“It was Tanner, the third guy, who snuck into my heart and became my third boyfriend.” — Charles Benedict Boyfriend Copy Share Image
“By the time my final year—fourth theology—rolled around, I had accepted my sexuality” — Charles Benedict Time Copy Share Image
“You’re like a twelve-year-old-boy who doesn’t know what he wants to do.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“Could I survive in the world as an ex-priest that no one wanted anything to do with?” — Charles Benedict Priest Copy Share Image
“they were happy I was choosing to be happy because they could tell I was unhappy.” — Charles Benedict Happiness Copy Share Image
“I realized I needed to think about how to leave priesthood—if it was even possible.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“The particular rectory I moved in to was attached to the church. This was arguably one of the worst setups possible because… — Charles Benedict Rectory Copy Share Image
“When you leave for seminary in a few weeks, I hope to have convinced you of how much I love you.” — Charles Benedict Convinced Love Copy Share Image
“Along the growing struggle of accepting my sexuality, the growing struggle of dealing with loneliness became insurmountable.” — Charles Benedict Homosexuality Copy Share Image
“I realized too late in my religious career how that simple phrase often served as an effective means of keeping me from… — Charles Benedict Religion Copy Share Image
“Reese was the boy I explored my sexuality with in sophomore year and I fell in love with him.” — Charles Benedict Love Copy Share Image
“We had to have conversations about ensuring our focus was always on Christ and his teens because I was not running a… — Charles Benedict Communication Copy Share Image
“What part of that last sentence is consistent with what homosexuality is today? I’ll tell you…none of it.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“We did, however, deliver and expel many homosexual and sodomitic demons from my body, mind, heart, mouth, soul, penis, and anus.” — Charles Benedict Expel Copy Share Image
“Most priests hate weddings. Early on, they warned me that brides can be the most difficult people on the planet to work… — Charles Benedict Difficult people Copy Share Image
“As the trimester wound to a close with no apparent success, our spiritual directors laid down the law and told us we… — Charles Benedict Religion Copy Share Image
“I am not meant to be alone in life, and that the type of committed, indissoluble partnership in which I am engaged… — Charles Benedict Incompatible Copy Share Image
“I can’t help but wonder if my life would have turned out differently if I had the chance to spread my wings… — Charles Benedict Family Copy Share Image
“We can’t have a God of love who makes everything that is good, who wants us to be happy, wants us to… — Charles Benedict Fulfilled life Copy Share Image
“She could not handle telling people I had left priesthood, that I was gay, and she refused to use words associated with… — Charles Benedict Priesthood Copy Share Image
“Am I really going to hell for being gay?” Or, “I think I was born a woman in a man’s body. Does… — Charles Benedict Asked Copy Share Image
“It was wonderful to see Reese after almost five years. We spent the better part of an afternoon and evening together and… — Charles Benedict Brothers and sisters Copy Share Image
“In early January 2002, when Rev. James Porter and Rev. John Geoghan abuse cases appeared on the headlines of the Boston Globe,… — Charles Benedict Beyond belief Copy Share Image
“From that moment on, I never had another heated argument or conversation about my sexuality because my mother could not understand how… — Charles Benedict Children Copy Share Image
“As a teenager, his teachers recognized his academic prowess and brilliant intelligence. They suggested he move into monastic life in order to… — Charles Benedict Intellect Copy Share Image
“My conservative group of friends, whom I trusted through Lance, strangely accepted that we were gay and deep in the closet and… — Charles Benedict Group of friends Copy Share Image
“I like to think I had an out-of-body experience, but really I imagined myself being an outsider who observed the dinner conversation… — Charles Benedict Another year Copy Share Image
“Fortunately, I was not alone: I had my husband at my side.” — Charles Benedict Fortunately Copy Share Image
“Leaving the priesthood and coming out as gay would be a double whammy that would be difficult for some in the family,… — Charles Benedict Family Copy Share Image
“Though I wholeheartedly supported celibacy at the start of my seminary career, my opinion changed as I made my way toward and… — Charles Benedict Catholic Copy Share Image
“The venerable goal of openness and communication to integrate celibacy had been taken away from us and replaced with threats of witch… — Charles Benedict Celibacy Copy Share Image
“I told her there was one more thing, and then I officially came out of the closet and told her I was… — Charles Benedict Came Closet Copy Share Image
“And now, the worst had happened. Gay. Boyfriends. Caught. Perverts. Deviants. Sinners.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“They were astute enough to know that I needed someone to share my life with…and they were right.” — Charles Benedict Astute Copy Share Image
“It was sympathy to them, not empathy. I had to remain silent out of fear of discovery and, as such, being fired… — Charles Benedict Fear Copy Share Image
“This is about the age when I started segregating the good-looking boys from the less good-looking boys, but I still didn’t understand… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
