A gay Canadian dismissed as an altar server has launched a human rights complaint, seeking compensation from a Catholic bishop and parishioners who he says launched a smear campaign against him. Bishop Nicola De Angelis Jim Corcoran and his partner began serving last December on the invitation of the church's pastor who four months later dismissed both men on instructions, according to Corcoran, from Bishop Nicola De Angelis. Their dismissal came after twelve parishioners wrote to De Angelis complaining about Hood over a variety of matters ranging from sermon content to church renovations, and asking that he be transferred. A subsequent letter threatened De Angelis that the group would go public about having gay altar servers if he didn't take action. "Now we have a couple, not from our parish, who are openly and publicly involved in a same-sex relationship serving on our altar at Sunday liturgies," reads the letter. "This has to be a grave contradiction. What message is being given here?" Corcoran, 50, has lived with his partner for nineteen years. He says he doesn't agree with same-sex marriage and that both men follow Catholic teaching that homosexuals are called to celibacy. Citing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation Corcoran is seeking penalties of $20,000 from each parishioner toward a charity of his choosing and that up to $25,000 of his legal costs be covered by the Diocese. The case is the first of its kind to have been accepted by Canada's Human Rights Tribunal.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 12th August 2009 - 1:35pm