A few people have asked me whether the web site for Fr. Michael Parisi, his “art”, and his parish—as detailed in a previous blog entry—had been taken down.
Although it is currently inaccessible, I don’t think it’s because anyone has taken action to remove it. In fact, from the message on the error page, it looks like they’ve simply exceeded their bandwidth limit for the month. Every web host limits the amount of data you can transmit every month (i.e. the cumulative size of the files in gigabytes) because bandwidth is one of the most expensive costs of Internet service, and my guess is that so many people went to see Father’s “interesting” photos that the site quickly exceeded its limits. It’s likely that it will become available again in December.
Meanwhile, JanJan at the With Issue blog has found more of Father’s artwork online at GayPaintings.com (WARNING: Explicit depictions) and on a calendar for “queer art events” from last year.
Add to this the fact that Father reportedly told his congregation that he doesn’t think same-sex marriage should be against the law and you’re left wondering why such a brazen display of defiance against the Church’s teachings is tolerated in the Archdiocese of Boston. If anyone has an email address for Archbishop O’Malley or his secretary, could you send them a note to let them know about this?
Looks like Father has cleared out of the GayPaintings.com website too.
Expect this to be buried under the rug…
Copies of the various pages have been archived.
If anyone knows how to do a screen capture, before this disappears for good, that might be helpful.
I think this is really very sad, and although I have tracked this stuff, I am in prayer for Fr. Parise and his parish.
It is really quite possible that is is an example of the tempatation of the “near occasion of sin”, and that Fr. has not really participated in the gay lifestyle. It sure looks like he encourages it, though……
Father’s Tripod site, with the paintings, is still up.
Several pages of essays and advice Q&A were on the site too; archived copies of the pages are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Did you catch this one?
“Dear Pastor Michael,
I wanted to tell you that I have kind of adopted you as a sort of spiritual guide, in the sense that whenever I am down or have questions I know you do your best to answer them. I was once in a religious lay community and we used to pray all the time, now my prayer has stopped because I have pulled away from God because I am gay. The hole and emptiness in my life still wont go away. Its there all the time. I could ignore it for long periods of time but it always comes back. I go around and listen to peoples beliefs and wonder what is so wrong with believing in God? The Virgin Mary? The Angels? And then I ask myself whats stopping me from going back to them? That I can answer. Pride because of all the sins committed against them, and laziness, if I go back will I have to give up my life as a drag queen and a gay man? Its funny its like coming home to your parents home and no one is there to greet you anymore. Maybe I am unhappy in my life because I am not where I am supposed to be? There is still that little voice inside that will from time to time call me to a spiritual retreat or something short of a change of life… Can you help me here please, I am confused. Maybe you can recommend a prayer or spiritual exercise that can help me.
Thank You Pastor,
TW
Dear TW,
I hear the pain and frustration in your letter. I was once where you are, but it took a lot of work for me to grow into a happier person.
The major part of the problem is not one of faith, for I know you believe in Jesus and love him and want him to be your savior and Lord. The real issue is you have yet to accept yourself as you are. God already has. He loves you as you are. Other people’s opinions do not matter. You must do as your conscience tells you. The voice deep inside of you must be listened to. If it is telling you to be unloving toward God or neighbor, then it is a false voice. But if it is telling you that to love God and neighbor you must be yourself, then it is God’s voice.
Right now you keep comparing your personal beliefs with the teachings of the church. This is not uncommon, but when it comes to identity issues, such as being gay, I think the church has a long way to go. In Acts of the Apostles, it took a while for St. Peter to realize that the gentiles were being called to the Gospel, and that they need not follow the Jewish law before being admitted into the church. This revelation changed the church forever (until that time, the first Christians believed that only Jews were called to baptism). There was a lag in understanding Christ’s intentions in this matter. I believe there is a similar lag in the church’s understanding of GLBT issues. Today’s St. Peter is his successor, the Pope. We need to love him, but also realize that he is not God.
God is waiting for you. You are doing nothing wrong by being a drag queen, unless you are using it to deceive people or to use people. You are doing nothing wrong by being gay, for that is how God made you and loves you.
Take it a day at a time and come before God in prayer. Talk to him about how you feel and surrender to him your feeling of helplessness right now. Open yourself to his love. He’s waiting for you with open arms!
God Bless You!
Pastor Michael”
That website is awesome. Now, while we’re all trolling the depths, I invite strong-stomached readers to Google ‘twinks’ and then repeat to yourself that h—-s-x——ty – (as reflected in the main media venue of ‘g-y’ culture – the mainstream p—nsites) -has nothing to do with attraction of grown men to post-pubescent teenage boys.
For the record, those archived copies date from Feb ‘04.
I know I’m not the only one who out read this and out loud say “Huh?!”
“Other peopledo as your conscience tells you. The voice deep inside of you must be listened to. If it is telling you to be unloving toward God or neighbor, then it is a false voice. But if it is telling you that to love God and neighbor you must be yourself, then it is Godecause his wife cannot accept him as a woman.
The priest’s response is long, but this passage is what got my attention:
You certainly are on the horns of a dilemma. It sounds as if you are trying to take all the necessary steps in resolving your situation. I wonder, however, if you are not absolutizing your marriage. It is possible, as a man, to meet another woman and marry. The trouble is, if in your heart of hearts you believe you really are a woman, then you will be needing to think in terms of a possible lesbian relationship in the future.
Are we sure this priest belongs to a Roman Catholic parish? There are other kinds of Catholics out there.
No, Carrie, I am sure he’s a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Boston.
What seminary did this one come out of?
He’s singing the “self-actualization” mantra big time. Transpersonal psychology has been a significant factor in precipitating the scandal.
Dom, I’m surprised that you don’t have the requested email addresses already, but I trust that someone has supplied them to you and has joined you in sending an email to the Archbishop. (If my sleep deprived brain misunderstood what you wrote, I apologize.) A major letter writing campaign in certainly in order here.
I think that complaints focusing on the horrid advice given in the letters cited will be more effective than comments on the “art.” Too often I’ve been told that I’m not “sophisticated” enough (or some other slam against my intellect or cultural education) to “get it.” With those letters, there is no denying that they directly contradict Church teachings.
FWIW, I will not be following any links on this story. Quite some time ago, I spent an evening reading RCF’s website and following various links there. It’s not that I was unaware of the serious problems, but I really didn’t need all the visuals. I still wish that I could erase certain portions of my memory.
I’ll be praying for this sad creature, but even more so for those he has led astray.
The children in that parish are not safe.