“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
“Several months later, I met the man I would later marry. As my mom got to know this last boyfriend, she accepted… — Charles Benedict Kindness Copy Share Image
“Hi Chuck,” a familiar voice said. “It’s your Uncle Eduard calling. I’m the next person in charge at the diocese right now.… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“I began watching the It Gets Better videos that had just surged in popularity on YouTube and realized that although it would… — Charles Benedict Video Copy Share Image
“Occasionally, formation staff would join us for these conversations. Since the media—and the Church at times—and the sensationalized public perception erroneously connected… — Charles Benedict Communication Copy Share Image
“After all, I had a four-year bachelor’s degree and a five-year master’s degree—albeit in Divinity. I was well-educated and I could contribute… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“Dominic told me that Sebastian had left priesthood after twelve years of active ministry and came out of the closet, just like… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“I was gay because I didn’t know if it would jeopardize my plans for priesthood and nobody wanted an out-of-the-closet gay priest… — Charles Benedict Priesthood Copy Share Image
“I quickly realized I had backed myself into a corner with no knowledge or information about how to do something different. My… — Charles Benedict Education Copy Share Image
“I had my own weight set in the basement and I subscribed to Men’s Fitness magazine. The beauty of receiving this magazine… — Charles Benedict Fitness Copy Share Image
“Two of my closest seminary friends broke all contact with me after I told them I was leaving priesthood and coming out… — Charles Benedict Coming out of the closet Copy Share Image
“It made little sense that God could be an all-loving, wonderful, and powerful God who loves his creation, except the gays. After… — Charles Benedict Powerful god Copy Share Image
“It was only months after my time with Haaken that I realized he also didn’t care whether I was gay or not.… — Charles Benedict Family Copy Share Image
“Fred, who was probably gay, didn’t bother to hide himself and didn’t care if you looked. Then again, he never hinted at… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“As a gay man, the Church oppressed me and I walked willingly into its repressive and controlling arms. As a gay man,… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“Then he slowly came out, fearing repercussions from his family and friends. I can’t imagine how difficult it was for him, but… — Charles Benedict Family Copy Share Image
“It also excludes emotionally binding relationships with others, attachments to people or things that interfere with one’s ability to minister to others,… — Charles Benedict Religion Copy Share Image
“I still need to innovate, to break out-of-the-box, and be a force of change, but I have not figured out how to… — Charles Benedict Business Copy Share Image
“When it seems the gods demand a sacrifice, patience and prudence always promote a well-thought stronger response over an in-the-moment reaction.” — Charles Benedict Patience Copy Share Image
“Once again, I tried to change who I was because the emerging person deep within didn’t fit the expectations of the religious… — Charles Benedict Change 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
“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
“The thing I hated most were funerals—not because of an inability to deal with death or dying, but because of the number… — Charles Benedict Death Copy Share Image
“At that point in time, the need to be myself had become a competing desire with my priesthood, but I didn’t quite… — Charles Benedict Catholic Copy Share Image
“God made me gay; I did not choose this. He made me so I would love another man. And that is good… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“Stop sinning—you mean stop being gay? That’s like asking you to stop being straight, and that’s where the whole biblical argument falls… — Charles Benedict Church Copy Share Image
“However, a priest with a spouse and potentially a family would have understood the gravity of the situation and responded appropriately.” — Charles Benedict Family Copy Share Image
“I think the answer, though unfortunate, is simple: In Christian families, we grow up learning that in God’s eyes, there’s sin, and… — Charles Benedict Church 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
“As the trimester wound to a close with no apparent success, our spiritual directors laid down the law and told us we… — Charles Benedict Priesthood Copy Share Image
“I knew early on I liked Ray, but I didn’t know why. I platonically crushed on him from a distance throughout grade… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“I might have stayed longer, but the question is moot because I could not have married the man God designed me to… — Charles Benedict Copy Share Image
“I shared my feelings, the past six months of reflection, and my ultimate decision to leave, come out of the closet, and… — Charles Benedict Life Copy Share Image
“I think my parents were overjoyed to see the wonder in my eyes because it reassured them that I was on track… — Charles Benedict Father Copy Share Image
“These catalogues all contained similar yet different images of young men modeling athletic clothes, underwear, and exercise equipment—and I liked those pages.” — 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 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
“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
“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
“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
