I am 18 minutes away from a committee meeting which I am dreading. When we met 3 weeks ago we were evaluating the parish web site. The presenter noted that the photograph of me, my wife and my daughter is about 5 years old and needs to be updated. He has brought this to my attention before and I indicated that I didn't want to include my wife and daughter in the new picture. While presenting in the meeting, he made the comment "well, I think it's important that Fr Mike's wife and daughter are in the new picture so that everyone who visits the web site knows he is not gay." I almost choked - at both the irony and the bigotry. Another member of the committee tried to make a save by saying "well, Fr Mike, maybe you could wear rainbow colors." More web site evaluation tonight and I'm dreading it. I do get a chuckle when I imagine the facial expressions when I do come out to the parish. Peace,
jeez i would have been like "since when does a single man standing alone in a picture mean hes gay?" then done a Z formation snap put my hand on my hip and sashe away haha
Is it just a tad curious that someone would say this in a committee meeting? Either this person is socially challenged, or they sense something and are trying to bring it to the forefront in a roundabout way. Either way it wouldn't make an ounce of difference to me. Until you're out to the parish people can say whatever they want and you can only go so far without playing your hand. I'll wager that after you're out they won't be making off the cuff remarks like this, otherwise they risk exposing their bigotry for what it is. I'd also bet you weren't the only one in the room uncomfortable with this person's remark...
Y'know, even if homosexuality were something you considered sinful, do you necessarily want to send the congregation the message that the pastor is free of sin? That doesn't something that sounds at all in the Christian tradition...
Wow - that would have landed like a stone on the meeting table. What an incredible thing to say! How can you not think of what the follow on statement would be - "Because straight pastors are better than gay ones." I feel for you. You're in a terrible position for the time being.