The Vatican is facing criticism after firing a high-ranking Polish priest on the same day he publicly revealed that he is gay.
Father Krzystof Charamsa, who held a position in the Vatican’s branch for protecting Catholic dogma, called on the Catholic church to change its stance on homosexuality, which he described as “backwards.”
In interviews with an Italian newspaper and a Polish news program, the 43-year-old also disclosed that he has a Spanish partner.
Father Charamsa stated that his decision to come out was motivated by the Church’s “inhuman” attitude towards homosexuality.
He said, “It’s time for the Church to open its eyes and understand that the solution it proposes to gay Catholics – total abstinence from a life of love – is inhuman.”
He acknowledged that his revelation would lead to him giving up his ministry, which he considers his whole life.
He expressed awareness that the Church would view him as someone who failed to fulfill his duty of remaining chaste, lost, and not even with a woman but with a man.
Later, Father Charamsa held a news conference in Rome with his partner and gay activists.
During the press conference, he stated, “I want to be an advocate for all s**ual minorities and their families who have suffered in silence.”
He dedicated his coming out to all gay priests and wished them happiness, acknowledging that most of them might not have the courage to make the same gesture.
Father Charamsa presented a 10-point manifesto against institutionalized homophobia within the Church, particularly addressing the oppression he believes gay men face within the priesthood.
He also announced plans for a book about his 12 years working in the Vatican bureaucracy and its recovery from a scandal involving a “gay lobby” among senior clergy.
Originally planning a demonstration in front of the Vatican, the location was changed hours before it was scheduled to begin.
The Vatican maintains that the dismissal of Father Charamsa was not related to his homosexuality, which it claims “merits respect.”
However, it criticized his interviews and planned demonstration for occurring on the eve of a synod where issues related to family, including outreach to gay people, were to be discussed.
The Vatican described these actions as “grave and irresponsible” due to their potential media pressure on the synod.
While homosexuality is only a small part of the synod’s agenda, it has become a focal point in the broader debate between reformists and conservatives within the Church.
The issue of homosexuality and the Church gained further attention following Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States.
In the interview, Father Charamsa acknowledged that his partner helped him come to terms with his sexuality and that he knew he would have to leave the priesthood.
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality itself is not a sin but that homosexual acts are.
This distinction makes Father Charamsa’s defrocking or resignation as a priest inevitable, according to Vatican experts.
Progressive theologians increasingly accept that sexuality is innate, making it challenging to maintain a stance of condemnation.
However, conservatives believe that homosexuality is a choice and that the Church’s role is to assist gays in living celibate lives.
The Vatican faced previous controversy regarding Pope Francis’ meeting with Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue same-s** marriage licenses.
The Vatican clarified that the Pope’s “only real audience” during his visit to Washington was a small group that included a gay couple.
Last year’s synod also generated global headlines when a draft working document suggested recognizing the qualities of loving same-s** relationships.
