“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 Copy Share Image
“When we reconnected, he was there to guide me as I navigated the uncharted waters of dating” — Charles Benedict Uncharted waters Copy Share Image
“Could I survive in the world as an ex-priest that no one wanted anything to do with?” — Charles Benedict 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 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 Copy Share Image
“I found the courage to admit I was gay. This is when I said the words in my head and said them… — Charles Benedict Courage Copy Share Image
“They were astute enough to know that I needed someone to share my life with…and they were right.” — Charles Benedict Life 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 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 Mind heart Copy Share Image
“Every so often, Zach would say things like, “I like you,” or, “We think a lot alike.” I naively agreed with him… — Charles Benedict 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
“Though I wholeheartedly supported celibacy at the start of my seminary career, my opinion changed as I made my way toward and… — Charles Benedict 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 Life 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
“I told her there was one more thing, and then I officially came out of the closet and told her I was… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“It was 1993, and Reese and I had just begun the last quarter of our junior year. I could no longer hang… — Charles Benedict Best friend Copy Share Image
“In fact, it amazes me to this day, that despite our society’s technological advances, we are still so incredibly backwards when it… — Charles Benedict Nature of man Copy Share Image
“Lance and I struggled with the appropriate closeness of our relationship and couldn’t get it under control; I’m not sure we truly… — Charles Benedict Relationship Copy Share Image
“By the time my final year—fourth theology—rolled around, I had accepted my sexuality” — Charles Benedict Time 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
“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
“And now, the worst had happened. Gay. Boyfriends. Caught. Perverts. Deviants. Sinners.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“At some point, Haaken and I were alone in the backyard and he asked follow-up questions about whether I had taken time… — Charles Benedict Time Copy Share Image
