CV NEWS FEED // A priest in the Diocese of Oakland, California, stated in a Thursday column for Outreach that his parishioners “applauded” when he came out as “gay” during a homily.
“After I made the announcement, I looked into the congregation, and there were many LGBTQ people in tears,” wrote Fr. Aidan McAleenan. “At the end of the homily, the congregation rose in rapturous applause.”
“[W]ith time, I saw how my announcement had actually increased the bond between the parish and myself,” McAleenan continued. “And it allowed us all to be more welcoming.”
The cleric claimed that after coming out, “I had a spring in my step and a deeper sense of freedom.”
“I absolutely love being a priest and a pastor, and I continue to feel at home in my own skin,” he wrote. “In the end, I think it serves us all to be authentically ourselves, just as God has made us.”
>> OUTREACH: A CLOSER LOOK – CV EXCLUSIVE REPORT <<
Per the parish website, McAleenan is currently the pastor of St. Columba Catholic Church in Oakland, California.
In his piece for Outreach, the pastor noted that he was in a relationship with a man for 11 years before ordination.
Outreach describes itself as an “LGBTQ Catholic ministry” or “resource.” Controversial Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin, SJ, founded the group in 2022.
Outreach is part of America Media – the same group that publishes the left-wing Jesuit-affiliated magazine America.
>> OUTREACH: A CLOSER LOOK – CV EXCLUSIVE REPORT <<
In an exclusive report on Outreach, CatholicVote’s Catholic Accountability Project (CAP) indicated that the pro-LGBTQ group “has weighed in on a number of debates during its first year, often criticizing U.S. bishops and other Catholic leaders for their opposition to the LGBTQ movement.”
Notably, Outreach published a column expressing support for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI) – an anti-Catholic “drag” troupe – as well as another column in support of an art exhibit in a New York City church titled “God is Trans.”
Readers can find CatholicVote’s full report on Outreach here.
>> OUTREACH: A CLOSER LOOK – CV EXCLUSIVE REPORT <<
