Update on Michael Royse Penland

The Palm Beach Post today reports that Michael Royse Penland has resigned his position as Youth Director at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church in Boca Raton.  He had already been suspended by the Diocese of South Florida when the charges of his soliciting homosexual sex in a public park bathroom in Waynesville, NC, came to light.  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/south/epaper/2007/09/10/0910PRIEST.html

The very sad additional details reported by the Post in this article are these: 

(1) Penland reportedly told police in Waynesville that he had been engaging in similar homosexual activity for approximately five (5) years.  That means Penland apparently started this when he was still in Seminary at Sewanee and was an actively practicing homosexual, and unfaithful in violation of his marriage vows, when he was ordained into the priesthood.

(2) Penland also reportedly told police his wife of SEVENTEEN (17) years did not know of his activities.  What a hell of a way to find out (a) your husband's gay, and (b) he's been unfaithful.  Not to mention to find out that you may have been exposed to unknown diseases over all this time.

I wrote a few days ago in response to a column which tried to characterize Penland's arrest as some form of bigotry in North Carolina against gays, which I still believe is a steaming pile of manure.  I said then and I still believe that I really don't care if Penland is prosecuted under North Carolina's archaic "crimes against nature" law, for his guilt is in reality on much larger issues.

The real issue here is this man went through ordination into the priesthood knowing he was already violating another sacred vow, the one he made to his wife.  He accepted a position to work with young people while at the same time knowing that he trolled public restrooms looking for anonymous, extra-marital sex.  Liberals like Gene Robinson will no doubt try to cast Penland as a "victim" and "martyr" of societal attitudes regarding homosexuality, and brand anyone who disagrees as a "homophobe." 

The reality, though, is that this "priest" has serious issues with honesty and morality, as well as with sticking to his vows.  Any church, not just TCGC, is well off to see him gone from its ranks of clergy.  Don't try to give me the "victim" line about Penland.  No sale.

Comments

[Alice C. Linsley]

I agree. The victim angle won't fly. The man needs to hear about the forgiveness than comes through repentance and God's grace to amend our lives. I doubt he'll ever hear it from a fellow priest in TGCC.