Robert Wolfe was an American clergyman with the Metropolitan Community Church, most noted as the founding pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1]
Previously pastor of the church's congregation in Sacramento, California,[2] he was assigned to head up a new Toronto congregation in 1973, and performed his first mass at the Toronto church on July 17, 1973.[3]
In January 1974, he became noted for talking a young man out of committing suicide.[4] The teenager, distraught over being gay, had climbed onto a beam outside the observation deck at Toronto City Hall and was threatening to jump,[5] but Wolfe was called in and successfully counselled the young man back to safety.[4] A few weeks later, Toronto City Council presented him with a citation of bravery for his role in defusing the situation.[6] He used his acceptance speech to criticize the Toronto Star for its refusal to print an advertisement for the church;[6] the reaction to his announcement led the Star to reverse its decision and print the advertisement the following day.[7]
Wolfe stepped down as pastor of MCC Toronto in 1978, and was succeeded by Brent Hawkes.[8]