Maine's Catholic Bishop ousted lay minister because she supports marriage equality

For context, the Catholic Diocese in Maine just closed two parishes in Lewiston, Maine:

Also Sunday, Monsignor Marc Caron announced in Lewiston that he plans to ask Malone's permission to close St. Joseph and St. Patrick churches, and he will discontinue their use in October.

Yet, the Catholic Church, led by Bishop Richard Malone, has already spent more than $550,000 to repeal Maine's marriage equality. He's on a mission to fight equality and those who support it.

Pamela Starbird Beliveau, who serves as a lay minister at her parish in Lewiston, wrote an op-ed in her local paper supporting marriage equality. For that, she was removed as a lay minister. Seriously, the Bishop had her fired from the volunteer position:

A local Catholic woman has lost her position as a lay minister at the Prince of Peace Parish churches this week after penning a newspaper column in support of legalizing same-sex marriages.

Pamella Starbird Beliveau, 47, of 40 Hillcrest Ave., said she met with Monsignor Marc Caron on Wednesday and was notified in writing Thursday that she had been dismissed as a lector and as a Eucharistic minister.

Her column, "A committed marriage is a worthy aspiration," appeared in the Oct. 18 edition of the Sun Journal.

"We were both very sad that it had come to this point, but I was treated with the utmost respect," Beliveau said. "I take no pleasure in being in conflict with my pastor."

This is very sad. Bishop Malone is leading his church down a destructive path. He's obsessed with his anti-gay agenda and acting like it's 1509 instead of 2009.

Ms. Beliveau is the real Christian in all of this:

Beliveau said she wanted to keep people focused on the issue of same-sex marriage.

"I do not want this to become about me and my ministry with the church," she said. "I want to keep our eyes on the issue. This is about equality for the gay and lesbian friends, neighbors and family that live and work and love in our state."

Beliveau said she was told she could ask to return to her ministry through a tribunal process.

"I will be there on Sunday," she said. "I am a Catholic."

I know a lot of Catholics in Maine who side with Ms. Beliveau on this one.