Irish Priest Announces He is Gay during Mass

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Jan 12, 2015

Irish Priest Announces He is Gay during Mass

An Irish priest has made international headlines for his announcement that he is gay during a Mass service. 

Christian Today reports Father Martin Dolan of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra was urging parishioners to support gay marriage in the upcoming Irish referendum when he said, “I’m gay myself.” The announcement was reportedly met with a standing ovation from the congregation. 

Church members and Irish gay equality groups have praised Dolan’s decision to publicly declare his sexuality. 

The Irish Sun quoted community youth worker Liz O'Connor as saying, "We are all very proud of Father Martin. Because he has admitted that he is gay, he doesn't change the person that he was before it."

The Catholic Church does not currently stand for gay marriage, though Pope Francis said last year that gay people should be appreciated for their gifts and talents. 

Publication date: January 12, 2015



Irish Priest Announces He is Gay during Mass