Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Gay Catholic Priest Charged by the Vatican for “Coming Out” March 1997 - For the Protection of Children – 15 years later | Separation of Church and State - Does Not Protect Children

This entire posting was sent out as a US group mailing prior to posting here on the Thalamus Center.




Thalamus Center
Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing up Gay                 
 Fr. Marty Kurylowicz

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February 10, 2013                                       What you cannot do is accept injustice, from Hitler – or anyone.

You must make the injustice visible – be prepared

to die like a soldier to do so.

Mahatma Gandhi


My name is Fr. Marty Kurylowicz, a Roman Catholic priest from the Diocese of Grand Rapids Michigan ordained June 16, 1979.

I am writing this letter to inform my family, friends, parishioners, colleagues, government officials, justices, attorneys, and others about the “adverse action” that was taken against me by the Vatican after I came out, as a gay Catholic priest for the protection of gay children in March of 1997.
(http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2012/11/gay-marriage-sexual-orientation-is-less.html) It may have been a severe intimidation tactic to get me to leave the priesthood, which I refused to do. Regardless, the intent was malicious and made it clear that I was not wanted to remain in the Diocese nor would it be safe for me to do so.  Since, that time, I have been the target of vindictive attacks directed against my reputation aimed at ending my means to financially support myself. There is documented evidence that these types of character assassination tactics are associated with Cardinal Ratzinger’s investigation of Archbishop Hunthausen and as Benedict XVI used against Dino Boffo a catholic journalist and Vatican bank's ex-president, Tedeschi.  These attacks have been ongoing for the past 15 years and have ultimately led to my bankruptcy. The constant related distress eventually led me this past year to be hospitalized 3 times for bleeding stomach ulcers. (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf

Now, 15 years later, among the other questionable charges being used to remove me from the priesthood, Benedict XVI is also charging me for “coming out” in 1997 and starting the Thalamus Center, an educational blog on early childhood psychological development.
(http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2012/10/1977-against-gay-discrimination.html) Two months after I came out, Ratzinger, the Vatican’s official in charge, did not mention one word about my “coming out.”  In 1997, this type of brutality by the Vatican would have been completely unbelievable, but not today in 2013. In 1997, I came out for the protection and growth of gay children growing up. In addition, in 2012, I am making public the type of vindictive attacks that I have endured for the past 15 years by Ratzinger and now Benedict XVI to draw public attention to how those in the Church  attempting to speak out for the protection of children are then severely silenced. This also includes, though not limited to, those who threaten to expose the corruption in the Vatican. And to draw public attention to the fact that there are no USA laws to protect the USA citizens in the Church from this type illegal and life-threatening treatment by the Vatican, even when it is to protect the lives of all USA citizens. 

It is of significant importance to research the facts of 1997 related to all those in the Church who publicly supported the science of early childhood psychological development regarding growing up gay.  Because this science was moving forward in the Church among the US Bishops, along with Pope John Paul’s group of scientists and theologians studying homosexuality, and including the New Ways Ministry’s co-founders that had the potential to permanently alter the Church’s teachings on homosexuality, like it did for Galileo. However, the evidence, like that of the child sexual abuse cover-ups, reveals that Ratzinger was the strong covert force in the Vatican working to prevent this from happening.

In March of 1997, I attended the New Ways Ministry National Symposium (Gay Catholic Educational Conference) that was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I learned that children as young as 4 and 5 years of age know that they are “different” not that they are gay.  It is only as adults do they identify this being “different” as being gay. However, the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms -- in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings -- are severe and last throughout a child’s lifetime, especially disrupting their ability to form long and lasting relationships. The harmful effects are not isolated only to these children who grow up to be gay, but also affect their families, siblings, friends and anyone whom they might consider special in their lives. They are a prescribed societal sentence of implicit isolation, which place at risk of suicide so many innocent adolescents and young adults. They stifle an enormous amount of human potential in the world that otherwise could be put to use for finding cures for diseases, offering better ways of maintaining peace among people and improving the quality of life for everyone in the world (2010 USA letter).

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The New Ways Ministry’s co-founders, Sr. Gramick and Fr. Nugent, focused on education by brining together the best and the brightest professionals from the various fields of science, theology and scripture, related to the sexual orientation of homosexuality. I came out, in 1997, based on and to draw public attention to the clinical research data accepted by the medical and mental health professionals and associations regarding lifetime harmful effects caused to children growing up gay by unsubstantiated antigay social and religious norms.  At that time, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a statement to the press called my  “coming out” “unprecedented” and six months later in September 1997 they released the first positive document on homosexuality focusing on the care of gay children “Always Our Children.”
(http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2011/03/catholics-coming-out-fr-marty.html) Pope John Paul II had commissioned a group of theologians and scientists to thoroughly investigate the authoritative research data on homosexuality, as he had commissioned a group to review Galileo’s trial that condemned him as a heretic for contradicting the bible passages stating that the earth does not move. The results led to John Paul’s apology stating in 1992 that Galileo was right and the Vatican was wrong.  However, Ratzinger since 1981 has been suppressing the emerging science on homosexuality by silencing and removing those advocating open discussion exploring the effects that would permanently change the Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality;  in the same way Galileo was silenced and condemned as a heretic in order to suppress the emerging science about the sun and the earth. (http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1999c/073099/073099e.htm)  Ratzinger had arbitrarily dismissed the relevance of “human sciences” related to homosexuality, which he noted in a letter he sent to Archbishop Hunthausen, dated 9/30/1985 (p 155, p282) that renders all his objections of homosexuality completely unsubstantiated. “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003 (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf). In addition, Ratzinger was acting in direct opposition to Pope John Paul II’s prime directive of not separating science and religion searching for truth that led to his apology to Galileo 1992. What is so surprising is how Ratzinger was able for 27 years to keep his constant antigay activity, operations from arousing any suspicions to reach Pope John Paul. This could only have been pulled off with the same precision like skill of the systematic organization that was involved in the 30 years of the child sexual abuse cover-ups shrouded secrecy and obscured in the lack of transparency that independent investigations found all led back to Benedict XVI.

