“(Don’t confuse this with not being chaste; they would not have encouraged fornication.)” — Charles Benedict Chaste 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
“Reese was the first friend in my life whom I connected with emotionally and trusted.” — Charles Benedict Friend 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
“When you leave for seminary in a few weeks, I hope to have convinced you of how much I love you.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“For once, the super power of superhuman speed proved useful in the safety of residents.” — Charles Benedict Power Copy Share Image
“Masturbation was a safe sexual topic while homosexuality was not.” — Charles Benedict Homosexuality Copy Share Image
“It was Tanner, the third guy, who snuck into my heart and became my third boyfriend.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“I fell head-over-heels in love with Lance in the middle of first theology. Like others before me, I fell in love in… — Charles Benedict First boyfriend 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
“During my tenure at seminary, at least two gay couples formed and voluntarily left because they had fallen in love and no… — Charles Benedict Gay couples Copy Share Image
“In the spring of 2008, the time had come to begin the process of uniting four of the local parishes into one… — Charles Benedict Time Copy Share Image
“He reminded me that I was not the first priest to acknowledge his sexuality and that despite the Vatican’s stance, a chaste… — Charles Benedict 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
“When the switch in my mind finally flipped in early February 2009, I told Shane that I was leaving the priesthood. When… — Charles Benedict Catholic 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 Humanity 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 Copy Share Image
“Though it pains me to write this, I knew that if I wrote to the Holy Father and told him I was… — Charles Benedict Parenting Copy Share Image
“As he told me how his parents had raided his room, I could tell his heart was filled with agony and regret.… — Charles Benedict Parenting Copy Share Image
“My husband grabbed my hand and held onto it as we walked down the aisle toward the exit and I did not… — Charles Benedict Marriage Copy Share Image
“Whenever I visited Sebastian and Ryan in Chicago, they took me to the gay-friendly Catholic church they attended. I fell in love… — Charles Benedict 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
“In November of 2010, one-and-a-half years after stepping away from ministry, I contacted the bishop and requested that we begin the laicization… — Charles Benedict Priesthood 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
“I’ll always know the Power of God did something amazing through me that day.” — Charles Benedict Amazing Copy Share Image
“By the time my final year—fourth theology—rolled around, I had accepted my sexuality” — Charles Benedict Homosexuality 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
“Along the growing struggle of accepting my sexuality, the growing struggle of dealing with loneliness became insurmountable.” — Charles Benedict Homosexuality Copy Share Image
“Homosexuality and pedophilia were aggressively aligned as equal and the same.” — 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
“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
“I am no longer fit to administer the sacraments because I express love in the way God intended for me—with another man.” — Charles Benedict 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 Homosexuality Copy Share Image
“(I am diagnosed with ADHD, this was not a random request. I just don’t like taking medicine if I don’t have to.)” — Charles Benedict Adhd 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
“If there was Altar Server training to do, I was ready to help. Exciting, right? It was for me.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“Growing up, there were Catholics and (gasp) non-Catholics, such as Protestants.” — Charles Benedict Protestants Copy Share Image
“I knew that a publicly gay priest would alienate many parishioners no matter where I was assigned.” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“(My trust-in-God issues were about accepting who he created me to be, not about hiding in the priesthood.)” — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“How is the homosexual person, whom God created in his and her image, supposed to accept this teaching from the Church when… — Charles Benedict Ability to love Copy Share Image
