Share this
Twitter
Myspace
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
TagsBY SHARON HARRIS-ZLOTNICK
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
No longer governor of New Jersey, Jim McGreevey, 53, thought he could become a priest. However, he can’t — at least not yet. The Episcopal Church has denied McGreevey his bid to join the priesthood.
McGreevey drew national attention in August 2004 when he abruptly announced his plans to resign in November 2004. He told the world “I am a gay American” as he stood on stage with his ex-wife Dina. After that, their sensational divorce proceedings played out publicly.
Born a Catholic, McGreevey converted to become an Episcopalian after leaving office. He began his training at the General Theological Seminary in Manhattan in 2007, graduating in 2010 with a master's in divinity. Since embracing religion, McGreevey has worked at Integrity House in Newark, a mental-health and drug-addiction treatment center.
According to Chuck Bennett and Josh Margolin of the New York Post, some church leaders say it is common for first-time applicants to be told they need more study and additional charitable work before joining the clergy.
Another source said that McGreevey was rejected not for being gay, but for being a “jackass” in his divorce proceedings, which damaged his reputation. They feared that McGreevey was possibly using the clergy as a tool to rebuild his tarnished image rather than focus on God. Both McGreevey and Newark Diocese’s Bishop Mark Beck declined to comment.
McGreevey lives in Plainfield with longtime partner Mark O’Donnell. The couple has regularly attended both Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York and a church in New Jersey.
