Tired of Being Silent, Catholic Priest Comes Out as Gay

A Milwaukee Catholic priest has come out gay after telling his parishioners about his sexual identity during a religious service Sunday.

Rev. Gregory Greiten also penned an essay published in the National Catholic Reporter, where he talks about the struggle between his faith and his sexuality.

"Today, I break the silence and emerge free from the shackles of shame placed upon me at a young age," he wrote.

Greiten described his personal journey of self-acceptance during his 25 years as a priest. He also pointed out the Catholic church's recent discourse on LGBTQ issues. While he praised conciliatory statements from Pope Francis, he acknowledged the challenges that remain.

"From my own personal experience, I attest to how exhausting it is trying to remain hidden in the closest pretending to be something other than what we truly are," Greiten wrote. "All of this psychological, emotional and spiritual energy could be redirected into building up our communities of faith."