Pro-gay marriage church shown the door in Archdiocese of New Orleans

New Orleans, La., Aug 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has decided to terminate the lease on space being used by a local church which openly supports and encourages gay “marriage.”

The Metropolitan Community Church of Greater New Orleans was relieved of its 12-month lease within the archdiocese-run Lazarus Project complex, which provides hospice care to AIDS patients.

Rev. Dexter Brecht, leader of the Metropolitan church, says that he believes that homosexuality is one of the sexes created by God, and actively blesses gay unions.

This teaching is in direct conflict with Catholic doctrine which says that acting on homosexual tendencies is an offense against natural law. It was this head on contradiction, which the archdiocese says, led to the termination of the three month old lease.

The Associated Press cited Reverend William Maestri, an archdiocesan spokesman who said that failure to act could suggest indifference or even support on the part of the Catholic Church.

The text of the lease made it possible for the archdiocese to terminate it with 90 days notice.