NEWS Is the Priesthood next for gay US ex-governor McGreevey? Anthony Cuesta | May 08, 2007 Ex-Governor McGreevey NEWARK — The already divided Episcopal Church just signed up for more controversy over its pro-homosexuality stance by accepting one of the nation’s most high-profile gays into its seminary – out ex-New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially welcomed into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, the Rev. Kevin Bean told the Associated Press. It's unclear whether McGreevey hopes to become a priest. The AP reports that he did not return several messages left Wednesday. "Mr. McGreevey has been admitted to the master of divinity program and he will be starting in the fall," Parker said. "Where Mr. McGreevey goes with this is up to him. We have a lot of people studying here who are not interested in ordination at all." McGreevey, 49, resigned his post in August 2004 after leaping out of the closet by proclaiming himself "a gay American" who had an extramarital affair with a male aide. The aide denies having an affair and claims he was sexually harassed by the former governor. McGreevey has entered the church's "discernment" phase, which usually precedes seminary work, Bean told The Star-Ledger of Newark in a report posted Wednesday on its Web site. The issue of gay clergy divided the worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. Anglican leaders this year demanded the U.S. denomination step back from its support of gays or risk losing its full membership in the Anglican fellowship. – Issued by Gay Link Content Related stories New Jersey: Ex-Gov McGreevey's estranged wife didn't know about gay affair