Catholic Priest Claims He Was Fired for Pro-Gay Rights Facebook Post
A priest at a Catholic college in New Jersey announced he had been fired on Friday, saying he was dismissed for posting an image on Facebook supporting an LGBT advocacy group.
“I’m sorry it was met with this response,” wrote Father Warren Hall, who served as director of campus ministry at Seton Hall University, on Twitter. “I’ll miss my work here.”
According to Hall, the offending post was an image promoting the NOH8 campaign, originally formed to fight California’s same-sex marriage ban. From NJ.com:
A spokeswoman for the Catholic university said personnel decisions about priests on campus are managed by the Archdiocese of Newark.
“Seton Hall University does not comment on personnel matters,” spokeswoman Laurie Pine said in a statement. “The Archbishop of Newark appoints the Director of Campus Ministry, who serves at his discretion.”
Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese, declined to comment on the specifics of why Hall was removed from the campus ministry position, but did confirm that Hall’s “term as director of campus ministry is ending.”
Shortly after Hall’s announcement, Seton Hall student Ethan Kraft created a Change.org petition asking for the former director’s reinstatement. As of Sunday afternoon, Kraft had gathered over 2,500 signatures.
“This action is not in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ,” reads the petition’s page, “nor is it line with the words of Pope Francis, current leader of the Roman Catholic Church.”
