Denver Child Refused Catholic Schooling
11/03/10 13:33 Filed in: Catholic
Church |
Catholic
Social Teaching
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/denver_archbishop_explains_why_lesbian_couples_child_not_admitted_to_school/
The above is one of many stories about the decision of a Catholic elementary school in Denver to deny admittance to a child who has lesbian parents because her parents are lesbian. Let's say we agree with certain things, even if we don't: that lesbianism is wrong according to Catholic teaching, that the school has a responsibility to uphold certain Catholic moral standards, that the archbishop has a prophetic duty to witness to Catholic teaching, that the lesbian couple involved promoted their lesbianism to challenge the school's policy.
Does that mean that we punishb the child because her parents are lesbian?
I would think that charity-- love -- insists that we do not. What is the effect on the child from this decision: a lack of education in a Catholic faith, a lack of quality education provided by a Catholic school, removal from friends she's already met at the school, disruption of her life. Both the lesbian parents and the archbishop are responsible for putting the child in this situation.
And one must wonder whether the school expels the children of other Catholics who engage in practices that do not accord with Catholic teaching: what about divorced and remarried couples (without an annulment)? What about lawyers who defend criminals they know are guilty? What about people who support the death penalty or who are pro-choice?
All the archbishop has done here is make a bad situation worse. Perhaps if we cared more about individuals and less about dogma and doctrine, we might have more converts. Perhaps we should remember what Jesus said of the pharisees: white-washed tombs.
The above is one of many stories about the decision of a Catholic elementary school in Denver to deny admittance to a child who has lesbian parents because her parents are lesbian. Let's say we agree with certain things, even if we don't: that lesbianism is wrong according to Catholic teaching, that the school has a responsibility to uphold certain Catholic moral standards, that the archbishop has a prophetic duty to witness to Catholic teaching, that the lesbian couple involved promoted their lesbianism to challenge the school's policy.
Does that mean that we punishb the child because her parents are lesbian?
I would think that charity-- love -- insists that we do not. What is the effect on the child from this decision: a lack of education in a Catholic faith, a lack of quality education provided by a Catholic school, removal from friends she's already met at the school, disruption of her life. Both the lesbian parents and the archbishop are responsible for putting the child in this situation.
And one must wonder whether the school expels the children of other Catholics who engage in practices that do not accord with Catholic teaching: what about divorced and remarried couples (without an annulment)? What about lawyers who defend criminals they know are guilty? What about people who support the death penalty or who are pro-choice?
All the archbishop has done here is make a bad situation worse. Perhaps if we cared more about individuals and less about dogma and doctrine, we might have more converts. Perhaps we should remember what Jesus said of the pharisees: white-washed tombs.