Tony Spence, pictured accepting the 2010 St. Francis de Sales award, has left his position as director and editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service, a post he held since 2004. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec) See CNS-SPENCE-DEPARTURE April 20, 2016. The head of the US-based Catholic News Service (CNS) has stepped down, following online claims that he was “promoting the LGBT agenda”.
Tony Spence, director and editor-in-chief of the US bishops-owned news agency since 2004, had in the days prior to his resignation commented on his Twitter account about legislation where LGBT rights and religious rights had come into conflict.
“The far right blogosphere and their troops started coming after me again and it was too much for the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops),” he said in an interview, continuing, “The secretary general asked for my resignation, because the conference had lost confidence in my ability to lead CNS.”
Mr Spence is the 2010 winner of the Francis de Sales Award, the highest honour awarded by the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada.
photo: CNS