Lector removed after gay memoir

[buffalo]

Lector removed after gay memoir

St. Anthony Shrine has removed a gay Boston man from several lay leadership posts after he wrote a memoir that called attention to his dual roles as an author of gay erotica and a lector at the Catholic church.

Scott Pomfret, a lawyer for the Securities and Exchange Commission who described himself in his memoir as “a happy porn-writing Sodomite,” had served for eight years in various capacities at the shrine, even after he disclosed to the friars that he was an advocate of same-sex marriage and, with his partner, a published author of erotic works. His writings, most of which he coauthored with his partner, were not a secret - the pair had been profiled in the Globe and The New York Times magazine.

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[FickleFreckled]

Gee. I wonder if he was surprised.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Lector removed after gay memoir

St. Anthony Shrine has removed a gay Boston man from several lay leadership posts after he wrote a memoir that called attention to his dual roles as an author of gay erotica and a lector at the Catholic church.

Scott Pomfret, a lawyer for the Securities and Exchange Commission who described himself in his memoir as “a happy porn-writing Sodomite,” had served for eight years in various capacities at the shrine, even after he disclosed to the friars that he was an advocate of same-sex marriage and, with his partner, a published author of erotic works. His writings, most of which he coauthored with his partner, were not a secret - the pair had been profiled in the Globe and The New York Times magazine.

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He should still be able to continue in his lector ministry. He conducted himself as a lector should during mass. He does not promote the material in his book during his lector duties.

 

[LRThunder]

He should still be able to continue in his lector ministry. He conducted himself as a lector should during mass. He does not promote the material in his book during his lector duties.

It’s an issue of scandal. If he persists in engaging in sinful activities and it is well known, then it was appropriate for him to be removed from being a lector.

 

[mdgspencer]

I will be sure not to go to this shrine if I am ever in Boston again. My wife and I like to go to such shrines when we travel. Going there would turn my stomach.

 

[FickleFreckled]

Re his right to continue to lector, I believe an individual has to be in good standing with the Church to function in a liturgical ministry. He’s living an actively, and because of the memoir, publicly gay lifestyle and flaunting his disobedience and contempt of Catholic teaching. He can’t remain a lector.

 

[turtle18]

Unless he has gone to Confession (which he doesn’t sound very repentant given his comments), he shouldn’t even be receiving Communion, much less taking a leadership role in the Mass. Obviously we are all sinners and are welcome to Mass but we should be of humble & contrite heart. I think this is a case where the person has confused the Catholic Church’s acceptance of people with same sex attractions as an acceptance of gay behavior.

 

[anamchara]

It’s an issue of scandal. If he persists in engaging in sinful activities and it is well known, then it was appropriate for him to be removed from being a lector.

I am normally more liberal on things but I have to agree here with thunder. It is an issue of scandal at this point.

 

[Gene_Church]

He should still be able to continue in his lector ministry. He conducted himself as a lector should during mass. He does not promote the material in his book during his lector duties.

Scandal prohibits this.

 

[redrosetea]

Christ said no one can serve 2 masters…I think he should go

 

[averheyen]

agreed

 

[sidonius]

The real question is why he was allowed to serve in a leadership capacity in the Shrine when the executive director, Fr. Covertino, knew of his active relationship and his writing of porn. St. Anthony’s has for years served the downtown Boston community during the working day offering confession in the mornings and afternoons. Many of the older friars are good and holy men who are wonderful confessors. In this case, these men, and the faithful, were betrayed by the executive director. Also betrayed were those persons with same-sex attractions who struggle to live chaste lives. Also betrayed were those who struggle with pornography who go to confession at the shrine.

 

[pnewton]

My only thought was - “EEEWWWWW!” I think I am going to be sick.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

He should still be able to continue in his lector ministry. He conducted himself as a lector should during mass. He does not promote the material in his book during his lector duties.

You’re kidding, right?

 

[Joejohn39]

It’s sounds like they had already given him a great deal of rope regarding his private life, and he just crossed the line by publicizing it (apparently in a somewhat provocational manner: “Hey, look at me, I’m a lector writing erotica, what ya gonna do about it?!”). He shot himself in the foot with this tactlessness.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

He should still be able to continue in his lector ministry. He conducted himself as a lector should during mass. He does not promote the material in his book during his lector duties.

Anyone in a prominent position helping with the mass should be an example to the rest of the congregation. If they aren’t living a holy life, they shouldn’t be up there leading the choir or reading, IMO.

I just wish someone would discipline the friars who let this go on for so long.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Anyone in a prominent position helping with the mass should be an example to the rest of the congregation. If they aren’t living a holy life, they shouldn’t be up there leading the choir or reading, IMO.

I just wish someone would discipline the friars who let this go on for so long.

Everyone in every ministry is a sinner, always been true and always will be true. Each of us are complicated human beings. We often act one way around one group and another way around another group. This lector is who he is, but I do not see his overall being to be any less an any other one of us in and out of ministry. Each of our actions outsides of mass do not disqualify us from ministry inside mass or other church ministries.

 

[redrosetea]

This is much more than committing a sin. It is actively promoting a lifestyle forbidden by Scripture

 

[Neil_Anthony]

Everyone in every ministry is a sinner, always been true and always will be true. Each of us are complicated human beings. We often act one way around one group and another way around another group. This lector is who he is, but I do not see his overall being to be any less an any other one of us in and out of ministry. Each of our actions outsides of mass do not disqualify us from ministry inside mass or other church ministries.

You don’t make any sense. He’s living in a state of mortal sin. He’s on his way to hell. People who commit any mortal sin on a regular basis, especially public ones, especially if they aren’t sorry, don’t belong at the front of the church helping with the mass.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

You don’t make any sense. He’s living in a state of mortal sin. He’s on his way to hell. People who commit any mortal sin on a regular basis, especially public ones, especially if they aren’t sorry, don’t belong at the front of the church helping with the mass.

We all live in sin. Having a different sexual preference is not a defining personal characteristic in my eyes. I do not believe he is “on his way to hell”. Some people view it as one, I do not. What I was trying to get across is we are all sinners, so even if you do believe he is a sinner by being who he is, there would be nobody to do any ministries if we only took non-sinners.