A Catholic priest received a standing
ovation when he came out gay to his Dublin congregation.
According to The
Belfast Telegraph, Father Martin Dolan of the Church of St.
Nicholas of Myra told his congregation about his sexuality during a
speech in which he called for passage of an upcoming referendum which
seeks to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in Ireland.
“I'm gay myself,” Martin told his
congregation on Saturday.
The Roman Catholic Church opposes the
referendum. Bishop Liam MacDaid recently described it as “a grave
injustice” and a threat to children.
“In a same sex union, children would
be deprived of what a man and woman can give to children in a stable
marriage,” he
said.
“We are all very proud of Martin,”
Liz O'Connor, a church community worker told The
Irish Sun. “I wouldn't like to see him being moved for the
statement he made. That would be horrendous.”
“Martin has always been an advocate
of people's rights, and even spoke about the child abuse in the
Church.”
“There's not many [clergy members]
that would come out because they're afraid of the bishops and that,
but Martin is his own man. That's what he believes in,” she added.
According to a recent Irish
Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, 71 percent of respondents support marriage
equality.
However, some worry complacency and low
voter turnout could work against passage.