I came out after attending the New Ways Ministry National Symposium to tell the truth about the science of early childhood psychological development regarding growing up gay that was shared by the US Bishops, Pope John Paul and the New Ways Ministry. However, at the age of 47, I was still subjected to the cruel and unusual treatment, by someone in authority in Vatican, to submit to being reeducated on sexual orientation of homosexuality that was completely inconsistent with John Paul and his group on homosexuality.  And my not submitting led to losing many benefits and eventually the lost of my regular salary. Who then, in the Vatican, was responsible for this malicious and unethical directive that I be reeducated on homosexuality? The only other person, besides John Paul, in the Vatican who had the authority and ability to cover-up his illegal mistreatment was Cardinal Ratzinger. Ratzinger eventually had significantly silenced and removed everyone who in 1997 had publicly supported the science of early childhood psychological development regarding growing up gay.  (1) I refused to submit to being reeducated and then I was the target of ongoing vindictive attacks meant to silence me by destroying my reputation and credibility for the past 15 years.  (2) In the October 1997, Ratzinger had the New Ways Ministry’s co-founders work condemned. (3) A year later, Ratzinger altered the document “Always Our Children.”  Ratzinger had always had a significant influence in the selection of who becomes a bishop, and especially after becoming Benedict XVI. Since, 1997 and 2012 there is a major difference in the US Bishops’ attitude and authoritative understanding of homosexuality, and especially in the recent years before US Election 2012. He had successfully changed the structure of the US Bishops from pro-gay children in 1997 to completely antigay in 2012. (4) And at the

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death of Pope John Paul II, becoming Benedict XVI he removed all the scientists from the group that John Paul had commissioned to work with theologians on homosexuality. This also validated his disregard of the importance of science related to the sexual orientation of homosexuality. (5) It is interesting to note, that one month later Benedict XVI appointed Walter Hurley an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan to the Diocese of Grand Rapids as bishop.  Grand Rapids is my home diocese. (6) It is important to note that Walter Hurley had previously worked with Cardinal Ratznger, in 1987, investigating the New Ways Ministry. (7) Also, Cardinal Maida of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan worked with Ratzinger investigating the New Ways Ministry. (8) It is an interesting connection among Ratzinger, Hurley and Maida related their connection to the New Ways Ministry and my “coming out” in March 1997 shortly after I attended the New Ways Ministry National Symposium.  (9) Including the fact that Hurley, Maida and I all reside in Michigan, which made it convenient for them to initiate the casting aspersions against me and my intention, as documented in the research on Hunthausen (p282). “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003 (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf)

This type of ongoing character assassinations, the demonizing of a person by leaking false and damaging information about the person and about of the person’s intentions is not unique to me only. There is documented evidence that reveals that demonization tactics have been closely associated to Cardinal Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI), from the 1980s to the present. It was not only directed at those who openly were supportive of gay people, but it was also used as a way to remove the opposition and those attempting to expose the corruption in the Vatican. Dino Boffo a lay Catholic journalist exposed the extramarital activity of the Italian PM. However, the PM was a strong supporter of Benedict XVI antigay marriage stance and then as reported Boffo’s reputation was targeted by the Vatican, in defense . The Vatican Character Assassination of Boffo “…There is even now an Italian phrase, the "Boffo method," as a short-hand for a style of character assassination …defamation of character, as well as falsifying a legal document.” (http://ncronline.org/printpdf/blogs/all-things-catholic/pondering-what-not-who-vati-leaks)  In 2012, JP Morgan Chase closed the Vatican bank account due to the lack of transparency and allegations of money laundering and other illegal activities. There were rumors that Vatican bank’s ex-president had plans of exposing the corruption in the bank, which quickly made him a target of character attacks by the Vatican. Vatican 'regrets' letter on bank chief's health 6/12/12. There is “…the publication of a letter from a psychotherapist detailing the mental health of the Vatican's recently ousted bank chief…and appeared aimed at further discrediting and humiliating the Vatican bank's ex-president, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, once a top papal adviser…” (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9VBK7581.htm)  In particular, these demonizing tactics, along with other strategies have been identified in Ratzinger’s lengthy investigations beginning in the 1980s of Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle Washington and the New Ways Ministry co-founders Sr. Gramick and Fr. Nugent are documented. Nearly 2 years before the USA Elections of 2012 these types of character assassinations and demonizing tactics became more blatantly overt by Benedict XVI and the US hierarchy targeting governors, senators and politicians supporting gay rights i.e. Gov. Cuomo of New York, President Obama, etc. These vindictive tactics increased often threatening the Catholic Church tax exemption because of their aggressive political involvement.  This appeared to be especially evident as the US polls were indicating a steady increase among Catholics supporting gay marriage. 

