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A Polish priest who lost his job at the Vatican earlier this monthafter revealing that he is gay and has a boyfriend was indefinitely suspended Wednesday by the church in Poland from performing the functions of a priest. Rev. Krzysztof Charamsa, 43, came out as gay and criticized the Vatican for its approach to homosexuality on the eve of a major meeting of world bishops in Rome. The Vatican immediately fired him from his job with the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and his local bishop in Poland, which is predominantly Roman Catholic, called on him to return to proper priestly behavior. “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,” the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said in a statement. As a result, Charamsa could no longer work at the Vatican or its pontifical universities, Lombardi said. Despite his dismissal, Charamsa remained a priest, although Lombardi hinted that his superiors could take further action. On Wednesday, Charamsa’s home diocese of Pelplin, based in Gdansk, said he hadn’t shown any signs of improvement and has been suspended as a priest and can no longer wear priestly vestments. It said in a statement that the punishment can be reversed if Charamsa returns to the “true teaching of the church and Christ’s priesthood.”
And today we celebrate...