From Massachusetts-A former Catholic priest, the Rev. Scott A. Ciosek is the pastor of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in New Bedford and St. Peter's Episcopal Church in South Dartmouth. He is also a husband, father of three, full-time hospice bereavement minister and college professor.
Originally ordained in the Catholic faith, Ciosek served in New Bedford as deacon at St. John the Baptist Church and as priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
"Both of these parishes were made up of such wonderful people," he said.
However, after five years in the priesthood, he made the decision to leave.
"Ministry for me in the Roman Catholic Church was so restrictive," he said. "There were so many good and faithful people who felt unwelcomed by the institutional church because of their sexual orientation or marriage situation and disengaged because their church taught that they could not receive the Eucharist when they came to Mass. It caused great conflict within my heart because I had this deep sense that this isn't the message of Jesus. He never turned people away — he welcomed everyone without exception and embraced them and called them to himself."
More here-
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130928/SPECIAL/309280301/1001
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