Weeks after he was fired by the Vatican for admitting that he is in a gay relationship, the Rev. Krzysztof Charamsa has released a fiery letter that he sent to Pope Francis earlier this month in which he accused the Catholic Church of "homophobia."
Charamsa's October 3 letter also proclaimed that officials had made the lives of gay and transgendered individuals "a hell," the New York Times reported.
The 43-year-old faith leader, who has been dismissed from teaching positions and suspended by his diocese in Poland, implored the Catholic Church to "be merciful" and to "let the civil states make our lives more humane," referring to members of the gay community.
Monsignor Krzysztof Charamsa, answers reporters' questions during a news conference in downtown Rome, Saturday Oct. 3, 2015. The Vatican on Saturday fired Charamsa who came out as gay on the eve of a big meeting of the world's bishops to discuss church outreach to gays, divorcees and more traditional Catholic families. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Charamsa made the letter public in an effort to push back against church teaching and a recent synod that affirmed traditional marriage, telling the New York Times that he views the latter as a "homophobic" move.
"The homophobic closure of the synod on gays resuscitated my passion for this battle to bring the church into the modern era," he said, adding his belief that the Catholic Church should embrace gays. "If the church can’t make a serious, scientific reflection on homosexuality and include it in its teachings, even the Holy Father’s openings and warm words on gays are empty."
In the letter, the faith leader said that the priesthood is "full of homosexuals" and that it was after a "long and tormented period of discernment and prayer" that he decided to speak out, the BBC reported.
Charamsa previously served on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body responsible for defending Catholic theology.
Pope Francis blesses the faithful at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
As TheBlaze previously reported, Charamsa was fired after making his announcement on the eve of the Catholic Church's much-publicized synod meeting of bishops to discuss topics ranging from outreach to gays to divorce.
The Vatican immediately called his revelation "serious and irresponsible."
(H/T: New York Times)
