Same-sex marriage: “It’s a human right.”
So says Fr. Karl Clemens, who once declared [HERE] that despite his homosexuality he remained celibate, saying, “If I was any more celibate I don’t think I’d be alive.”
The following short video clip from the anti-Catholic VisionTV in Canada depicts Fr. Karl’s “ministry of presence” to the gay community of Toronto. No mention is made whether or not Fr. Karl and his partner Nick will, (after all these years), consummate their union following nuptials on Saturday… Let the prayers begin, the story follows.
From the Toronto Sun:
Canada’s first openly gay Catholic priest wants another milestone under his robe.
Father Karl Clemens is getting married Saturday to his partner, Nick.
Clemens says he’ll be the first man of the Catholic cloth to enter into a same-sex marriage in Canada, and maybe even in North America.
“I’m not doing it to start a revolution, but if people want to exercise their right, and so forth, that’s terrific,” he told Sun Media yesterday. “I feel very strongly about it.
“I’m leading the way, or pioneering, as it were, in something that I think is very important,” Clemens said. “It’s a human right.”
Clemens, who’s nearing 70 and retired from the Kingston diocese after serving there for 33 years, moved to Toronto more than a decade ago to work in, and advocate for, the city’s gay village on Church St.
About his same-sex marriage, he’s prepared for a backlash from the church and some of its followers, as he was when he came out of the closet in 2005.
“There will be Catholics who feel, because of their lack of understanding, that this is a very wrong thing and therefore will not be pleased,” Clemens said. “But those are consequences we have to be willing to deal with because we feel strongly about the issue at hand, which is the right to be able to enter into same-sex marriages.”
Clemens and his partner will be married Saturday afternoon in the couple’s Sherbourne St. home.
END OF POST
fratres.wordpress.com 
Where will it all end??
When we’re six feet under Jackie… Until then–we restore and strengthen what remains.
jme
Ive always been a highly devout Catholic woman but Im now having second thoughts because if you left it in this horrible little sha- man’Clemens and his “life partner’s hands) it would end when they finish tossing our asses out of an apartment window… as thats what was uttered to me and my family recently; by Father Clemens and his tall young “spouse”–(I am a devout 80 year old disabled woman) when Fr Clemens took advantage of a close family member who has been severely Ill with HIV/AIDS, by “trickery and then stiffing him with THIER moving cost recently, when we went to see why Fr. Karl would do such a horrible thing and not have enough gumption to even talk or discuss, why a man of the cloth would stoop down to deal with the devil as he’s so clearly done to shatter this life as you’ve so well versely done..
I know where to look when I can no longer find my son.. below your window perhaps?
Can you be a Catholic Preist and a homosexual. I was not aware that the Catholic Church allowed homosexual priests. Why is he still a Roman Catholic priest? Why hasn’t the Church kicked him out of our Catholic Church?
George
The article fails to mention that Karl Clemens left the Catholic Church seven years ago. The Archbishop of Toronto, Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, has forbidden him to celebrate Mass publicly or to administer the Sacraments… a “defrocking”.
It is remiss to say that Karl Clemens is a Catholic at all, since he has left the communion of the Church.
Genevieve E
Incorrect. As in baptism Holy Orders places an indelible spiritual mark upon the soul of the recipient within the sacrament. One can leave the Catholic Church, even obscure interiorly (by means of grave mortal sin) this vision and power of Heaven applied to the heart, but the gift remains despite the loss of sanctifying grace. God remains faithful even when we do not…
EDITOR
I understand that a priest is always a priest. But that does not mean that the person is always an authentic professor of the Catholic faith!
The problem with this marriage is not the fact that they are gay it’s that this Karl guy is 70 and he married a 28 year old, and i would know cause the 28 year old is my brother! I am fine with the whole gay thing but it’s really creepy to me that anyone would marry someone over 40 year older or young then themselves! For the record Nick isn’t even Catholic and they haven’t been together “years” as Karl puts it in his statement. He is a Fake!
This sha-man : who claims the ring around the collor; Father Karl Clemens, was shown to be a fake early on in his years.. After all he managed to “take” the congregation on Wolf Island (near Kingston) for quite a tidy sum from what we, (the still remaining thats left of that small congregation) can remember.. but the church, as in all cover-ups, always move these difficult ones around in a shimmy sha-man shuffle.
So now, you tell me, how can a straight boy, who can & has been still overheard in places, showing his linguistic talent towards the ladies, can be married to a man of the cloth, and still be entitles to ALL same sex benefits when he clearly may BE OF the same sex.. but he states to the ladies :He’s not Gay, because FR Clemens and He, are not interested in his same sex marriage vows. Why should they be if there’s no sex.. for Clemens.. But it must be open season on un-monogomous slip n slides..
Isnt publicity a wonderful and flattering thing whence too be shone upon with laughter & disgraces????!
I guess it falls under Wishful propaganda and who you can take with you for the joy ride??
As Father Karl’s last secretary, I must tell you that this marriage to a 28 year old is a fraud!
The young man is straight. Father Karl is just trying to get more money from the diocese retirement fund with his
new partner as a spouse. This is his next challenge from Test to the text. ( Old Vs. New testament )
His last fifteen year relationship with a man, I buried his last year. Not six moths later, he marries someone who is willing to make some money in this disgrace.
This priest if a thief. He praises the fact that he helps the people in the AIDs community yet in six months, has
moved four times, one of which I paid the bill for, truck rental, and cell phone bill as I thought I was being a nice person and
gave him my cell phone for the day until services were installed. I retrieved my cell phone four days later with a bill the next month of $460. All calls
to Kingston his home parish I received later. He had fallen off the wagon. No excuse, he was well aware.
