http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/petition-reinstate-fired-kc-pantry-director-met-security-guards
"A group seeking to deliver a petition to Kansas City-St.
Joseph, Mo., Bishop Robert Finn on behalf of a fired gay foot pantry
coordinator met resistance Wednesday afternoon as they attempted to enter the
downtown chancery offices.A group of about 30 people carried a copy of an online
petition with more than 32,000 signatures asking that Finn apologize to Colleen
Simon -- a woman dismissed from her parish position after her same-sex marriage
was inadvertently made public by a local newspaper -- and to give her job back.The group made their way into the first set of doors at
the chancery before two security guards for the building blocked them from
entering farther.
According to Georgia Walker, organizer of the Faithful
America petition, the group prayed and sang in the lobby as they waited
for a representative from the diocese to receive the petition. After calling
several offices, she said a summer intern came to collect the petition. Walker
said in an email to NCR that as she left police
arrived, reportedly at the diocese’s request, to break up an “unauthorized
protest.”
On July 17, Simon filed a
lawsuit against Finn and the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese. She claimed she was
fired because of her same-sex marriage, despite disclosing the relationship to
the parish priests, who told her it would not play a factor. Simon is married
to the Rev. Donna Simon of St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church; the
couple's marriage was disclosed in a Kansas
City Star 816 magazine article exploring
inter-city revitalization efforts.
Colleen Simon worked at St. Francis Xavier Church, a
Jesuit parish, from July 2013 until her May dismissal as its director of social
ministry (later titled pastoral associate for life and justice). The role
primarily had her working in the parish food pantry...."
[Brian Roewe is an NCR staff writer.
Follow him on Twitter: @BrianRoewe.]
Bridget Mary's Response:
Newly ordained deacon, Georgia Walker, ARCWP organized this witness of 32,000 signatures in support of justice for Colleen Simon. How sad that Bishop Finn fired Colleen Simon, a faithful, dedicated minister of the Gospel because she was in a same-sex marriage. At heart, this is a justice issue. Thank God for the group who challenged Bishop Robert Finn to reinstate Colleen. Like Jesus who ministered on the margins, so we must too. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org
No comments:
Post a Comment