Chicago Catholic Priest: 'I'm Gay and I'm a Priest, Period' [View all]

[rug]

Rev. Michael Shanahan comes out in an interview on the open secret of gay Catholic clergy.

By Trudy Ring
February 02 2016 8:37 PM EST

A Roman Catholic priest in Chicago has come out as gay in an interview with The Washington Post, saying he sees the action as part of his duty to support marginalized people.

“There’s a level of witnessing here that’s important for me to do,” Rev. Michael Shanahan told the Post in an interview published Sunday. “The Christian faith has a lot to say about the underdog, about the marginalized or the leper, the blind, the lame, the ostracized woman prostitute, widow, the little one. I’d like to be one of those priests, who, with great respect for the church’s teaching, can say: I’m a human being. I’m a son — one of six — I’m gay and I’m a priest, period.”
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Shanahan wasn’t sure he wanted to use his real name in the article but eventually decided it was the right thing to do, and reporter Michelle Boorstein revealed it at the end of the story.

He said he became a priest before he realized he was gay, but he now sees his homosexuality as an enhancement to his ministry, helping him relate to the underdog. He thought about coming out before but worried about repercussions. Recently, though, he decided that coming out would help parishioners who are struggling to accept gay family members, or young people who feel depressed or even suicidal about being gay.

http://www.advocate.com/religion/2016/2/02/chicago-catholic-priest-im-gay-and-im-priest-period