Two months after I came out in 1997, I received a life-threatening directive from the Vatican given to me through my bishop. I was told that I was to be sent away to be reeducated on the subject of sexual orientation of homosexuality for an unspecified number of months and to an undisclosed location. I was not given any other details. At the time, I was 47 years old, a pastor for the past 12 years, enrolled in psychology course work at the University of Michigan for the past 4 years, the press reported I was successful in “coming out” for the protection of gay children that included the completion of teaching an 8 week course,  3 different class times, a week on sexual orientation, therefore, it was a shocking surprised to be given a directive from the Vatican that was unethical, unsupported by the medical and mental heath professional associations.  There was absolutely no mention of my “coming out.” Nor was there any discussion challenging the reasoning why I came out that was based on the authoritative documentation regarding the early childhood psychological development of children growing up gay and the lifetime harm that is caused to these children by the unsubstantiated antigay social and religious norms. It was clear that this directive from the Vatican


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was meant as a hostile threat to my personal safety and wellbeing. This was an “adverse action” that included losing a number of benefits, job status for any future assignments and eventually my regular salary, because I attempted to alert the public to an unidentified form of life threatening child abuse that remains ongoing. Isn’t this what a priest is supposed to do?  It was a forceful indication like an ultimatum that I was no longer wanted to remain in my home diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan nor would it be safe for me to do so. It was meant as an intimidation tactic to get me to leave the priesthood, because the Vatican could find no formal charge to remove me from the priesthood. The only way I was able to ensure my safety was to accept the offer of an open-ended educational leave though without funding or my regular priest salary. I then relocated to the Archdiocese of Detroit to study psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI and helping pastors with confessions and masses on the weekends. However, ongoing attacks were targeted against my reputation, destroying my credibility and aimed at ending my means to financially support myself. And since Benedict XVI became pope in April 2005, these vindictive attacks were more severe. They were extended to the Internet, along with others forms of sabotage at the start of my educational blog - the Thalamus Center - Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing up Gay, including my email contacts. I experienced the same abrupt ending of contacts on the Internet, as I had experienced throughout the metropolitan area of Detroit and at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a result, for the past 2 years I no longer use email. These attacks against my reputation have continued in a systematic consistency that ultimately over time led to my bankruptcy. The ongoing related distress for the past 15 years eventually led me this past year being hospitalized 3 times for bleeding stomach ulcers.

In 1997, I could not openly be removed from the priesthood at that time, because the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops according the press report were aware of my “coming out,” in March, calling it “unprecedented.”  And even more they were in agreement with the reason why I came out and had to have been for some time before in order to be able to release their document “Always Our Children” six months later in September 1997.  Their document seemed like a quick response to the reason why I came out, because of the harm caused to children growing up gay by antigay religious norms. It was the first ever positive document on homosexuality that signaled a major step forward towards the Church’s acceptance of homosexuality. The US Bishops would not likely have released such a positive document on homosexuality unless they had some significant support from Pope John Paul II.  Which is clearly possible they did have, because John Paul had commissioned a group of scientists and theologians to thoroughly review all the data on homosexuality. John Paul had commissioned a similar group to investigate the trial of Galileo and he supported their findings even though the science contradicted the bible passages the states the earth does not move.  John Paul had proven that he was not interested in sacrificing truth for the sake of the image of the Church.  So, it was a conceivable possibility that homosexuality could have been totally accepted into the Church by John Paul. Again this indicates that the only other powerful authority next to John Paul would be Ratzinger to have issued completely contradictory and retaliatory directives against me for “coming out” and prevented the forward movement towards the acceptance of homosexuality in the Church, since 1981.  

The vindictive attacks that I experienced after I came out in 1997, by the Vatican and throughout the past 15 years are consistent with the strategies and tactics that Ratzinger used to suppress the emerging science on homosexuality and against those in the Church supportive of gay people. These strategies and tactics have been documented in an empirical research study that was completed in 2003 by Timothy Schilling. It identified the tactics and strategies used by Ratzinger, as the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as means to maintain control and to hold onto power during his investigation of Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen of Seattle Washington from 1983-1989. Ratzinger’s investigation of Hunthausen included issues related to his movement towards “renewal” as justified by the Second Vatican Council, and in particular it included his ministry to gay people and his efforts to end discrimination against them. This research also identified that Ratzinger assumed the authority to arbitrarily have Hunthausen enforce directives that he established separate from the Church’s guidelines (p261). It includes Ratzinger’s arbitrary dismissal of the relevance of “human sciences” related to homosexuality, which he noted in a letter he sent to Archbishop Hunthausen, dated 9/30/1985 (p 155, p282). In particular, the strategies and tactics that Ratzinger used, though not limited to, were gamesmanship, shifting ground and demonization by casting aspersions against a person and that person’s intention. These strategies were used to “ruffle the feathers,” to foster a


