By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Gay activists in the District of Columbia have launched a new website on which they encourage citizens to report priests who may be gay or otherwise “romantically involved,” but only if the priest has supported the Church’s position on same-sex marriage.
According to a press release by the Catholic League, a new homosexual website, ChurchOuting.org, wants to “out” gay priests in the Archdiocese of Washington, as well as any heterosexual priests who may be “romantically involved,” in an attempt to force them to object to the Church’s opposition on gay marriage.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue says the project is the work of Phil Attey, a self-described “Liberal-Gay-Ardent Obama Supporter.” According to one news report, Attey wants to approach priests he thinks are gay, and warn them that they better stop lobbying against gay people . . . or else.
In addition, any priest who wants to insure he will not be reported on the Web site can go ahead and sign a “Declaration of Religious Support for Marriage Equality,” a statement being circulated by Clergy United for Marriage Equality.
Deal Hudson of Inside Catholic called the project “repulsive.”
“This atttempt to destroy the reputation of priests for supporting the teaching of the Church they represent could best be described by Dante as inhabiting some remote circle of Hell,” he said.
Hudson is not afraid to hurl a few threats of his own, saying that the people behind this offensive web site are exposing themselves to “significant legal consequences” if a priest’s good name should be sullied by someone who simply wants to injure him without any real evidence.
“Perhaps these legal consequences, and the civil damages that will follow, will shut the site down before anyone is hurt. Need it be said there are better ways to convince others of your point of view?”
Meanwhile, the Catholic League is promising support to any priest who finds himself the victim of this scheme.
“The Catholic League is prepared to assist any priest in the Archdiocese of Washington who is the victim of harassment, intimidation or stalking. Whatever resources the priest needs, we will see to it that he is served,” Donohue says.
“If radical gay activists want a showdown with the Catholic League, we will not disappoint them.”
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