For two men in St. Louis, it seemed like a romantic way to spend their 20th anniversary: a weekend in New York, with a marriage ceremony in Central Park on Friday and a Broadway show, “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert,” on Saturday.
But for one of the men, Al Fischer, 46, a teacher at a Catholic school, there were unforeseen consequences.
On Feb. 15, Mr. Fischer announced his joyful plans to colleagues at a staff meeting. His colleagues applauded, he said. He did not realize that an official from the Archdiocese of St. Louis was in attendance. The next day, Mr. Fischer was informed that he was fired.
Two weeks later, after news of his firing made headlines, he was terminated from his second, part-time job as music director for the Roman Catholic church where he and his partner, Charlie Robin, have worshiped for more than six years.
“I didn’t expect any of this,” said Mr. Fischer, who said that he and Mr. Robin had been open about their relationship, both at St. Ann Catholic School, where Mr. Fischer taught music, and at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church in Florissant, Mo. The pastors at both parishes knew the men were gay, Mr. Fischer said. “I didn’t understand it would be, ‘click, you’re done,’ but it was.”
The couple went ahead with their plans. They arrived in New York on Thursday and, after getting their paperwork in order Friday morning, were married in the afternoon at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
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But the day after the announcement, Mr. Fischer said, “I was informed that I’d have to leave my job after the wedding.” As part of his employment, he had signed a witness statement that he would not take a public stand against the tenets of the church, “and this was considered a public stand,” he said.
But for one of the men, Al Fischer, 46, a teacher at a Catholic school, there were unforeseen consequences.
On Feb. 15, Mr. Fischer announced his joyful plans to colleagues at a staff meeting. His colleagues applauded, he said. He did not realize that an official from the Archdiocese of St. Louis was in attendance. The next day, Mr. Fischer was informed that he was fired.
Two weeks later, after news of his firing made headlines, he was terminated from his second, part-time job as music director for the Roman Catholic church where he and his partner, Charlie Robin, have worshiped for more than six years.
“I didn’t expect any of this,” said Mr. Fischer, who said that he and Mr. Robin had been open about their relationship, both at St. Ann Catholic School, where Mr. Fischer taught music, and at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church in Florissant, Mo. The pastors at both parishes knew the men were gay, Mr. Fischer said. “I didn’t understand it would be, ‘click, you’re done,’ but it was.”
The couple went ahead with their plans. They arrived in New York on Thursday and, after getting their paperwork in order Friday morning, were married in the afternoon at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
...
But the day after the announcement, Mr. Fischer said, “I was informed that I’d have to leave my job after the wedding.” As part of his employment, he had signed a witness statement that he would not take a public stand against the tenets of the church, “and this was considered a public stand,” he said.
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