Top US Catholic Official Resigns In Grindr Scandal

The Washington Post reports:

The top administrator of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops resigned after a Catholic media site told the conference it had access to cellphone data that appeared to show he was a regular user of Grindr, the queer dating app, and frequented gay bars.

Some privacy experts said that they couldn’t recall other instances of phone data being de-anonymized and reported publicly, but that it’s not illegal and will likely happen more as people come to understand what data is available about others.

Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill has since last fall been the general secretary of the USCCB, a position that coordinates all administrative work and planning for the conference, which is the country’s network for Catholic bishops.

The La Crosse Tribune reports:

Reports came from The Pillar, a Catholic news site, that said it found evidence the priest engaged in serial sexual misconduct.

An analysis of app data signals correlated to Burrill’s mobile device shows the priest also visited gay bars and private residences while using a location-based hookup app in numerous cities from 2018 to 2020, even while traveling on assignment for the U.S. bishops’ conference, The Pillar reported.

The Diocese of La Crosse issued this statement today: “Msgr. Burrill was ordained a priest for the Diocese of La Crosse in 1998 and in conjunction with the Diocese’s Protect and Heal initiatives has consistently completed safe environment training and background checks. His most recent background check was completed in 2020.

Good lord: Top U.S. Catholic Church official resigns after cellphone data used to track him on Grindr and to gay bars https://t.co/S6HZ9Aoqnk

— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) July 21, 2021