Story Highlights• It's unclear whether ex-Gov. James McGreevey wants to become a priest
• McGreevey resigned as New Jersey leader after announcing his homosexuality
• Religion has become an issue in his contentious divorce
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NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) -- The nation's first openly gay governor has become an Episcopalian and been accepted into a seminary, according to a published report.

Former Gov. James E. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially received into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, said the Rev. Kevin Bean, vicar at the church.

McGreevey has entered the church's "discernment" phase, which usually precedes seminary work, Bean told The Star-Ledger of Newark in a report posted Wednesday on its Web site.

It's unclear whether McGreevey hopes to become a priest. He did not return several messages left Wednesday by The Associated Press.

McGreevey, 49, shocked the nation in August 2004 by proclaiming himself "a gay American" who had an extramarital affair with a male aide, and said he would resign that November. The aide denies having an affair and claims he was sexually harassed by the former governor.

McGreevey has been accepted to study at the General Theological Seminary in New York, the oldest in the Episcopal Church, school spokesman Bruce Parker said Wednesday.

"Mr. McGreevey has been admitted to the master of divinity program and he will be starting in the fall," Parker said. "Where Mr. McGreevey goes with this is up to him. We have a lot of people studying here who are not interested in ordination at all."

Growing up in Middlesex County, McGreevey was an altar boy and attended Catholic schools. While in office, he continued to practice the religion, but differed from church teachings in several areas, including his support of abortion rights.

Religion has become an issue in his contentious divorce proceedings. His estranged wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, has demanded that their 5-year-old daughter not be allowed to receive communion in the Episcopal Church because she is being raised a Roman Catholic.

The Episcopal Church does not require its priests to be celibate. The issue of gay clergy has exposed divides in the worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. Anglican leaders this year demanded the U.S. denomination step back from its support of gays or risk losing its full membership in the Anglican fellowship.

Gay priests aren't some sort of rare occurance, statistics are just hard to place due their closeted nature.

Oh there are gay priest in Unitarian churches. It is rare to see them in pure christian churches.

You mean it's rare to see out of the closet ones in pure Christian churches.

yeah I agree because most would lose thier leadership if they were exposed. This guy is going to be leader being out of the closet. I triump for all homosexuals.

there were plenty of gay catholic child molestors but they were never labeled as such. cant go having homosexuals getting a bad rap. If a man molestes a boy, is he not gay? if he isnt, why not?

Maybe he is gay, but he is first and foremost a pedophile.

Actually I wouldn't call him gay if he wasn't attracted to adult males.

so a pedophile is not gay or straight, just a pedophile?

so a pedophile is not gay or straight, just a pedophile?
If he's only attracted to children, I suppose you could say that.

I don't see why it matters what you call them though.

It does matter, because somewhere along the line homosexuals have been cast in the ligh of being incapable of doing any wrong. Always the victim. I find it hard to believe myself.

Oh come on. If there was a story about someone molesting little girls they wouldn't have to add "THIS GUY IS STRAIGHT OMGZ"...

so a pedophile is not gay or straight, just a pedophile?
Yes, as DF said we don't call guys attracted to little girls "straight", do we? Pedophiles are pedophiles. They aren't gay, straight, or anywhere in between. They like children. Thus, we rightly call them sick.

Gay men and straight women like men. Gay women and straight men like women. That sounds like a reasonable way of defining things, doesn't it?

Trav, your comments are pretty demeaning here to homosexuals, and I suspect on purpose out of self-enforced lack of wanting to understand. In other words, you're being ignorant because you think it is funny.

Yes, as DF said we don't call guys attracted to little girls "straight", do we? Pedophiles are pedophiles. They aren't gay, straight, or anywhere in between. They like children. Thus, we rightly call them sick.

Gay men and straight women like men. Gay women and straight men like women. That sounds like a reasonable way of defining things, doesn't it?

I agree with everything you said there minus your first assertion, that pedophiles aren't gay or straight. I've never heard of a pedophile who molests both boys and girls.

I agree with everything you said there minus your first assertion, that pedophiles aren't gay or straight. I've never heard of a pedophile who molests both boys and girls.
You haven't? I certainly have.

I've never heard of a pedophile who molests both boys and girls.
I'll look into the cases later, but I can easily say I've heard of more pedophiles attacking children of both genders than just one. I think they go after boys more often however due to the taboo nature of homosexuality and the greater ease of procuring their company. The desire for girls likely lies in the more visual innocence of the girls at that age.

However, pedophiles are those that go after children, not adults, and therefore shouldn't be put in the context of gay and straight due to that being a normal sexual orientation, whereas pedophiles have a rather dangerous paraphilia.

I'll look into the cases later, but I can easily say I've heard of more pedophiles attacking children of both genders than just one. I think they go after boys more often however due to the taboo nature of homosexuality and the greater ease of procuring their company. The desire for girls likely lies in the more visual innocence of the girls at that age.

However, pedophiles are those that go after children, not adults, and therefore shouldn't be put in the context of gay and straight due to that being a normal sexual orientation, whereas pedophiles have a rather dangerous paraphilia.

You're totally right when you say they shouldn't be characterized as being gay or straight. I was just making the point that they probably are either gay or straight. Of course, if what you said is true about pedophiles usually attacking both sexes then I'm definitely wrong.

anyone ever go to the straight pride parade?

no because straight people are not oppressed. Just like there are no white pride parades(nto including the kkk) and only latino pride and black pride groups because they are supressed or a minority.

Any one who molests whether they are straight, gay, bi or any other such coding you want to give them, they are just corrupt in the brain. It is not fair to say only one type of person will do this. There are men and women who are pedophiles. They are all twisted sick fucking people whom get there rocks off at the expense of other people or children.
yes pedophiles will molest both sexes it is about domination and power. They like to keep there victims scared and make them feel that they do not have a voice to stand up.