Vigil Brings Parents, Students, Teachers Out In Support Of Fired Catholic School Teacher In Same-Sex Marriage: Report

More than 100 people gathered in prayer vigil Sunday afternoon to support the Catholic school teacher who has said she was fired last week because of her same-sex marriage, according to 6ABC.

The gathering, at General Wayne Park in Lower Merion Township, attracted parents, students and fellow teachers, all in support of Margie Winters, who was fired Waldron Mercy Academy one week ago.

Winters, who had been an educator and director of religious studies at the Waldron Mercy Academy for the past eight years, says she was dismissed after at least two parents learned of her marriage to her wife, Andrea Vettori. According to Winters, the school had known of their relationship since 2007.

Meanwhile, a Go Fund Me page, created three days ago with the aim of helping to support Winters and her wife financially in the aftermath of losing her job, has so far raised more than $12,000.

Mercy Principal Nell Stetser altered parents of the decision in an email on Friday.

The email reportedly stated that the reasons for the dismissal were confidential, but later added that while “many of us accept life choices that contradict current church teachings,” those teachings must be followed in order to ”continue as a Catholic school.”

Stetser has released the following statement on Winters’ dismissal and the ensuing controversy:

“I cannot discuss a specific personnel matter. The primary consideration that guided my decision-making process was to sustain the Catholic identity of Waldron Mercy Academy. For the privilege of calling ourselves Catholic, we adhere to the teachings of the church.”

Officials with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have reportedly denied having any role in the decision.

Read the full report at 6ABC.com.