I live in Milwaukee and I have to say Rembert Weakland announcing he is Gay is the equivalent of me announcing I’m Black.

Duh….no kidding Sherlock!

What part of taking vows do these guys not understand?

I feel sorry for the millions of Catholic priests and nuns that do indeed take their vows seriously. 

I’ve read all nine of the previous comments, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone who has the background to give a true report on Arch-Bishop also Arch-Abbot Weakland or being a Catholic priest or Milwaukee, for that matter.  Let’s take one at a time..Rembert Weakland is one of the most accomplished, intelligent, theologically intelligent men of our era.  But even a Renaisance man can surcome to weakness.  Please do not confuse what the bishop did, and the pedophile priests.  The bishop had a gay relationship with an opportunist grown, gay man.  This man in turn black-mailed him, and a big payoff took place, probably because those around the bishop gave him the bad advise to do so.  Finally the story came out just before the bishop was to retire. Ironic, huh?  Too much money was still not enough. Yes, the bishop was wrong, but many other people were wrong too, and they didn’t have to be tried in the world press. I was a person who sat at the bishop’s Sunday 8am Mass at St John’s Cathedral and listened to his homilies.  I, like many others, learned from his extensive education, and years of study, and felt so lucky to be one of the few who got to do so.  And again, he was very wrong for what he did.  But when all was said and done, I’ll bet the bishop felt relief when it all came out, and he could ask for forgiveness from his congregation for he had asked for God’s long before.  Have his advisors received their come-uppence?  How about the opportunistic blackmailer?

As for Milwaukee…Oh come-on!!  It’s the hidden gem of the mid-west!  It’s Little Chicago to the north.  If you aren’t enjoying Milwaukee, that’s your fault, Not Milwaukee’s.  Summerfest?  Theater?  One of the country’s best YMCA systems? Lake Michigan? Beautiful architecture?  And best of all…It’s wonderful people.  And this is my short list.

So stop the "cute" cheap shots.  Go read his book.  Then when you make an educated opinion, I’ll listen.

There are gay men and gay women..period.  Some are part of the clergy and many are not.  The Catholic Church doesn’t have the market cornered on gay clergy.  It’s just more news worthy when they are priests, and especially a Bishop.  There is a popular priest in Florida who is the center of attention right now for a straight relationship. I think what I find offensive, whether it is Rembert Weakland or Joe Ordinary, is when the news twists the facts, and then people in blogs like this speak with an authority they don’t have.  In this case, I have had a front seat to this man’s life.  And I see the license that has been taken to make an already sensational story a newspaper seller.  And I’m not an authority either, but maybe I can see it more clearly because I’ve seen the man in his role as a priest.  Where are the reporters and bloggers for this piece of him?  Nowhere..because it won’t sell papers!

By the way, priests in the early church were married.  It became an issue of money, specifically about inheritence of land that made it a rule that priests could not marry.  Then it took on a life of it’s own.  As a Catholic, I respect the sacrifice that a man makes to be a celebate priest, but know that married priests would be wonderful too.  And a pedophile is a pedophile.  Being a celebate priest doesn’t make you one anymore than being a priest or nun makes you gay.  The screening process needs to do a better job before these people become priests.  Besides…what’s the difference between a celebate gay priest and a celebate strait priest if he’s celebate? Because of who Rembert Weakland is as an all inclusive priest, I see many gay couples attending church in Milwaukee.  Isn’t that what Jesus would do?

Check out www.summerfest.com…Then tell me Milwaukee isn’t a great place to live!