Traditional Anglicanism in America
Greg Griffith
Episcopal Priest Quits amid Gay Wrestling Scandal
Where's Presiding Bishop Schori when you need her? Where's Integrity? Where's David Booth Beers?
An Episcopalian chaplain resigned from his job at a Palmetto Bay private school after explicit images of him appeared on a gay wrestling website that was circulated this week around the school, school officials said.
Father Adrian Parry, 47, of South Miami, quit his post at Palmer Trinity School on Monday after almost two decades as its chaplain and head of the humanities and history department, according to school headmaster Sean Murphy.
Parry "had been engaging in what, in our opinion, were inappropriate and unacceptable outside activities," Murphy wrote in a statement.
A former Palmer Trinity student who is now in college found a website called miamilucha.com -- lucha is a Spanish word for fight -- with photos of Parry and forwarded the link to some former and current students, according to Mike Casey, an attorney for Palmer Trinity.
The website, which records show is registered to Parry, was taken offline Monday, but archived pages have links to gay nude wrestling DVDs for sale, Parry's e-mail address and an invitation to participate.
"If you want to wrestle me, simply send me an e-mail," Parry wrote on the site, which contains a disclaimer about adult content. "I can host . . . or travel to you. All serious challenges will be responded to. Let's wrestle!"
The Episcopalian Diocese of Southeast Florida defrocked Parry as the group investigates him. He can choose to renounce his priesthood or face a trial among church leaders, said Bishop Leo Frade, head of the Diocese.
Fr. Parry was only doing something on which the Episcopal Church promises us God smiles. So why the silence? After all the resolutions, all the speaking truth to power, all the "dialogue" and "listening process," and this is the kind of justice they're settling for? What kind of lessons are they teaching our Episcopal school children about fairness, equality, and the Baptismal Covenant?
I mean really: If there's no dignity in being a chaplain for schoolchildren by day, and soliciting gay rasslin' sex on the Internet by night, just where is dignity to be found?
UPDATE: The usual warning about gay sites applies from here down...
Fr. Parry took down his web site, but he hasn't yet removed his profile at GayDar, in which he - an ordained Episcopal priest and chaplain at an Episcopal School for 20 years - describes himself this way:
Languages - French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai
Sports & Fitness - Body Building, Gym, Martial Arts, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Weight Training, Wrestling, Xtreme Sports, Yoga
Religious Interests - Spiritual
Fr. Parry keep a second home in Bankgok. Must be the low property taxes that are so attractive.
Posted November 09, 2006 at 2:19 pm
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