I’m surprised this little earthquake near Fresno, California hasn’t sent more aftershocks across the country. But Sunday, a Catholic priest there defied his bishops and spoke out against a bill that would ban gay marriage.

Oh: and he also announced that he was gay.

From the local ABC affiliate:

Father Geoffrey Farrow of the Saint Paul Newman Center in northeast Fresno shocked parishioners Sunday morning when he came out against Proposition 8, an initiative that would eliminate the right for same sex couples to marry in California.

After 23 years as an ordained Catholic Priest, Father Geoffrey Farrow has likely given his final mass. Sunday morning he invited us to hear his message, a message that shocked many parishioners.

11 o’clock mass began as usual Sunday. Father Geoff led parishioners through prayer and communion.

The homily taught of acceptance, love and rejection. But it was his closing remarks that left some parishioners stunned. “What most Catholics hear about being gay or lesbian at their parish is silence,” Fr. Geoff says.

Fr. Geoff says after numerous inquiries from parishioners asking for direction on Proposition 8, if passed would ban gay marriage, the Father said he must go against the Bishops recommendation and instead go with what he feels is right.

“In directing the faithful to vote yes on proposition 8, the California Bishops are not only entering the political arena, they are ignoring the advances and insights of neurology, psychology and the very statements by the church itself that homosexual is innate,” says Fr. Geoff.

The priest acknowledges his controversial comments will have consequences. “I know that these words of truth will cost me dearly. But to withhold them would be far more costly and I would become an accomplice to a moral evil that strips gay and lesbian couples, not only of their civil rights but of their human dignity as well.”

We sat down with Father Geoff before mass, and he answered the question many are probably wondering… Is he gay? “It’s a secondary issue. But yes, I am. And when I was a boy I asked God please make me normal and the prayer never got answered and I realized why. Because God would’ve made somebody else he wouldn’t have made me.”

Sunday mass ended with about half the congregation giving a standing ovation. Outside parishioners had mixed reaction about the priest’s remarks.

Esmeralda Gonzalez, Parishioner, says “My reaction was extremely shocking I believe that as the body of Christ and as being Catholics we are made to follow by commandments. And God made it to be Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve.”

Joshua De La Cerda, Parishioner, says “This is something Jesus would have done, or Christ would have done, spoke out for the truth.”

Fr. Geoff said after months of struggling with what to do, said in the end he followed his heart. “In any event regardless of what I or anyone else does in their life, one day you die, and on that day were you true to your conscience, were you true to what you believe. And I think that’s the question each of us has to answer. If the answer is no, hell already began before you died.”

Video and more is at the link.

And the text of his homily can be found right here.

And: “St. Paul Newman”??? Is that a typo?