Thursday, May 13, 2004

Two more priests remove name from "Phoenix Declaration" list

In obedience to Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, two more priests have removed their names from the "Phoenix Declaration," signed by Arizona clergy calling for full inclusion of gays and lesbians in religious and community life.

The Rev. Vernon Meyer, pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Scottsdale, and the Rev. Mathew Mampara, associate pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Gilbert, notified No Longer Silent/Clergy For Justice this week they wanted their names taken off the support list. Meyer had served as spokesman for the priests who hesitated before relenting to the bishop.

No Longer Silent has been posting the words "name removed at request of signer in obedience to church hierarchy" in the place where the priests’ names previously had appeared on the signers list on the Web site.

East Valley priests who previously removed their names were: The Rev. Chris Carpenter, Christ the King Church in Mesa; the Rev. Scott Brubaker, St. Bridget in Mesa; and the Rev. John Cunningham of St. Mary Magdalene in Gilbert.
Article here.

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