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state of upset or unrest and to physically and mentally wear down the person’s resistance into compliance to Ratzinger’s directives. Schilling, notes that the success of these strategies depends if they are done in a covert manner, so as not to raise suspicion of the deviousness of the person using these strategies i.e. Ratzinger and his office (p 113, 328). During these conflict years Hunthausen was hospitalized two times, first in 1984 for a mild heart attack and again in 1986. “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003 (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf )

Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York State, a Catholic and NY State Senators who were in support of gay marriage were subjected to numerous vindictive attacks and threats made by their local bishops of withdrawing Catholic support. (http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2012/03/gay-marriage-unidentified-internalized_26.html) Despite, the powerful overt opposition to gay marriage by the Catholic leadership, Gov. Cuomo succeeded in getting the gay marriage bill past, in June 2011. It appeared as the Catholic leadership, including Benedict XVI kept increasing their vindictive attacks against gay marriage and the politicians who supported it, the USA polls continued indicating a steady increase among Catholics supporting gay marriage with a considerable rise at the start of 2012.  The Vatican possibly realizing that Beneidct XVI was losing the battle against gay marriage in the USA and decided to recruit more support. A few months later, the Vatican launched an attack on the US Nuns with Benedict XVI’s approval for not speaking out against gay marriage and spending all their time on charitable works. This attack include, Sr. Margaret A. Farley, emeritus professor of Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School, for her book published in 2006 - “Just Love: A Framework For Christian Sexual Ethics” respecting and supporting gay marriage June 6, 2012. An interesting note, Sr. Margaret A. Farley was one of the speakers at the New Ways Ministry National Symposium, March 1997. (http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/at-meeting-in-st-louis-catholic-theologians-defend-one-of/article_40a6f28f-5ee7-50ed-96f1-8fdedd583321.html)

I was surprised that I was the next on the list to be silenced, what possible threat could I be to Benedict XVI regarding gay marriage. However, Bishop Walter Hurley had started canonical processing to remove me from the priesthood falsely claiming that I refused to be obedient for the past 15 years in not returning to my home diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was hospitalized for the third time that year shortly after receiving this notice from Hurley. (http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2012/10/1977-against-gay-discrimination.html) A closer look to review Hurley’s canonical proceeding will raise many questions about being fraudulent and arbitrary.  First, the Vatican “adverse action” taken against me, as I explain above, made it plainly clear at the time that I came out, in 1997, I was no longer wanted in the diocese nor would it be safe for me, if I stayed. My life had been threatened. It was a fierce intimidation tactic to force me into leaving the priesthood. (How many others in the Church have been treated in the same way standing up for the truth?)  Second, Vatican ordered me to be reeducated on homosexuality, even though the US Bishops were clearly in complete agreement with me, as shown in releasing their document “Always Our Children” September 1997. This also meant that I was in agreement with Pope John Paul’s group investigating the authoritative data on homosexuality. Third, I was being charged for “coming out” in March 1997, 15 years after the fact. I was I not charged with this at the time that I came out? Why wait 15 years to charge me? Why charge me at this particular time, which was just before the USA Elections of 2012? Fourth, why am I being charged for starting the Thalamus Center blog on early childhood psychological development growing up gay?  Surely, there cannot be a significant number of people viewing this blog that would be a threat to Benedict XVI. Or is there?

Hurley is using the tactic of simplification (p283) by claming that I was disobedient in not returning to my home diocese. He is doing what Ratzinger did with Hunthausen covering up the crucial fact of how I was severely threatened by the Vatican ordering me to be reeducated on the sexual orientation of homosexuality two months after I came out in 1997. In addition, Hurley is making an intentional perspective shift (p283) to frame his discussion within a narrow and strictly a canon law perspective on disobedience, which is not the issue. He is purposefully for the sake of any public exposure excluding the main reason why I came out, which was because of the authoritative research data regarding the severe  lifetime harm caused to children growing up gay, as young as 4 and 5 years by the influence of antigay social and religious norms. The Vatican does not want to make the same mistake they made early in the year with Sr. Margaret A. Farley by


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denouncing her book “Just Love: A Framework For Christian Sexual Ethics” that made her book of 2006, a best seller over night. Benedict XVI is continually silencing anyone speaking out on the authoritative data from “human sciences” related to homosexuality (p155). This is the basis of all Benedict XVI attacks against supporters of gay rights. “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003 (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf)

