Gay Catholic delivers 18,000 signatures to bishop asking to be reinstated

c. 2013 Religion News Service

NEW YORK (RNS) A gay man ousted from posts at his Long Island parish after a critic complained that he had married his partner delivered a petition with more than 18,000 signatures on Thursday (April 11) to Bishop William Murphy, asking to be reinstated.

    "Bishop Murphy, please let Nicholas Coppola resume volunteering at his parish -- and make it clear that faithful gay and lesbian Catholics are welcome to participate fully in parish life in your diocese," reads the petition. Murphy is longtime head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre.