Ariana Grande: I quit Catholicism when gay brother was told ‘God doesn’t love you’

Singer Ariana Grande has revealed that she quit the Catholic Church after her gay brother was told “God doesn’t love you”.

The 21-year-old Problem star had previously spoken out about her Catholic identity – but now says she has given up on the faith over its homophobic attitudes.

Her brother, Frankie Grande, recently appeared on the US version of Big Brother.

Ariana Grande told the Telegraph: “When my brother was told that God didn’t love him I was like, ‘OK, that’s not cool.’

“They were building a Kabbalah centre in Florida so we both checked it out and really had a connection with it.

“Since then, my life has unfolded in a really beautiful way, and I think that it has a lot to do with the tools I’ve learned through Kabbalah, I really do.

“You have to watch your intentions, make sure you’re not giving in to your ego. You have to numb your reactive state. You have the power to change your reality’.”

She told the Metro last year: “‘[The church] said Spongebob Squarepants is gay and he’s a sinner and he should burn in hell. And Harry Potter was a sin. And working women.

“I was like ‘Enough! First the gays, then Spongebob and now Harry Potter? Get out my house!’

“I was not having it. And the working woman thing? It was a moment for me. I needed something else to believe in.”

Boy George ripped into Kabbalah in 2007, claiming “I have investigated it and they are homophobic” – though most strands preach acceptance of gay people.