In February, abcnews.com posted a story about a Catholic priest who refused to give Communion to a lesbian woman at her mother’s funeral.

“’He covered the bowl with the Eucharist with his hand and looked at me, and said I cannot give you communion because you live with a woman and that is a sin in the eyes of the church,’” Barbara Johnson said.

Following that, the priest left the altar while Johnson read her mother’s eulogy, and he did not attend the graveside for the burial. A substitute priest was present.

No matter what your beliefs are, it was disrespectful of the priest to deny Communion to Johnson. The Catholic Church, and other churches, may believe that gay people are sinful, but there are plenty of people attending churches everywhere who commit sins. And they’re not gay.

We’re sure the number of those people, and their sins, are endless.

So what difference does it make if someone is gay or if someone just cheated with his best friend’s wife and then went to church for communion?

If everyone was denied communion for committing even the smallest sin, such as swearing, then a lot of people wouldn’t even be allowed in a church.

There’s a difference between standing up for your beliefs and telling other people that their beliefs don’t matter.

No one should treat someone else like he or she is less of a person because of his or her personal choices.

America has made a lot of progress in equality, like the lesbian couple in Phoenix, Ariz. who received free drinks after being asked to leave a restaurant for inappropriate behavior; or the gay Marine who embraced and kissed his boyfriend openly and with no shame at his homecoming.

But there always seem to be setbacks, like at the funeral.

Opinions and beliefs set aside, we’re all human beings, and we all deserve to be treated respectfully. Let’s not forget that.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.