Being attacked right after Benedict XVI approved the attacks on the US nuns and Sr. Margaret A. Farley, it appears that I am viewed as a threat to the Vatican’s unsubstantiated opposition to gay marriage. Therefore,  Hurley’s fraudulent, arbitrary and never ending canonical proceedings, as it was used against Hunthausen and the New Ways Ministry’s co-founders, are meant as a cluster of gamesmanship, shifting ground, and demonization strategies (p113, p328, 329)  to disrupt me from any continuation working on the Thalamus Center blog, which became international from the very start. (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2003-0206-111237/c6.pdf ) They are meant to be used to “ruffle my feathers” to create a perpetual state of upset, it was meant to physically and mentally wear down my resistance to force me into silence, even at the expense of my life, i.e. Hunthausen 1984, 1986.  And there are no USA civil laws designed to protect people in the Church like me. Failure to protect USA citizens at my level just allows them, as a foreign enemy, because they threaten the lives of USA citizens, to fearlessly begin attacking the USA government officials, and politicians, as we have witness in the recent past. I am not important, but the way I have been victimized for the past 15 years for speaking out for the protection of children growing up gay is important. How many people in the Church have been silenced about other life and death issues by Benedict XVI, i.e. child sexual abuse cover-ups? The line that Ratzinger and now as Benedict XVI has crossed repeatedly in the USA is when he hides behind the protection of  the separation of Church and State while harming the lives of millions of USA citizens, including children. Benedict XVI has absolutely no authoritative facts on sexual orientation or transgender issues to support his public attacks against theses people and children. A surprising note is the first day, in the morning that I met with the cannon lawyer assigned to me by Hurley regarding this latest onslaught of the ongoing vindictive attacks against me that began after I came out for the protection of children, March 1997.  However, in the evening I received a personal letter from President Obama in appreciation for my perspective on Gay (LGBT) rights. 
My perspective is clearly focused on the lifetime harm caused to very young children by unsubstantiated antigay social and religious norms, as recorded in The Grand Rapids Press, March 1997.

On the Thalamus Center, I do challenge the inaccuracies of the statements made by Benedict XVI and the hierarchy against gay people and gay marriage. It is difficult to believe that the Thalamus Center can be that much of a threat to Benedict XVI. There are plenty of coincidences that appear to be directly connected to the Thalamus Center. But they are only coincidences and nothing more.  Like Ricky Martin coming out in 2010 on the same day that I came out in March 1997.
(http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2011/03/catholics-coming-out-fr-marty.html) Or like Tony Blair challenging Benedict XVI in April of 2009 to rethink his position on homosexuality that somehow it is loosely connected to the article I wrote on the Thalamus Center titled AUSCHWITZ -- CHRISTMAS 2008. (http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2008/12/auschwitz-christmas-2008-flashback.html)  Where I stated “I think in truth on a much deeper level I was frightened, really frightened, to hear Pope Benedict XVI’s Christmas remarks against homosexuals and transgendered human beings and even more frightened by the silence from the larger global community of human beings.” Or Sally Field in a speech supporting her gay son is seemingly quoting what I wrote on the Thalamus Center about children growing up gay feel “different.” However, the information that I post on the Thalamus Center is to draw people attention the actual researchers on early childhood psychological development and their research work, articles and books are readily available online for anyone to read further. In July 2010, I sent out a letter to a number of US government officials, including the president, his administration, Congress, Supreme Court Justices,  all 50 Governors, lawyers, etc. explaining the violation of my civil rights as a citizen of USA by the Vatican’s representatives (bishops) and that there are no USA civil laws to protect me and others like me from being victimized by the Vatican (as a foreign enemy). There is absolutely no civil legal protection (whistleblower) for people in the Church being faithful to their vocations who speak out for the protection of children.


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Instead, they are abandoned by the USA government and left in the vindictive hands of the Church leaders responsible for the child sexual abuse cover-ups. The idea of the separation of Church and State should not be enforced at the expense of the lives of innocent children.  The salaries of priests have been kept low and for sisters it is considerably less is this also a means of control and maintaining silence in the Church?  So, removing a priest from the priesthood in his retirement years leaves him destitute and a warning to other priests and sisters to keep silent, not to make waves. It becomes a form of control and power. I was in my late fifties, having lost everything and creditors started calling, and one in particular was surprise by my credit history and made the statement “What happened to you? You credit history is excellent, what happened to you?”  “I replied “Yes, my reputation history was excellent, too.”  My credit and my reputation plummeted, at the same time. How can a person for over some 50 years who is well respected on both sides of the state of Michigan and all at once can be despised?

I am not in anyway a significant threat, even though there is an overwhelming number of related coincidences to the Thalamus Center and the letters I have sent out. It is the authoritative data on early childhood psychological development growing up gay that is a threat to Benedict XVI, his 30 years of suppressing the science of homosexuality. Apparently, the striking effect that this authoritative data had on me when I first heard it attending the New Ways Ministry National Symposium in March 1997, is the same for the majority of people when they first hear it. This is what I had observed from people when I came out in 1997 and at lectures that I have given since then.  The effects seemingly are the same in that it almost instantly resonates simultaneously on several levels in what appears to be a cathartic effect. First, in flash it shifts the focus off adult sexual behavior and onto to the early childhood memories of attachments, the feelings of being one with another, learning how to love and be loved.
(http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2012/11/gay-marriage-sexual-orientation-is-less.html)  Second, it unquestionably establishes the fact homosexual sexual orientation is not chosen, instead it is a normal and natural part of human development. It renders any ideas that it is somehow intrinsically evil or disordered as thoroughly unfounded. Third, people recall memories of being troubled by how other children and adults were mistreated and not fully understanding why.  This healing effect seems to allow people to move forward. People begin to recall other memories as adults of being around very young children and knowing when a certain child would grow up to be gay. A significant observational point is that every adult seemed to have some related memories to the past about homosexual sexual orientation.

