Local Couple Helps Forge Path for Gay Youth

What was a loss for a Catholic church in the Bronx seven years ago was a major gain for Dobbs Ferry's—or at least that's how congregant Michael Sabatino sees it. 

In 2003, Sabatino and his then-partner (now husband) Robert Voorheis, Yonkers residents, were told they could no longer sing in their church choir because they went public with their sexuality in a Journal News piece titled, "The New Faces of Marriage."

"At that point, we could have walked away from the church all together," said Sabatino, who was raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through college. "But so many congregations reached out to us, inviting us to join, that it kept us on track."

One such clergy member was the Rev. Richard McKeon, then the priest at Dobbs Ferry's Zion Episcopal, who—besides asking the couple to join his congregation—"asked if he could lend us any emotional support," Sabatino recalled. He, Voorhies and his aging mother joined the small congregation in Dobbs Ferry without looking back. 

"The church has such a welcoming community," Sabatino said. "If someone is sick, the church brings food and arranges visitors. There's a small choir, a Sunday school—and of course the congregation welcomes LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] members."

More recently, Sabatino and Voorheis were featured in the film March On, which documents the National Equality March in October 2009, in which thousands of Americans stormed the capitol demanding equal rights for gays. The film debuted in 2010, and will be screened in the Rivertowns Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the I

Out of hundreds of people who applied to have their stories featured in the film, Voorheis and Sabatino's 32-year relationship and struggles with the Catholic Church stood out. And they were chosen, once again, to make their personal lives public.

"We aren't doing this for us anymore," said Sabatino. "It's about the next generation." The couple volunteers with Center Lane, a youth group for Westchester's LGBT teenagers. "We mentor members and chaperone events. It's so important for these kids to have strong adult role models who are settled in their lives."

Sabatino is part-owner of Leap Technologies, a North Carolina—based company that manufactures laboratory equipment. He is running for Yonkers City Council in the November elections. Voorhies is an interior designer. Poster children of the famous "It gets better" movement on YouTube, Sabatino admitted that living with a designer means they "have a beautiful home."

But there are 6,000 homeless gay youth in New York City, Sabatino continued. "We hear stories about parents driving their teenagers here and leaving them after they find out they're gay."

More and more, he believes churches that discriminate against gay congregants are "being outnumbered." But Sabatino thinks there is difficult work to be done.

"Suicide is still a major problem among LGBT youth," he said. "Once we were thrust into the media [in 2003], there was no going back."

Sabatino hopes that telling his story in March On will help pave the way for others throughout the country who are struggling and facing adversity because of their sexuality. And on a more personal level, he hopes the film's Rivertowns debut will help grow Zion Episcopal's congregation. 

"We have 120 members, probably 50 active members," Sabatino said. Currently the church doesn't have a permanent priest, and Sabatino—the acting administrator—is hoping to find someone to lead the congregation full-time. 

"We feel we're very lucky to have found such a warm spiritual community," Sabatino said. "And I think more religious leaders are realizing that we're all children of God—and that keeping people out [because they're gay] is not what Jesus would do."

See "March On" Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Irvington Town Hall Theater. A question-and-answer session with Michael Sabatino, Robert Voorheis, and the Rev. Richard McKeon will follow the screening.  Tickets can be purchased at the door.