The Diocese of Brooklyn has recently fired a faculty member of a Catholic school in Astoria for marrying his boyfriend.
Violation of Contractual Clause
According to the Independent UK, the Diocese fired Matthew LaBanca for breaking a contractual agreement.
The former faculty staff was sacked from his position at St. Joseph's Catholic Academy in Queens. He was also fired as music director at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Manhattan.
The teacher was reportedly removed from both positions on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The decision to terminate him from his position came after the Diocese officials learned that LaBanca married a man in August.
The report said that someone reached out to the Diocese of Brooklyn about his marriage.
'Act of Righteousness'
In a Youtube video, LaBanca described his wedding as the "most beautiful day" in his life.
Matthew maintained that his marriage with his boyfriend was "an apparent act of righteousness." Meanwhile, he bared that the Diocesan committee met for six weeks to discuss his employment.
LaBanca said that the termination is illegal in New York State but supported by the First Amendment. According to him, the law permits religious institutions to "legally discriminate" based on beliefs.
"Just because something is legal doesn't make it right," the music teacher added.
LaBanca also shared that their Catholic school principal disagreed with the termination. He reiterated that the principal wanted him to stay at the school, but the Church allegedly overruled.
The teacher disclosed that Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio was responsible for his termination. He is the retiring bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Diocese Offers Deal to Silence LaBanca
In the video, Matthew revealed that the Diocese officials offered him a severance package. According to him, there was also an almost 10-page gag order, demanding him to "shut up."
LaBanca claimed that the Catholic Church wanted him not to speak about the termination. He, however, confirmed that he did not accept the severance as he refused to sign the deal.
"I realized that no price can be placed on my personal integrity, on my voice," he stressed.
Aside from the simultaneous termination of his jobs, LaBanca also lost his health insurance.
The teacher claimed that he was stripped of his jobs, not because of his work performance. Instead, the Diocese of Brooklyn fired him because he is gay.
Diocese Says LaBanca Fails to Comply With Duties
Diocese spokesperson Adriana Rodriguez defended the Diocese's decision about the termination. She said that the Catholic school employees and ministers must follow the teachings of the church.
Rodriguez stressed that the Church expects them to comply with this commitment. She stated that they must "share in the responsibility of ministering the faith to students."
The spokesperson said that LaBanca will no longer perform his duty in school and parish.
About Diocese of Brooklyn
As per its website, the Diocese was established in 1853. It serves about 1.5 million Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens.
Furthermore, it reportedly oversees more than 150 parishes and nearly 30 ethnic ministries. There are also over 30 different languages used in Eucharistic Masses throughout the Diocese.
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