Bernárd J. Lynch

Bernárd J. Lynch (born 1947, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland), was ordained in 1971, is a Roman Catholic priest and psychotherapist, based in the United States, renowned for his human rights work with HIV/AIDS and with the LGBTQIA community.[1]

The Reverend

Bernárd J. Lynch

Ph.D.
ChurchRoman Catholic
Orders
OrdinationDecember 20, 1971
by Eugene O'Doherty
Personal details
Born1947
Ennis, County Clare, Republic of Ireland
NationalityIrish
DenominationCatholicism
Spouse
Billy Desmond
​
(m. 2017)​

Work

Lynch is an "out" gay Irish-born Roman Catholic priest, author, and activist who has worked for the rights of LGBT people for more than forty years starting with his work in Dignity USA (New York Chapter), the LGBT Catholic group, in the 1970s.[2][3]

In 1982, Lynch founded the first AIDS ministry in New York City with Dignity USA (New York Chapter) as documented in the documentary films AIDS: A PRIEST’S TESTAMENT[4] in 1987 and SOUL SURVIVOR[5] in 1990.[2] Lynch publicly campaigned in support of Mayor Ed Koch's Executive Order 50 in 1984, which compels City contractors not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.[6]

Lynch publicly testified in favour of New York City’s lesbian and gay rights bill that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in jobs and public accommodations, seeing it through to passage by the New York City Council in 1986.[7]

Lynch’s support for LGBT rights brought down on him a false prosecution perpetrated by church and government officials. Lynch won total exoneration from Justice Burton Roberts in Bronx Supreme Court,[8][9] as documented in the documentary film A PRIEST ON TRIAL[10] in 1990.

Lynch's television/radio appearances include the BBC’s interview show HARDtalk in 2013.[11] He was honoured with the Magnus Hirschfeld Award 1988 for outstanding service to the cause of Irish LGBT civil rights.[12]

In 2006, Lynch became the first Catholic priest in the world to have a civil partnership.[13] Lynch married his partner, Billy Desmond, in 2017 in Ireland.[14]

Lynch received Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish Abroad for 2019, in the Charitable Works category. The awards recognise the contribution of members of the Irish diaspora in the world.[15]

Publications
  • Lynch, Bernard (1993). A Priest on Trial. London: Bloomsbury Pub Ltd. ISBN 0-7475-1036-9
  • Lynch, Bernard (1995). "A Land Beyond Tears". In O'Carroll, Ide; Collins, Eoin (ed.). Lesbian and Gay Visions of Ireland: Towards the Twenty-first Century. London: Cassell. pp. 212–20. ISBN 0-304-33227-5
  • Lynch, Bernard (1996). "Religious and Spirituality Conflicts". In Davies, Dominic; Neal, Charles (ed.). Pink Therapy: A Guide for Counsellors and Therapists Working with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients. Buckingham: Open University Press. pp. 199–207. ISBN 0-335-19145-2
  • Lynch, Bernard (2003). "Love's Endeavour, Love Expense". In O'Brien, Glen (ed.). Coming Out: Irish Gay Experiences. Dublin: Currach Press. pp. 260–68. ISBN 1-85607-904-X
  • Lynch, Bernard (2012). If It Wasn't Love, Sex Death & God. Winchester: Circle Books. ISBN 978-1-84694-918-0

Legacy
  • AIDS: A Priest's Testament (1987, Director: Conor McAnally, A Strongbow/ Green Apple Production for Channel Four, UK)[4]
  • A Priest On Trial (1990, Director: Conor McAnally, A Green Apple Television Production for Channel Four, UK)[10]
  • Soul Survivor (1990, Director: Conor McAnally, A Green Apple Television Production for Channel Four, UK)[5]

References
  1. "'Sexuality, like priesthood, is a gift from God. Nobody would choose to be gay'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  2. "New York and The Irish Emigrant: How Bernard Lynch was Silenced by The Church". In Dublin. 1987-10-29.
  3. Tivnan, Edward (1987-10-11). "Homosexuals and the Churches". New York Times Magazine.
  4. "AIDS: A Priest's Testament (1987)". BFI. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  5. "Soul Survivor (1990)". BFI. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  6. Bird, David (1984-06-25). "Thousands Hold March to Back Homosexuals". The New York Times.
  7. Bell, Charles W. (1986-01-29). "Clergy Forms Unit: Gay-Rights Bill Supported". Daily News.
  8. Stanford, Peter (2012-04-08). "Father Lynch: 'The Vatican has told them to get rid of me'". The Independent. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
  9. Crowe, Maire (1989-04-29). "Priest Cleared on Sex Charges". Irish Voice.
  10. "A Priest on Trial (1990)". BFI. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
  11. "Father Bernard Lynch". BBC. 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
  12. "Magnus Hirschfeld Awards Honours Supporters of Gay Community". Sunday Tribune. 1988.
  13. Deegan, Gordon (2017-01-27). "Catholic priest from Co Clare marries long-time boyfriend". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  14. Deegan, Gordon. "Gay priest marries long-term partner in 'beautiful' ceremony in Clare". TheJournal.ie.
  15. Hilliard, Mark (2019-11-21). "Higgins: Moral question of how Irish treat immigrants must be a concern | President made comments while speaking at ceremony honouring 12 Irish emigrants". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
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