Vatican Fires Polish Priest Who Comes Out As Gay

The Vatican has stripped Poland-born Krysztof Charamsa, 43, of his doctrinal responsibilities on Saturday, according to reports. The announcement came on the heels of an interview with Corriere Della Serra in which Charasma came out as a “happy and proud” homosexual currently in a relationship with another man. The gay Monsignore says that, although he knows that he “will have to give up the ministry” he felt he had a duty towards others in his position to come out.

“It’s time the church opened its eyes and realized that offering gay believers total abstinence from a life of love is inhuman,” said Charamsa.

His dismissal comes on the eve of a synod of bishops who will discuss family issues, including how to speak to and about homosexuals. The Church says the timing of the announcement was “grave and irresponsible” and will result in “undue media pressure” at the synod. They claim this is the reason for Charasma’s dismissal.

Charasma has been working in Rome for 13 years as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, tasked with defending Church doctrine. Current Catholic Church doctrine teaches that, while homosexuality itself is not a sin, to act upon it is.

The Charasma controversy comes just days after another public dispute over the Pope meeting with Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that legalized same-sex marriage across the country. The Vatican has since clarified the meeting, saying “the only real audience” he had was with a small group that included a gay couple.

At a time when even the Pope says, “Who am I to judge?” on the issue of sexual orientation, the church may have to revisit their hostility towards homosexuality sooner rather than later.