SCOTLAND, March 29, 2005, (LifeSiteNews.com) – Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien has publicly contradicted fellow Bishop Joseph Devine’s stand that the presence of homosexual teachers in Catholic schools would be incompatible with their mission. The public contradiction was greeted favorably by education authorities who disagreed with Bishop Devine’s statement, but sent shockwaves throughout the world’s Catholics.
Bishop Devine, president of the Catholic Education Service, was quoted in The Scotman of March 21st as saying: “Being homosexual would not at all be compatible with the charter. It would cut across the whole moral vision enshrined in the charter. It would be offering a lifestyle that is incompatible with Catholic social teaching.” His position has resulted in a number of education officials denouncing the statement.
Cardinal O’Brien, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, made his comments on Sunday saying: “If there happens to be a gay teacher and he does happen to be living with a partner, that’s their personal, private life. I don’t see it as a problem.” The Cardinal did admit, however, that it might cause a moral dilemma if the individual in question was to criticize and contradict the Teachings of the Church while teaching in a Catholic school.
For John-Paul Meenan, the executive director of a Catholic Liberal Arts college in north-eastern Ontario, who hails from Scotland, Cardinal O’Brien’s statement was particularly disturbing. Meenan, who runs Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, told LifeSiteNews.com that the Catechism of the Catholic Church holds homosexual acts to be gravely immoral and the inclination to homosexual sex to be ‘objectively disordered’. He was shocked that the Cardinal had issued the statement.
“I hate to see the Catholic schools in the land of my birth being infiltrated by a homosexual agenda,” Meenan told LifeSiteNews.com.
Campaign Life Catholic spokesman Surresh Dominic wondered if Cardinal O’Brien would be equally approving of pedophiles or polygamists being teachers at Catholic schools.“After all,” said Dominic, “the Catholic Church teaches polygamy and pedophilia are sexual aberrations as is homosexuality.”
Express your concerns to Cardinal O’Brien
[email protected]
Send a note of support to Bishop Devine
[email protected]