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Loading ...Archbishop defends decision on lesbians’ children
03.09.2010 3:30pm EST
(Denver) The archbishop of Denver on Tuesday defended a decision by a Catholic school not to allow two children to continue as students because their parents are a lesbian couple.
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said it was a “painful situation,” but the decision by Sacred Heart of Jesus parish school in Boulder was in line with church teachings.Chaput said the school told the parents that one of the children could complete kindergarten and the other could complete preschool, but neither could continue after that.
Previous reports indicated only one child was involved. Neither the parents nor the children have been identified.
Mindy Barton, legal director of the GLBT Community Center in Denver, which supports gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, said she believes the school was within its legal rights.
Barton has said the center would still investigate to determine whether the school violated any discrimination laws.
About two dozen protesters stood outside Sacred Heart of Jesus church on Sunday with signs, one reading “God loves all people.”
In his written statement Tuesday, Chaput said the parents of Catholic school students are expected to agree with church beliefs, including those forbidding sex between anyone other than married, heterosexual couples.
“The church cannot change these teachings because, in the faith of Catholics, they are the teachings of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Chaput said Catholic schools work as religious partners with parents, but that doesn’t work if the parents don’t respect church beliefs or openly reject them. He said that also puts unfair stress on the children and their teachers.
Chaput acknowledged that many Catholic schools accept students from other faiths and from single-parent families, but he said their parents are expected to support the Catholic mission of the school.
He said the church doesn’t believe God has any less love for the children of gays and lesbians than for other children, or that gays and lesbians are bad people.
I don’t understand why any self-respecting gay or lesbian would allow their children to be involved with ANY Catholic organization including a school or preschool. Between the pedophile scandal and the fact that they are HATEFUL it can’t do the children any good.
“Chaput acknowledged that many Catholic schools accept students from other faiths and from single-parent families, but he said their parents are expected to support the Catholic mission of the school.” So, apparently, only those who don’t support the Catholic Mission by being gay or Lesbian are excluded. Apparently you can be divorced or Protestant or Muslim or Jewish and ’support the Catholic mission of the school’ but you cannot be gay and do so. What bullcrap! I repeat — I would never WANT to send my child to be indoctrinated in the Roman cult, but this policy is discriminatory, plain and simple. Either kick-out all non-practicing Catholics — those who divorce or marry protestants, etc, or admit that one does not have to support the RC church to send your kids there. I am so sick-and-tired of the RC church getting-away-with this kind of double-speak and illogical bullcrap. It’s time to send them a message. I’m not sure how to do it, but I think a good long look at our tax laws is a good place to start. Institutions which are open to (apparently) everyone but gays should not be subsidized by our government with tax-free status. We need to flood our legislators with demands for changes in tax-law to stop subsidizing discrimination.
The roman catholic church is the biggest satanic cult in the world. From the inquisition and beyond they have done more to hurt people in this world than they have done to help people. This, hurting young children, just proves beyond a doubt they ARE satanic. The evil nazi pope and his minions have sunk to a new low on this one. And I, too, can’t understand why any intelligent person would want to send their child to a catholic school. Especially a gay parent.
….”Chaput acknowledged that many Catholic schools accept students from other faiths and from single-parent families, but he said their parents are expected to support the Catholic mission of the school.
He said the church doesn’t believe God has any less love for the children of gays and lesbians than for other children, or that gays and lesbians are bad people.”….
So it’s not enought that you can afford the $$$, or that you love the children, or are in a loving, functioning family unit, or have spoken with the teachers and have had no complaints from the teachers about the children “acting out” on some “confused” lesson of life the teachers are offering…. And it is fine if you are Protestant, Buddist, Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan, Agnostic, divorced, an adulterer, eat shelfish and pork….etc? But If you are GAY…well, you and your children are beyond “saving” and not worthy of an education? It is difficult for the church spokesperson to justify their bigotry and discrimination…obviously the church DOES believe that God loves the children of gays and lesbians LESS than other children and it MUST belive that gays and lesbians are bad people…otherwise their entire rationale is someplace between Hyperbole and Catch22 and based not on the Bible or the teachings of Christ, but on the homophobia of a small group of backward men……DO THE KIDS A FAVOR: GET THEM OUT OF THAT SCHOOL AND PUT THEM IN A BETTER ENVIRONMENT!
Regarding – “The church cannot change these teachings because, in the faith of Catholics, they are the teachings of Jesus Christ”…
Christ NEVER mentioned regarding same-sex issues; individuals,couples or families. It’s a Catholic Church and man rule, nothing from Christ.
If Archbishop Chaput is genuinely concerned about protecting children, then he will act to ensure the bishop, archbishops and cardinals who covered up the sexual abuse of children are held legally accountable for their actions.
If he is interested in working with parents as partners, he will support the same-sex couple who are parents of these children, helping them to live their relationship faithfully.
Has Archbishop Chaput recently read the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 1? Harlotry (Rahab), incest (Tamar), adultery/murder by David (and “the wife of Uriah), and Ruth, the Moabitess. Jesus would be excluded from Sacred Heart School! Just like they wanted to throw him over the cliff at Nazareth.
They’re within their legal rights, IMO.
They may be within their legal rights , but morally , they are way off base. Regardless of ones opinion on LGBT persons , to take it out on children is reprehensible.The archbishop says “the church doesn’t believe God has any less love for the children of gays and lesbians than for other children….”but it is apparent that the church does.Did the children involved choose their parents? Are the children promoting homosexuality?( With mention of kindergarten & pre-school; I hardly think so.) The youngsters will almost certainly be aware of the controversy, even if they do not understand it.If they sense rejection from those in authority , it could leave emotional scars.This action is disgusting.
Do the same for every parent who uses birth control or is divorced.
They must follow church dogma/practice? Are there any second marriages where no new children have been born? Then it goes to follow those children should be removed. For that matter anyone divorced and remarried “Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18 – Jesus says that whoever divorces and remarries another commits adultery. This is an offense against the natural law.” So tell me Archbishop Chaput, I am sure you will expell any children of divorced and remarried parents.
The abused children around the world will stay in the schools and the orphanages, but the children of gay persons will be removed.
The church continues to drive away LGBT families. Some of us, before coming ut have ben part of the christian communities, this is one of the many reasons why we leave church. So the church is hurting the kids education because it has gay mommies, wow! And that helps the kids how?
Luke 12:51 “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
Well, they got that much right.
So the Roman cult believes in sex only between married couples? Well then, it has to stop marrying them if they’ve had sex before marriage. What a bunch of hypocrites. What do allegedly “celibate” men (what a laugh) know about human sexuality or relationships. If I were straight and in a troubled marriage, a catholic cultist cleric would be the last person I’d seek for advice and guidance. I renounced my own catholicism years ago, one of the best things I did and am now an avowed atheist. Catholicism next to Islam is one of the sickest cults on the face of the earth.