A very good friend of mine has a blog (on another blog-provider that shall remain nameless). Unlike me, this friend (let's call him "Peter") actually has a gift for language. Most of the time my friend and I see completely eye-to-eye - especially on all matters relating to the Catholic Church. At least, I thought we did.
Then, he posted a prose piece (he writes mainly poetry and make no mistake, he writes GOOD poetry). It was about a recent event at a Denver Catholic elementary school. Seems like the pastor of the parish school felt like he had no choice but to bar a couple of kids from said school. The reason? Well, the kids (by all accounts) were pretty nice kids in many respects - but they had the bad fortune of having "two mommies" - (that is, two lesbian parents). I believe my friend "took down" his blog post (can't say why, but I am very happy). So what follows is his post (mixed case) and my response (in large capital letters - because, since I can't hear anyway, I have to SHOUT).
Hello Mike,
I will look forward to seeing you tonight.
"Lovely" was meant in an ironic way, of course. I have no way of knowing whether or not the two women are lovely in any sense of the word.
YES, PETER. YOU ARE VERY GOOD WITH WORDS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING WHEN YOU USE THOSE WORDS.
As I mentioned in my reply to your comment on the blog site it isn't unreasonable to reach the conclusion that the two people ( the ...in the absence of another descriptive noun...parents) in whose care the child is (now children are) to be found had two objects in mind when enrolling their charges, or seeking to enroll them, in a parochial school.
THEY ARE PARENTS, PETER. IT SEEMS TO PAIN YOU SO MUCH TO GRACE THEM WITH THAT WORD (AGAIN, YOU ARE GOOD AT WORDS!). DO THEY FEED THE CHILDREN? DO THEY WIPE THEIR ASSES AND CLEAN UP THEIR VOMIT? DO THEY GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THEY HEAR THEIR CHILDREN SCREAM FROM THE BED? DO THEY WORRY ABOUT THEM? ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LIVES THEY WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE? ANSWER ME THAT. THEN SEE IF YOU CAN BRING YOURSELF TO CALL THEM PARENTS.
I will not strip them of all human feeling and emotion and say that their purpose was merely utilitarian, political and calculating. No, I believe that they acted in some part with a concern for the welfare and development of the youngster(s), and from motives of their betterment.
WELL, PETER, AS WE USED TO SAY BACK IN THE DAY (THE "DAY" BEING WHEN WE WERE PROTESTING THE VIETNAM WAR, FIGHTING FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF BLACK PEOPLE, AND FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN - THOSE "DAYS" SO MANY YEARS AGO...)...'THAT'S MIGHTY "WHITE" OF YOU'!!
It is, after all, a commonplace that Catholic primary schools are better for children than most, if not all, public schools anywhere in the whole of these Untied States in a whole universe of ways. It is natural to assume that among the first options for those with means...and many without...for educating their young is to choose to place them where they will get the most advantage and benefit from education.
YEAH, WELL, THAT USED TO BE THE VIEW I HAD OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. AGAIN, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WENT TO CATHOLIC PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS, THEY SEEMED A LOT MORE TOLERANT. BUT WHAT DID I KNOW? I WAS A KID!! BACK THEN, MOST OF MY CLASSROOM TEACHERS WERE NUNS.
But, in this case the two adults involved with custody and care of the children are homosexuals. You cannot convince me that their choice of accommodating their lives to that fact, and the the fact that there is, not to put too fine a point on it, a war of cultures going on across a broad front today (as it has since Lucifer's "I won't serve!") one of whose battlegrounds involves the institution of marriage, the sacrament of matrimony and the whole structure of human society based on that on marriage and family did not enter into their considerations of a Catholic school for a place to put the childin their care, and possibly to advance their particular way of continuing the battle against tradition, morality and truth.
YOU'RE KIDDING ME, RIGHT?? TRADITION, MORALITY, AND TRUTH? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING WITH?? OK!! YOU WANT TRADITION? I HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY THAT SEX (AT LEAST HETERO-SEXUAL SEX) ACTUALLY PRE-DATES MARRIAGE!! I ALSO HEAR THAT HOMO-SEXUAL SEX (YEWWW!) ACTUALLY PRE-DATES "THE CHRISTIAN ERA".
