Teen Won’t Be Confirmed because He Supports Gay Rights

Teen Won’t Be Confirmed because He Supports Gay Rights November 15, 2012

Rose French of the Star Tribune reports:

A Catholic priest in northwest Minnesota is refusing to administer the sacrament of confirmation to a 17-year-old after the teen posted a photo on Facebook condemning the [Minnesota] marriage amendment, according to a newspaper report.

The decision by the priest at Assumption Church in Barnesville, Minn., to deny confirmation to Lennon Cihak last month has surprised the teen’s family, The Forum reports:

“The Facebook post in question was a photo of Lennon in front of an altered political sign. Originally reading “Vote Yes” on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, which would have changed the state’s constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, Lennon scribbled out the “yes” and replaced it with “NO!”

The teen’s mother says she was “called into a private conversation with the priest soon after the photo was discovered and was told her son wouldn’t be allowed to complete confirmation.”

The newspaper also reports that the family is being denied communion. Church officials made no comment for the story.

Aimed at banning same-sex marriage in Minnesota, the proposed marriage amendment failed to win a majority vote on the Nov. 6 ballot. The state’s Catholic bishops and clergy were among the most vocal supporters of the amendment and called on the Catholic faithful to vote for the measure.

via Report: Minn. Catholic teen denied confirmation after pro-gay marriage Facebook post | StarTribune.com.


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