Patheos blog
March 9, 2019
By Sarabeth Caplin
After a kindergartner was denied entry into a Catholic school for having same-sex parents, hundreds of people petitioned the school’s leaders hoping to reverse the decision.
The petition is addressed to Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann and school Superintendent Kathy O’Hara, both of whom oversee St. Ann Catholic School.
“Respectfully, we believe that the decision to deny a child of God access to such a wonderful community and education, based on the notion that his or her parent’s union is not in accordance with the Church’s teaching in Sacramental marriage, lacks the compassion and mercy of Christ’s message,” the petition reads.
I guess they didn’t realize they were speaking to leaders in the Catholic Church. Asking for compassion and mercy mean nothing to Church leaders when confronted with the opportunity to denigrate same-sex couples.
Unsurprisingly, Naumanmn and O’Hara refused to budge in their decision, claiming that the Church is firm in its stance about what “real” marriage looks like.
… in a statement to The Star on Wednesday, O’Hara said the “Church’s teaching on marriage is clear and is not altered by the laws of civil society.” Catholic doctrine recognizes marriage “as a sacrament entered into between a man and woman.”
“The Church teaches that individuals with same sex attraction should be treated with dignity,” the statement read. “However, the challenge regarding same sex couples and our Catholic schools is that same sex parents cannot model behaviors and attitudes regarding marriage and sexual morality consistent with essential components of the Church’s teachings.”
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