IN FACT, I HEAR THAT THE FIRST HUMAN SEXUAL ACTIVITY "WITNESSED BY GOD" WAS MASTURBATION. AND GOD SAW "IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE". GOOD GRIEF, PETER!!
That they are, or may be Catholic themselves (I do not know) is beside the point...or, perhaps, adds to the whole stew of issues a flavoring at once dark and sour....(SOOOO VERY GOOD WITH WORDS!!!) People who seek entrance to Catholic schools for their children are informed that certain standards apply. No one will perform home visits, or stand at the door of the Church with a clip board in hand to count heads. But, they are put on notice. Even non-Catholic parents are aware that there will be education of their children in the doctrines, dogmas and practices of the Catholic Faith.
OK. SO THE "LEZ-BEAUX" HAVE BEEN PUT ON NOTICE. GIVEN THAT THEY HAD ONE CHILD ENROLLED AND ANOTHER WAITING TO ENROLL FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK THEY WERE PUT ON NOTICE "A LITTLE LATE". KID NUMBER ONE ENROLLED, WHEN? AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THIS WENT DOWN MID-MARCH?
I am sure that these two women were so advised; if not directly, then indirectly in the form of some handout from the school, a Parent's Guide if you will. Thus they had to know, if they did not already know, that they way they lived was problematic. Especially they had to know that if they were Catholic women; as certain politicians who claim the faith know certain things about their behavior, activities and political positions. They had to know that there might be consequences for them and for the child(ren) in their care, also.
YEAH, RIGHT! JUST AS I'M SURE THE PARENTS OF KIDS IN THAT SCHOOL WHO ARE DIVORCED MUST KNOW THAT "THERE MIGHT BE CONSEQUENCES". JUST AS THE PARENTS OF KIDS IN THAT SCHOOL WHO CHEAT ON THEIR TAXES, OR WHO PURSUE LIVES OF CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION AND BLATANT MATERIALISM. JUST AS THE PARENTS OF ..... WHAT'ZAT?? THE KIDS OF THOSE PARENTS ARE STILL IN THAT LITTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL??? ... I AM SHOCKED!
I believe that they made a calculation, given their professed position on the way they live, that one of two things would happen: the parish school would choose to look away and accept their interest in placing a child, or it would not, and at some point deny further access to a Catholic education. NOTE: This is not the same thing as denying a Catholic politician access to the sacraments. No one is being excommunicated here.
WOW! YOU MEAN THE USCCB AND ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT PASSED UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXCOMMUNICATE A COUPLE OF "SISTERS OF SAPPHO". WAIT TIL THIS GETS BACK TO ROME!!!
I said above that there is a war of a kind now going on, or continuing in a more heated fashion along a broad front. It is a truism that the first casualty of war is Truth. Father Breslin is insisting that Truth not be a casualty, and that the responsibility we all owe to Truth be maintained and carried by all. One is free to ignore it, but that does not obviate the consequences which result.
In other words, there's no free lunch.
As regards lesbians, children and temples, please see my NOTE above. No one is throwing anyone from anywhere. Both Father Breslin and his Archbishop are careful to point out that teaching a child in the care of two practicing homosexuals some of the things that are Christian doctrine about marriage, and the Commandments of God might be very painful for young ears.
What Father Breslin is doing is simply the same thing as Christ is doing. Sometimes Charity hurts..everyone. It is a lesson which needs teaching, and this is one of those moments. I am sure the Pharisees who were ready to stone the woman caught in adultry were hurt by the words of Christ when they heard the parable. I'd be happy to address the matter in an RCIA class.
PETER, I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO GO BACK TO YOUR BIBLE. IT'S JOHN 8:1-11. I THINK YOU MISSED THE POINT ENTIRELY. IT ISN'T ABOUT WHETHER THE PHARISEES GOT THEIR ITSY BITSY FEELINGS HURT.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I GET OUT OF THAT SCRIPTURE READING:
..."Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" ... "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"...She said, "No one sir." AND JESUS SAID,
"Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again."
LIKE THAT MESSAGE, PETER?? 'CAUSE I DO. OF COURSE, I KNOW I'M JUST "CHERRY-PICKING" THE SCRIPTURES.
GOD BLESS, PETER. SEE YOU EASTER MORNING.
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