By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-11-15 23:31:13 | Updated at 2024-11-21 12:34:35
5 days ago
CV NEWS FEED // The pastor of a Catholic church in Michigan fired the parish’s music director after discovering he was in a homosexual “marriage.” The church’s choir quit in protest.
Daily Mail reports that the new pastor of St. Francis Church in Traverse City, Fr. Michael Linguar, fired music director Fred Szczepanski after discovering that the man “married” another man in 2020.
The article states that Fr. Linguar discovered Szczepanski’s living situation after he received a letter from an “unnamed person.” Szczepanski has been the music director for 34 years, and Fr. Linguar had served as pastor for approximately four months.
The Daily Mail states that Fr. Linguar approached Szczepanski, who confirmed that he was in a legal marriage with another man. Fr. Linguar told him his services at the parish were no longer needed, and that he should not receive Holy Communion during Mass.
On October 20, the choir refused to sing in protest. Other parishioners protested on October 27 outside of Sunday Mass, holding signs that said “God includes, not excludes” and “Where is Mr. Fred?”
The Bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord, Most Rev. Jeffrey Walsh, wrote a letter to the parishioners of St. Francis, explaining that he could only make limited comments due to the confidential nature of personnel issues. However, he wrote, the controversy had gained enough public attention that it was important to offer some points of clarity.
Bishop Walsh wrote that all employees of the Diocese of Gaylor agree to follow the Catholic Church’s teachings when they are hired.
He added that because marriage is instituted by God it cannot be changed and that it is defined by the Church as a permanent, faithful, and exclusive covenant between one man and one woman, for both the good of the spouses and the raising of children.
“When a Catholic violates the teaching on marriage in a public act that is contrary to the will of God,” Bishop Walsh wrote, “Pastors are called to shepherd such souls in a way that points them toward reconciliation and mercy.”
The Bishop also stated that although no one is “kicked out of the Church for being gay,” entering into a same-sex union clearly indicates that the relationship is more than friendship. This is a grave offense against Catholic teaching that “jeopardizes a ministerial agreement for employment.”
“While we are all weak sinners, serious sins against chastity require sacramental reconciliation and a firm purpose of amendment, as stated in our act of contrition,” he wrote.
He added that those who cannot receive Communion due to mortal sin are still members of the Body of Christ through baptism, and they are invited to attend Mass and receive a blessing from the priest instead of Communion.
