A Catholic priest is shaking up the Italian media after reportedly coming out on Facebook. As Gay Star News is reporting, Don Mario Bonfanti declared his sexuality on Coming Out Day, Oct. 11.
Bonfanti is quoted as writing on Facebook, "I am gay. Or, better, I am a happily gay priest."
He went on to note, "Truth makes us free, so Jesus said. But, strangely, the Church denies this sentence. Catholic LGBT people must come out. They have to accept the truth."
Further details of the priest's coming out, as well as his church's reaction, are relatively scarce (at least in the English media), but a new Facebook group, "Io sto con don Mario," or "I support don Mario," has since been launched and currently has over 1,500 members.
It's the second LGBT-related shakeup to take place in or around the Catholic church in recent weeks.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that 63 former Roman Catholic priests would publicly back Referendum 74, which would make Washington the seventh U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, on Oct. 11.