The fact that sexual orientation is established very early in a child’s life long before what the Vatican set as the “age of reasonrenders all the Vatican’s antigay teachings as unsubstantiated. Instead, this authoritative data reveals the Vatican’s antigay teachings as unsubstantiated and are severely harmful to children growing up gay and should be renounced immediately. All this leads back to 1997 that is related to my “coming out” for the protection of gay children, the US Bishops’ released document “Always Our Children” and the fact that Pope John Paul II commissioned a group of scientists and theologians to study the authoritative data on homosexuality.  There was a forward movement in the Catholic Church at that time towards a fuller acceptance of homosexuality, however, Ratzinger had been actively suppressing all scientific data related to homosexuality since 1981 even now as Benedict XVI. Who else in the Vatican had the authority to take “adverse action” against me ordering that I be sent away to be reeducated on sexual orientation, besides losing some benefits and salary. Ratzinger altered the document “Always Our Children,” a year later and the structure of the US Bishops from pro-gay children 1997 to antigay 2012 with position and influence. And at the death of John Paul, becoming Benedict XVI removed all the scientists that John Paul had working with theologians on homosexuality. 


With all best wishes,



Fr. Marty Kurylowicz


Science can purify religion from error and superstition;
Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.
Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish.
John Paul II



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References:
Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003 

New York Gov. Cuomo & NYC Mayor Bloomberg Passing NY Gay Marriage Bill 2011

WELL-INFORMED CONSCIENCE
Protect Religious Freedom – but not Tyranny in Religion - June 20, 2011
The way to begin for us all, not only the NY State Senators, to protect Religious Freedom and not Tyranny in Religion is by obtaining a well-informed conscience.  We start by individually approaching and studying in (great detail because it involves the lives of children) from the best and the brightest (1) scripture scholars regarding the references related to homosexuality and (2) scientists in the field of study of human sexuality, in particular, but [not] limited to, the onset of sexual orientation.  The prerequisite to the formation of a well-informed conscience is making a thorough study of all sides of the issue from all available authoritative data and research, including opposing views. Then in this way we are better equipped to decide who and what needs government protection in regards to the gay marriage bill. This exhaustive procedure follows to the letter the Gospel quotation about the “plank” and the” speck.”

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”. Luke 6:42

The “plank” for us is ignorance.  If we satisfactorily resolve this ignorance, then together we will be able to see more clearly, whether or not, as NY State Senators (government officials) and as citizens we are colluding with the Catholic Hierarchy and are harming children, as was found to be the case in the Ireland Murphy Report.
…This piece of legislation the gay marriage bill is not like any other in that it involves the well-being of children, at its very root…
How I resolved this situation was through hours upon hours of continuous prayer. Afterwards, I came to the realization that my life had already been altered – changed forever. Because there was no way I could pretend I did not know what I knew, how severely children are harmed for life by the Vatican unsubstantiated antigay teachings and antigay social norms. I decided that I could not live with the regret knowing that I had a chance to make a profound difference for the better for others, most especially children and that I did nothing. My life would be nothing. I took the bungee jump and I came out to my parishioners. It definitely was not easy, but one thing that happened to me is - I gained a real sense of peace and well-being that has remained constant and unshaken.  The scripture passages that kept repeating over and over in my head were:

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” Luke 9:25 
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;… Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:36-38
“…whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Even after Benedict XVI and his accomplices’ mistreatment and the serious harm they have caused me that sense of peace has never left me. It is remains rock solid. I believe that is the benefit of spending the time and energy of acquiring a well-informed conscience regarding sexual orientation.  Written by Fr. Marty Kurylowicz


42135 Woodcreek Ln., Canton, MI 48188                                               fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com


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Thalamus Center
Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing up Gay
Fr. Marty Kurylowicz

July 2010

President of the United States
United States Vice-President
United States Department of State
United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Labor
United States Congress, Senators and Representatives
United States Supreme Court Justices
50 United States Governors
Civil Rights, Employment, Attorneys, Law Firms and Law Schools in USA
Journalists, News media Networks, Reporters and LGBT Organizations

Dear --- ----,

My name is Fr. Marty Kurylowicz, a Roman Catholic priest from the Diocese of Grand Rapids Michigan ordained June 16, 1979.

In March 1997, after attending a National Symposium of the New Ways Ministry that was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I learned that children as young as 4 and 5 years of age know that they are different. This feeling "different" is only identified in their adult years as being gay. However, the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms -- in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings -- are severe and last throughout a child’s lifetime. The harmful effects are not isolated only to these children who grow up to be gay, but also affect their families, siblings, friends and anyone whom they might consider special in their lives. They are a prescribed societal sentence of implicit isolation, which place at risk of suicide so many innocent adolescents and young adults. They stifle an enormous amount of human potential in the world that otherwise could be put to use for finding cures for diseases, offering better ways of maintaining peace among people and improving the quality of life for everyone in the world.

After the New Ways Ministry National Symposium in March 1997, in good conscience I felt intensely morally obligated to "come out" as a gay Catholic priest to my parishioners at Holy Family Parish, Sparta, Michigan USA, to draw public attention to this implicit form of child abuse. This abuse is caused by the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms, in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings. My background study in this area is extensive, far beyond that of the average person. However, since I have come out, I have been subjected to overt as well as covert retaliation coming from the Vatican through the bishops of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. I was ordered to be sent away to be re-educated regarding sexual orientation, to subject myself to conversion or reparative therapy--not a lobotomy, but similar. I refused to consent to this inhuman treatment because of the obvious clinical research data. And because I did so, in retaliation I lost my regular priest salary for the past 13 years, my earned sabbatical terms and my status for any future assignments in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

At the same time, an insider to the Vatican warned me that I could really get hurt severely by people in the Vatican. And even though this person was dead serious, I passed this warning off as being someone’s overactive imagination that was a bit bizarre. I thought, "After all, this is the USA, what do I have to fear?" However, this covert retaliation has been substantial. My car was repossessed in July 2009 and on June 26, 2010, I lost my home to foreclosure.

