"Priest Caught Using Grindr Sues Gay App Because It Ruined His Chance Of A Bishopric"

"A high-ranking priest who was outed as a practicing homosexual for using Grindr to find men to hook up with is suing the company that owns the app on the grounds that his exposure has derailed his chances of becoming a bishop.

Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, who held the topmost clerical position in the U.S. as general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), filed his case on April 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, stating that Grindr 'falsely and misleadingly represents' that it does not sell its users’ data.

The priest is accusing the LGBTQ+ app company of unfair, deceptive, and unlawful business practices under California’s Consumer Legal Remedies and Unfair Competition Law, contending that Grindr misled him by not disclosing the fact that his sensitive data could be sold and his anonymity removed.

Grindr has contested Burrill’s claims, asserting that its privacy policy clearly states that Grindr shares personal information with third-party partners, including service providers, advertising and marketing partners, and other partners.

The information includes the user’s precise location and information that may be deemed 'sensitive' or 'special category' in certain jurisdictions such as ethnicity, information about one’s sex life, sexual preferences, or one’s self-reported health information.

Grindr’s lawyers maintain that its arbitration agreement makes this clear.

'I do not recall seeing an arbitration agreement with Grindr,' Burrill said. 'Because I do not recall seeing an arbitration agreement, I also do not recall if I ever opted out of an arbitration agreement.'

The priest also insisted that when he began using the gay dating app, he would be required to arbitrate any disputes.

'Defendant presents no evidence of a signed agreement or any electronic data to verify that plaintiff, personally, clicked a word, checked a box or otherwise assented to an agreement,' Burrill’s attorneys argued.

Last July, Burrill hired two law firms to sue Grindr, claiming that its sale of his information caused him to lose his position as the general secretary for the USCCB, as well as causing him 'significant financial and emotional distress.'

Grindr failed to protect Burrill’s sensitive information and knowingly allowed it to be sold to third parties, the law firms argued.

Between 2017 and 2021, the Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal (CLCR), a private foundation, purchased Burrill’s personal data from Grindr and shared it with The Pillar — a Catholic news outlet that then broke the story on Burrill.

In July 2021, Burrill was forced to resign after the story revealed that he used the app to frequent gay bars while traveling on USCCB business.

Grindr User Reinstated
Faithful Catholics were shocked when Burrill was allowed to return to active ministry and reinstated as the parochial administrator of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in West Salem by Bishop William Callahan of La Crosse, Wisconsin in June 2022.

In a statement to parishioners, Callahan said Burrill was returning after an 'extended leave' and had 'engaged in a sincere and prayerful effort to strengthen his priestly vows and has favorably responded to every request made by me and by the Diocese' during that time.

'Let me state unequivocally that the Diocese of La Crosse has received no allegations of illegal misconduct of any kind by Monsignor Burrill,' he added, expressing his confidence in Burrill’s 'ability to accompany the people of God of this great parish as together you journey toward a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ.'

In an investigation costing $4 million, CLCR also identified a significant number of seminarians and priests who use homosexual dating and hook-up apps."