Artistic director of St Louis's Gateway Men's Chorus fired from church-affiliated positions

From stltoday.com, news on Al Fischer, now fired from a second position after church officials learned of his intent to marry his male partner. 

Of course, it is not particularly shocking to be a victim of homophobia when one works for an employer affiliated with an officially homophobic institution, it still sucks. 

And this action may impact the Gay Games community directly, because Fischer is also the director of the Gateway Men's Chorus in St Louis, a member of FGG member organization GALA Choruses.


The Catholic school music teacher who was recently fired after church officials learned that he planned to marry his male partner of 20 years has been fired from a second position in the Archdiocese of St. Louis: as a music director at a north St. Louis County Catholic church. Al Fischer, 46, learned Wednesday night from a pastor at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic Church in Florissant that he could no longer work as one of the parish's part-time music directors, a paid position he's held for several years, according to Fischer's partner, Charlie Robin. The reason given by the priest, according to Robin, was that Fischer's firing and pending marriage had become "too public of an issue." A story about Fischer's firing was published on the front page of Wednesday's Post-Dispatch.

Neither the pastor nor Fischer could be reached for comment Thursday. But a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said in an email Thursday that Fischer "was relieved of his duties (at St. Rose) when he publicly demonstrated a life inconsistent with Catholic teaching. This is outlined in the Christian Witness Statement that is on the first page of the Parish Employee Handbook." The email said the witness statement applies to all employees of the archdiocese and its parishes and schools.

Fischer was fired Feb. 17 from his job as music teacher at St. Ann Catholic School in Normandy, where he'd taught for four years. Several sources have said Fischer's sexual orientation was well-known at the school. According to Robin, officials first took action against Fischer after a representative of the archdiocese overheard Fischer talking to co-workers about the couple's plan to marry in New York City on March 9.

Robin said Fischer signed a Christian Witness Statement at St. Ann, but that he was never asked to sign such a document at St. Rose. The witness statement says all who serve in Catholic education should, among other requirements, "not take a public position contrary to the Catholic Church" and "demonstrate a public life consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church."


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