It seems no one wants to touch my case because it deals with the Catholic Church (although, in the last several months, the credibility of the Vatican has fallen considerably with regard to the decades of cover-ups of child sexual abuse cases). My case is about protecting children as young as 4 and 5 years of age. The 2009 amendment to the Federal Hate Crimes Law of 1969 does not seem to cover my type of situation, although it is a type of implicit hate crime. Unfortunately, there is not enough legislation out there to deal with most non-violent discrimination based on sexual orientation, nor enough legal precedent (especially with an entity like the church). It was mentioned to me that possibly Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) and/or some employment law claims could apply.

It comes down to the fact that there are no US civil laws to protect me (a gay out Catholic priest) in my defense to protect children as young as 4 and 5 years of age. It seems clear that lawyers are often scared of taking on entities that seem more powerful than the legal system and/or cases with no real precedents. Not only do they have to worry about not winning after all the effort they put in (including hours of research, writing memos/briefs, etc--which is all hard when there's not much precedent), but they have to worry about—as I would think--being silenced and harming their careers. I can easily realize that there are risks going up against powerful entities. The religious element of my case makes it difficult for lawyers. Most lawyers would probably not be Catholic and don't really understand the Catholic Church, how it works or what they'd be getting themselves into. This is probably especially true for organizations more geared towards LGBT and other civil rights. A lot of LGBT people are not Catholic for the obvious reasons of mistreatment and my situation seems like it could be a complex intersection of various legal issues as well as religion--probably several things most LGBT/civil rights lawyers don't really know a lot about.

If I do say so myself, I think that my case could be a watershed that frees everyone, because the reason for my coming out was specifically based on the lifetime psychological harm caused to children as young as 4 and 5 years of age who grow up gay (LGBT). Evidence of such psychological harm has been heavily documented through accredited scientific research for the past several decades. Including scripture cannot be used to condemn homosexuality any more than it could be used to condemn Galileo. These are facts and cannot be disputed by intelligent people. It would be about children worldwide who grow up gay (LGBT), which takes the issue of sexual orientation out of the adult arena, making gay civil rights (gay marriage) a must--who wants to deny children their civil rights? I only know this from my experience with coming out in a Catholic parish. People calm down almost immediately when you talk about children growing up gay (LGBT)--in part, I think, because many people can identify with this fact.

I am asking for monetary compensation for the past 13 years for the financial hardship caused, the unnecessary setbacks in advancing my education, as a priest and the damage to my reputation making it impossible for me to support myself, leaving me destitute. If the Vatican wanted to remove me from the priesthood, they should have done it immediately after I came out in March 1997. But they did not do this, likely because they did not want to fight the global publicity that they were against gay priests – even if gay priests remained faithful to their vow of celibacy. Instead, they let me continue on for 8 years before removing my faculties for cerebrating mass publicly in any Catholic Church - mainly because I would be allowed to continue to preach if they did not remove me, June 2006. It has been rumored by a priest that and likely my bishop that I was given more than 5 years to get on my feet to leave the priesthood. But I had no intention of leaving the priesthood. They were making it impossible for me to stay in the priesthood, but I had no intention of leaving the priesthood. Why would I leave the priesthood? It would completely destroy - the reason why I risked my life, to come out as a gay Catholic priest, to protect children worldwide, to help stop the severe implicit form of child abuse caused to children as young as 4 and 5 years of age worldwide by the Vatican unsubstantiated antigay teachings (as stated in the 2nd paragraph above). The Vatican would then be allowed to continue unchallenged in harming children worldwide in much the same way as the Vatican has been allowed to continue for decades worldwide to cover-up of the child sexual abuse cases.

I am seeking a legal cause of action to pursue, monetary compensation for the retaliatory treatment I have received and financial assistance for starting the Thalamus Center. The Thalamus Center is an educational international interactive web site on human sexuality to combat the severe lifetime psychological harm caused by unsubstantiated antigay teachings, in particular that of the Vatican. It is ignorance of human sexuality that is so harmful to children and world peace. The Thalamus Center is being designed on a similar format as that of National Public Radio, NPR web site. The Thalamus Center is focused on two areas of human sexuality from science (biology, physiology, psychology, etc.) and religion (all religions, ancient sacred texts, etc.) – operating 7 days a week, reporting, interviewing, and referencing researchers, scholars, theologians, including archiving data, listing all LGBTQ&I resources and addressing related current news media issues. The Thalamus Center would be employing a full time staff of 9 professionals, including related support staff members.

Is there any help for me?


Fr. Marty Kurylowicz, M.Div., M.S.

