therefore unjust."

The archdiocese defended its decision in a statement:

Anyone who comes to work at the Archdiocese or one of its parishes agrees to live in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church and its sacramental theology. It is particularly important, and understandable, that someone who serves in a leadership or teaching role in the Church be a practicing Catholic who lives in accord with its teachings.

Martin defended both employees in a follow-up tweet: "Do bishops and pastors investigate straight church employees to find out if they're living and sleeping with someone of the opposite sex, which is also against church teaching? No."

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