Sacred Heart principal stands by rejected gay speaker
Dennis Starnes, principal of Sacred Heart Academy at 316 East Michigan St, told a full assembly in the school gymnasium today he stands behind Dominic Sheahan-Stahl.
Sheahan-Stahl, a 1998 alumni of Sacred Heart, is openly gay. When the Saginaw Diocese discovered this, he was rejected from giving the 2012 class graduation speech. Starnes, choking back tears, told the assembly that it was not his desire to prevent Sheahan-Stahl from speaking.
"In my mind (Dominic) was the perfect person," Starnes said. "And that hasn’t changed."
Starnes said after "heated discussion" with the diocese, it was decided Sheahan-Stahl would not speak. This is not the outcome Starnes wanted, he said, but he is not the Church.
Starnes asked Sheahan-Stahl to attend the assembly via Skype. Sheahan-Stahl’s face was broadcasted on a giant screen overlooking the bleachers. His younger brother William is a member of the graduating class and Sheahan-Stahl said he would have wanted to speak at the graduation to honor his family.
“First and foremost, I am Willy’s brother,” Sheahan-Stahl said, to which Starnes responded with a hearty, “Amen!” The room burst into applause.
Sheahan-Stahl teared up, saying it hurts to not be considered an equal human being because of his sexuality.
“Why am I any less than any single person in the whole wide world just because of who I love, because I, Dominic Sheahan-Stahl, am a homosexual man and I am proud of it?” he asked.
He thanked Sacred Heart and Starnes for their support, saying he had no right to judge because he is a sinner just like anyone else. Sheahan-Stahl will be speaking more on the subject in Warriner Hall on May 20.
Starnes said he would be honored to attend that speech.
"(Dominic) accepts us for who we are and how we're judging him," Starnes said. "Why can't we do the same? If you're willing to cast that first stone at others, think first"
