James Finn is a columnist for Prism and Pen, a LGBTQ publication that claims to amplify LGBTQ voices through the art of storytelling. Finn describes himself as a “middle-aged uppity faggot.” Finn has published a column expressing his outrage about the hypocrisy of Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill who was recently outed as routine user of Grindr. Finn comments:
Grindr is a sex app. Men use it to meet other men for sex. Journalists at the Catholic news site The Pillar legally purchased data Grindr sells to third-party vendors. The data included unique mobile-device ID numbers and geo-time stamps that allowed investigators to identify Burrill’s mobile phone as he used Grindr in his office, his homes, family members’ homes and on his travels.
The general secretary of the US Bishops Conference was using Grindr practically every day. He was spending time at gay bars and at The Entourage in Las Vegas, an upscale bathhouse where wealthy gay men meet one another for casual sex. He often used Grindr before and while driving to private residences he never visited again.
While Finn certainly has the right to be outraged by Burrill’s hypocrisy, faithful Catholics should be even more outraged that Burrill was allowed to function in an influential role for years within the Catholic hierarchy. While Burrill has resigned as the General Secretary for the USCCB, he is still recognized as a priest in good standing within his diocese. Faithful Catholics should contact Bishop William Callahan and demand Burrill’s faculties be removed.