who publicly came out as gay on the eve of a major meeting of church
leaders to discuss the Church's stance on social issues such as
divorce and homosexuality.
A statement by a spokesman for Pope Francis described the Polish
priest's action as "very serious and irresponsible," adding that he
would be immediately sacked from his post as a theologian in the
Vatican.
The statement read, "The decision to make such a pointed statement on
the eve of the opening of the synod appears very serious and
irresponsible, since it aims to subject the synod assembly to undue
media pressure."
Charamsa, who is a mid-level official in the Vatican bureaucracy's
dealing with church doctrine, flanked by his Spanish boyfriend while
donning his priest's collar, on Saturday, had earlier told a news
conference in Rome that he was compelled to speak out against the
"hypocrisy and paranoia" that he said had shaped the Church's attitude
to sexual minorities.
The 43-year-old priest said, "I'm out of the closet, and I'm very
happy about that. I want to be an advocate for all sexual minorities
and their families who have suffered in silence."
He presented a 10-point "liberation manifesto" against
"institutionalised homophobia in the Church," which he said
particularly oppressed the gay men who, according to him, make up the
majority of priests.
He also revealed plans for a book about his 12 years at the heart of a
Vatican bureaucracy, only just recovering from a scandal under
previous Pope Benedict XVI over the influence of a "gay lobby" among
senior clergy.
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