A woman who finds freedom in Dublin

Dil Wickremasinghe writes a piece in today's Irish Times on last Saturday's Gay Pride parade in Dublin, which attracted an estimated 30,000 people.

She writes about her own sexual discovery growing up in Sri Lanka and how life was 'incredibly hard' for her.

The theme of last Saturday's Dublin parade was, 'Show your true colours'.

Were there any Catholic priests present in the parade?

The story of Dil Wickremasinghe is interesting and sad too - her mother threw her out and her father suggested she kill herself. Horrific.

So what happens gay men who are priests? What would have happened gay priests had they marched last Saturday? Would they be asked not to march? Would they be asked to retire from their priesthood? Would they be asked to hide or deny their sexual orientation?

Why is it that priests, who are gay, appear to be misogynysts, unlike open gay men?

Why is it that gay priests, in the norm, are trenchant in their conservatism?

Why is it that closet gay priests place such great emphasis on ritual and liturgy?

What happens in a religious communiity when the number of gay men outnumbers those who are heterosexual?

Does it matter?

Is it more healthy for it all to be swept under the carpet?

Reading Dil Wickremasinghe, it would seem the role of silence and denial is not healthy.

Anyone with a close expereince with the institutional church must be forced to agree with Dil Wickremasinghe.