Old address:
4005 Cornerstone Dr.
Canton, Michigan 48188

New address:
42135 Woodcreek Ln.
Canton, Michigan 48188

Thalamus Center – Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing Up Gay


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Thalamus Center
Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing up Gay                   Fr. Marty Kurylowicz

February 24, 2013

Dear Fr. Ron Richards,

The last time we met to discuss the canonical proceedings issued by Bishop Walter Hurley to have me removed from the priesthood, which I was notified of shortly before I was hospitalized for the third time in less than a year,  for  bleeding stomach ulcers, was only a few days after I was discharged the hospital. These unwarranted canonical proceedings to remove me from the priesthood have been extremely stressful to me seriously impacting my physical health. This is especially true because absolutely no consideration was given to safety and wellbeing of my physical health condition i.e. meeting only days after being discharged, including the fact that I have been without a car as a means of transportation for the past three years and had to bicycle to our first two meeting, as well as, the fact that I am completely without any financial support.

After, our initial two meetings there were considerable delays between our following communications, which were only notifications of further delays and no precise times or dates were given regarding the canonical proceedings.  Considering this was indeed a most critical situation for me, these constant delays only significantly increase the extreme stress of the situation threatening my health of being hospitalized a fourth time in the same year.

As has been clearly demonstrated that my health and wellbeing is still being threatened. Therefore, I am sending this letter out to inform a number of people about what happened to me, after I came out in March 1997 for the protection of gay children and what is happening now.

In March of 1997, I attended the New Ways Ministry National Symposium (Gay Catholic Educational Conference) that was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I learned that children as young as 4 and 5 years of age know that they are “different” not that they are gay.  It is only as adults do they identify this being “different” as being gay. However, the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms -- in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings -- are severe and last throughout a child’s lifetime, especially disrupting their ability to form long and lasting relationships. The harmful effects are not isolated only to these children who grow up to be gay, but also affect their families, siblings, friends and anyone whom they might consider special in their lives. They are a prescribed societal sentence of implicit isolation, which place at risk of suicide so many innocent adolescents and young adults. They stifle an enormous amount of human potential in the world that otherwise could be put to use for finding cures for diseases, offering better ways of maintaining peace among people and improving the quality of life for everyone in the world (2010 USA letter).

After, came out I have been the target of vindictive attacks by the Vatican for the past 15 years, destroying my credibility ultimately leading to my bankruptcy. It is well known that there have been a great number of people in the Catholic Church who openly supported the science of sexual orientation and have been mistreated by the Vatican. This also includes how Catholic politicians are attacked for supporting gay rights i.e. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, President Obama.

In 2003, Timothy Schilling did an empirical research study on Ratzinger’s investigation of Archbishop Hunthausen in the 1980s including his support of gay people. “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” by Timothy Peter Schilling 2003.

This research describes many of the tactics used against me and in particular the tactic of demonization.  It consists of casting serious aspersions against someone and the person’s intentions. It is meant to destroy the person’s credibility snowballing disrupting the person’s entire life, ending relationships, job opportunities, etc.

I hope by informing people it might help others to identify similar situations, help prevent this from happening again and ensure the safety and well being of children. Presently, there are no USA civil laws to protect people like me in the Church. The idea of the separation of church and state should not be enforced at the expense of the lives of innocent children.

Enclosed is a copy of the letter that I received from President Obama, August 2012, stating that he appreciates my perspective on gay (LGBT) rights.  My perspective begins with early childhood psychological development growing up gay, which is what I wrote in a letter that I sent him early in 2012. I note in the letter that 1997 was a significant year in the Church that a major step forward towards the acceptance of gay people was being made. All I can say is that I must have been some threat to Benedict XVI regarding my “coming out” in 1997 for the protection of children in their early childhood psychological developmental years growing up gay, but even more so by the release of the US Bishops’ document “Always Our Children.”



Fr. Marty Kurylowicz


Cc. Thalamus Center

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Gay Marriage – UK PM DAVID CAMERON - Lack of Love & Support of Children is ‘DAMAGE TO FAMILY’ i.e. BENEDICT XVI --- 30 years of GLOBAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE COVER-UPS | Gay Marriages Hurts No One!!! – January 2, 2013

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Galileo facing the Roman Inquisition


Ecclesiastes 1:5 (New International Version)
5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
Ecclesiastes 1:5 (New American Standard Bible)
Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again. 

1 Chronicles 16:30 (New International Version)
30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
1 Chronicles 16:30 (New American Standard Bible)
30 Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved

Psalm 93:1 (New International Version)
The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty;  the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Psalm 93:1 (New American Standard Bible)
1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved

Psalm 96:10 (New International Version)
10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."  The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved he will judge the peoples with equity.
Psalm 96:10 (New American Standard Bible)
10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity." 

Psalm 104:5 (New International Version)
5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
Psalm 104:5 (New American Standard Bible)
He established the earth upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever.
Injustice anywhere is a
threat to
Justice everywhere
Martin Luther King

The Nobel Peace Prize 1964
Martin Luther King Jr.



What you cannot do is accept injustice.
From Hitler – or anyone.
You must make the injustice visible
– be prepared to die like a
 soldier to do so.
Mahatma Gandhi


Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

“Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit.” 

…whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

Important note: No disrespect meant to Pope Benedict XVI or the hierarchy, the one and only concern is the safety and well-being of children.

Kids Are Being Hurt!!!