"I give thanks to God for being gay," said Father Jose Mantero, a parish priest in Southern Spain, whose picture on the front cover of the gay magazine, Zero, showed him "wearing his dog collar, an earring in his left ear and a studded leather bracelet." The 39-year-old priest admitted he risked punishment from his superiors, but said that "it was time the Roman Catholic church came to terms with the fact that many of its members were gay," according to Guardian Unlimited (UK).

He explained that he discovered that he was gay about eight years ago when he fell in love with a man, but did remain celibate until two years ago. He said that the "normal thing to do is deny your own personality"and not speak of it. "Now I feel happy in the church and love it. I want to fight for change from within." So far he has changed the words of the wedding service to refer to "a couple" rather than "man and wife." Monsignor Asenio has said it's up the diocesan bishop to decide the fate of the gay priest.

- Baptist Press

(ELB: It is unfortunate that immorality is prevalent among Catholic priests, and among too many other ministers. Immoral perverts have no place in any ministry. There is nothing gay about homosexuals).