Current:Home > InvestCatholic priest resigns from Michigan church following protests over his criticism of a gay author -Wealth Navigators Hub
Catholic priest resigns from Michigan church following protests over his criticism of a gay author
View
Date:2025-04-16 01:31:16
BEAL CITY, Mich. (AP) — A Catholic priest has resigned as pastor of a church in a small central Michigan community, the result of weeks of controversy following his publicly expressed regret that a gay author had read a book to preschool children.
Gay rights activists and others have held regular protests outside St. Joseph the Worker Church in Beal City, 85 miles (136.7 kilometers) north of Lansing, the state capital.
The Rev. Thomas Held’s departure as pastor was announced this week by the bishop of the Saginaw Catholic Diocese, The Morning Sun reported.
Held “has come to the decision that it would be impossible for him to bring unity to the parish,” said Bishop Robert Gruss, who called it an “unfortunate situation.”
There has been tension since Held went on Facebook on March 13 to respond to a parish preschool visit days earlier by local author Dominic Thrasher, who read from his book, “The Adventures of Cece and the Sheriff.” The main characters are puppies.
Held did not mention Thrasher by name, but he said a “guest who does not represent the values of our Catholic faith” had read a book to children.
He said a teacher was in the room at all times and that a “new vetting system” would be put in place.
“I came into a classroom to share the love and joy I have for what I created. Why my sexuality has anything to do with that — anything — it makes me mad,” Thrasher told WXMI-TV.
The Saginaw Diocese said Held got involved because some St. Joseph parish members were upset over Thrasher’s “civil union” with another man, “which is contrary to the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality and marriage.”
The Diocese had supported Held, even as hundreds of people held Sunday protests against the priest’s remarks and leadership style. They made signs that said, “There’s nothing righteous about bigotry disguised as religion,” and “Love thy neighbor NO exceptions.”
Held’s critics welcomed his resignation.
“We can finally begin the process of healing and restoring the sense of unity that defines our community,” said Kate Beltinck, who has children in the parish school.
veryGood! (5741)
Related
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Pacific Walruses Fight to Survive in the Rapidly Warming Arctic
- Q&A: Linda Villarosa Took on the Perils of Medical Racism. She Found Black Americans ‘Live Sicker and Die Quicker’
- From the Frontlines of the Climate Movement, A Message of Hope
- Intellectuals vs. The Internet
- In Braddock, Imagining Environmental Justice for a ‘Sacrifice Zone’
- Summer of '69: When Charles Manson Scared the Hell Out of Hollywood
- ‘Green Steel’ Would Curb Carbon Emissions, Spur Economic Revival in Southwest Pennsylvania, Study Says
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Joe Jonas Admits He Pooped His White Pants While Performing On Stage
Ranking
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- RHOBH’s Erika Jayne Weighs in on Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky Breakup Rumors
- Companies Object to Proposed SEC Rule Requiring Them to Track Emissions Up and Down Their Supply Chains
- ‘Rewilding’ Parts of the Planet Could Have Big Climate Benefits
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Megan Fox's Bikini Photo Shoot on a Tree Gets Machine Gun Kelly All Fired Up
- Joe Jonas Admits He Pooped His White Pants While Performing On Stage
- Chicago’s Little Village Residents Fight for Better City Oversight of Industrial Corridors
Recommendation
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
Arizona Announces Phoenix Area Can’t Grow Further on Groundwater
Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Emit Carcinogens and Other Harmful Pollutants, Groundbreaking Study Shows
Have a Hassle-Free Beach Day With This Sand-Resistant Turkish Beach Towel That Has 5,000+ 5-Star Reviews
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Nordstrom Rack's Back-to-School Sale: Shop Deals on College Essentials from Fall Fashion to Dorm Decor
As Water Levels Drop, the Risk of Arsenic Rises
Have a Hassle-Free Beach Day With This Sand-Resistant Turkish Beach Towel That Has 5,000+ 5-Star Reviews