Parish Choir Quits En Masse, Protestors Rally After Gay Music Director Fired

A Michigan parish’s choir resigned en masse as an objection to the firing of a pastoral minister over his same-gender marriage, while other parishioners are also protesting the minister’s dismissal, including holding a demonstration outside Mass.

In October, Fr. Michael Lingaur, the new pastor of St. Francis Church, Traverse City, fired longtime music director Fred Szczepanski just three months before he was due to retire. Lingaur terminated Szczepanski after receiving an anonymous letter informing the pastor that the music director, known by the community was “Mr. Fred,” was civilly married in 2020.

While Szczepanski has not spoken publicly about the firing, The Ticker reported that the parish community is outraged:

“‘I was not in the room, but I’ll never forget what Fred told me: He said somebody sent a letter to the pastor telling him to (look into things), and he found out that Bill and Fred had a civil marriage in Las Vegas four years ago,’ says Bob Holden, who sang in the choir with Szczepanski for decades. ‘And he told Fred he’s no longer welcome here – he was not even allowed to clean out his desk.’

“Szczepanski’s husband Bill Thompson also addressed the matter on his Facebook page.

“‘Those who know Fred Szczepanski and I know that we have been together for 32 years. This last week after 35 years service to the church, he was terminated with no severance,’ Thompson wrote. ‘This is because we legally married 4 years ago. We did this as it was covid and we wanted to protect our rights legally. Never flaunted it. Never had a celebration.’ . . .

“‘It was gut-wrenching because Fred does more than just play the piano at mass. He organizes what’s going to happen at Christmas and Easter. He reaches out to the widows and the widowers and make sure that they have what they need,’ [parishioner Liz Yarch] says. ‘He steps in with people that don’t have family and make sure that there’s a support network and that somebody is going to be there to help them. He has a pulse on the congregation.'”

The firing seems to be at the discretion of Lingaur, who was ordained three years ago and became pastor of St. Francis over the summer. He has refused to comment about the dispute. Bishop Jeffrey Walsh, head of the Diocese of Gaylord, has been silent about the incident, but diocesanspokesperson Renee Shimmel stated only that “the bishop and diocesan HR director provide guidance and assistance when needed” but do not discuss personnel matters.

Weeks later, Walsh published a letter to parishioners to clarify what had happened, citing the diocese’s “ministerial agreement” and then adding, “When a Catholic violates the teaching on marriage in a public act that is contrary to the will of God, Pastors are called to shepherd such souls in a way that points them toward reconciliation and mercy.” Walsh added, that, “No one is ‘kicked out of the church for being gay,’ but that civil same-gender marriage is grounds for firing as “serious sins against chastity.” He concluded:

“We may be tempted to think, ‘things are changing, and the Church has to keep up with the times.’ I would encourage us all to trust in the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Fundamental truths do not change with time. As sinners, we will always be in need of God’s mercy and love. Let us strive, as our Lord did, to always conform our will to the Divine Will… and never stop loving each other.”

Fred Szczepanski

Szczepanski’s supporters believe the bishop refused to intervene with the priest in what seems to be an instance of discrimination. The Ticker reported:

“‘Fred told me that one of our deacons went to the bishop to say this isn’t right, and that the bishop said that…whatever the pastor decides is the way it’s going to be,’ Holden said.

“Yarch, who described the bishop “washing his hands” of the situation, believes Lingaur is near solely responsible for Szczepanski’s termination, something that’s surprising considering Lingaur’s brief tenure at the church and short time as a priest. It was also not a secret that Szczepanski was gay, she says, though he never discussed it.

“‘I absolutely believe it was a local decision. If it was a diocese decision, I think that it would have been made a very long time ago,’ she says. ‘Why on earth would you give somebody that kind of power and authority when they’ve only been a priest for three years?'”

Holden added, “this pastor was three years old when Fred started playing the piano at St. Francis.”

Meanwhile, those who know Szczepanski are praising him for not only the music ministry he provided, but the many other ways he is “kind, sweet, generous, lovable man,” according to parishioner Sherry Koenig.” He has served at St. Francis for more than three decades. She added:

“‘Fred has become such a marvelous person my life, and this whole ordeal has left such a terrible hole in my heart. . .The way he was treated was just unconscionable.'”

The firing has roiled the St. Francis community. According to Holden, the 35 to 40 members of the parish’s choir all quite upset because “because we we love singing with Fred.” The Sunday after the firing, the choir members “wore black, left their seats empty, and refused to sing during mass,” according to the New York Post. In addition, the following Sunday:

“[O]n Oct. 27, supporters of the longtime music director picketed outside the church in protest before carrying signs reading: ‘Love Not Hate,’ ‘God Includes, Not Excludes,’ and ‘Fired Not Retired.’ . . .

“Some parishioners and choir members even renounced their St. Francis church membership or planned to, according to the outlet.”

Many have contrasted this discrimination with the Catholic faith they profess and live out. Yarch told The Ticker:

“‘I’m not allowed to judge. That’s what they teach me. I’m supposed to be open-minded. I’m supposed to love my neighbor as myself. . .It doesn’t say, “except when.” There’s no “but.” I’m supposed to love everybody, as Jesus did.'”

—Robert Shine (he/him), New Ways Ministry, November 14, 2024