His latest victim is an HIV sick man, that paid to move him again the month of June 2010 and when amicably tried contact him for re payment was
told to “Go screw yourself, and Fuck off!” This from a man of the cloth? Death threats from the new husband to throw Stevens mother ( a senior ) off her fourth floor balcony
if they did not leave well enough alone. “Stop bothering this old man!” Who really are the victims here?
Father Karl’s newest victim has faced eviction because of lack of money, (Thankfully intervened) He will not be evicted, but is still out $700. and lives on disability.
If you want more facts to this and my story, I will submit documents with contracts signed by Father Karl for his move to 2355 Lakeshore Blvd. Toronto.
No one wants to get involved in this story, even the police. (you want us to charge a Catholic Priest?) The answer is yes!
He has done this to too many people that I personally know and if it’s media he craves, I think it is only proper that the world know his real
intent because of dismissal from the dioceses and yet still performs marriages, funerals etc. Only outside of a Church.
I think that in being legal, most seniors have to claim all monies in income tax. he still makes $500 per ceremony and does not claim it.
I am sure that Revenue Canada would like this information.
What makes this man so special? Nothing! Just an old man gone thief, media crazy and is mentally ill.
Victim 1.
I am told that a response is fine to be sent to this email address if you so desire.
Steven
Victim 2.
Victim 3, Is scared to get involved.
@ Lee-Anne, Please Contact me as soon as you can, as I’d like to discuss some of your concerns highlighted in your recent post…
I can be reached at : wereumysoulmate@gmail.com , where we can begin a more formal introduction in a more appropriate venue
I’m eager to discuss you insights in greater detail and hope you’ll reply.
I thank you for your time and attention and prompt response.
~~ Privacy & Discretion ~~
This whole rant coming from a guy who tried to coax me into sleeping with him at the rectory in Stanleyville when I was eight years old.
I was a teen in Kingston after he came from Stanleyville. I have concerns from what Alex said,as I was near this priest often through the family going to the church. I wish we could have a chat, as I wonder how many others are there? If his man-Nick is just a fake and they are doing these money scams-what gives and why not pursue these matters legally? Why would Nick go along if his sister said its a fraud and others say Nick is straight.
Just checking in on this blog. As a spiritualist, (Non Catholic) and have related some facts as I was only his secretary for a very short time until this mockery of a marriage.
It amazes me that “Alexander and Andy” have never looked into his behaviour to date nevertheless years ago. My goal is not to personally charge him as I have no past affiliation or reason other than lack of trust. My personal story is no where near what I am reading through other people that knew him years ago.
It really hurts me that any priest may get away with anything sexual with young people. It must be still burning away at their souls to date.
I ask to you, Why now after this “Rant” is no one willing to come forward other than writing years later. It seems everyone else wants to have him charged but the people that
are really his victims.
If you or anyone has been sexually assaulted or have anything that may have transpired years ago, I ask you keep taking to each other and maybe someone with the time and money will pursue charges as they have been done in P.E.I.
I wish everyone the best.
Carol,
There is no political solution that will help the poor regain their “authentic dignity” as children of God. And it is the Church that teaches man his dignity as a child of God by providing interior conversion of the soul through the Gospel it offers. In fact, just last month the Pope spoke on this very subject during an Ad Limina visit of Brazilian bishops , saying, “I wish to speak to you today about how the Church’s mission to serve as the leavening of human society through the Gospel teaches human beings their dignity as children of God, and their vocation to the unity of all mankind, whence derive the need for justice and social peace in accordance with divine wisdom”.
Notice the order here:
1. Church mission
2. Serves as leavening within society
3. Through the Gospel
4. Teaches human beings their dignity as children of God
5. A vocation to the unity of all mankind
6. Derives the need for justice and social peace
7. In accord with divine wisdom
The Catholic Campaign for Human development has lost this right ordering, if indeed, it even possessed it from its inception.
Catholics, under the pretense of the Churches mission, are being asked to fund community-organizing groups who care little for the mission, faith, or morals of the Church in the world. Training people to become justice and peace leaders in and through organizations does not necessarily lead them into an authentic understanding of themselves as created in the image of God or the true dignity derived therein; much less in accord with divine wisdom. After all, was there not plenty of community trainings and organizing going on under the “banner of justice” leading up to the legalized murdering of children in the womb?
There was… and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development collection pours money into groups who either support and defend this crime against God and man (among others), or are aligned with others who do so.
Carol, CCHD is a program that suffers greatly from too little emphasis placed in regards to promoting the authentic mission of the Church in the world (salvation), along with a brazen disregard for the moral precepts expected from this same God who offers man this salvation. As I noted elsewhere concerning the fundamental problems with CCHD [here], it is pastors and other leaders (disciples) of the Church who’ve become so consumed, or better put, possessed, by the spirit of this world that they’ve forgotten their true call and mandate to ‘Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.‘[Mk 16: 15]. CCHD treats the horizontal (organic) and not the vertical (spiritual) needs of men.
That’s the rub for me, and no doubt heaven too– Messengers of Christ promoting not faith, but rather, propogating support and funding for worldly ideologies and political action groups clearly proven to be at odds with the faith and morals of the very Gospel their called to preach as its heralds…
CCHD must either reform itself or it will die on this vine for failing to teach, train, and organize human beings in accord with the meaning of life: To come to know, love, and serve God in this life, and be with him as children forever in the next…