By Bonnie L. Cook
Philadelphia Inquirer
March 2, 2011
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/117221203.html
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| The Rev. James St. George was not rehired. |
A group of Chestnut Hill College students is rallying support for the Rev. James St. George, an adjunct professor dismissed after speaking openly about a gay relationship.
Jessica Murray, 23, a student in the college's continuing-education school, set up a Facebook page Tuesday in behalf of the instructor.
"Will you help me by going to my Facebook page and joining my Support Father James St. George page?" she texted. Forty-four people signed on. A rally is being planned at the school for Saturday.
St. George, 45, pastor of St. Miriam Catholic Apostolic Church in Blue Bell, learned Feb. 24 he would no longer be teaching at the Catholic college in Northwest Philadelphia. St. George called the move an act of antigay bias. He had taught religious topics as a part-timer there since 2009.
In a statement Saturday, college president Sister Carol Jean Vale defended the action, saying St. George had posed as a Roman Catholic priest while being part of a "house of worship" that allows priests to engage in "same-sex partnerships" that defy church teaching.
The priest said he had always been openly gay and forthright that his church had no ties with the Vatican.
On Monday, Vale sent an e-mail to students saying: "I would like to emphasize to you that: Jim St. George was not fired; all adjunct instructors are hired on a part-time basis, one eight-week session at a time; and adjunct contracts are not offered consistently or sequentially.
"A new contract for the upcoming session was not offered to Jim St. George, not because he is gay, but because his recent public statements regarding his long-term, same-sex partnership are at odds with the beliefs and mission of Chestnut Hill College and the Catholic Church."
However, an e-mail sent Feb. 16 to 60 teachers, including St. George, seems to show that administrators intended to hire him for the current semester.
"Please review the attached document from Dr. Elaine Green regarding your Spring 2, 2011 contracts," the e-mail said in part.
Spokeswoman Kathleen M. Spigelmyer said the e-mail was not a contract or a confirmation of employment. Instead, it included a set of standard "housekeeping" instructions to adjuncts, in part to submit a syllabus for consideration, she said.
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