CABOOLTURE, Australia, March 31, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An Australian Catholic secondary school has withdrawn permission for an event featuring a former homosexual speaker at the school, saying the presenter is not in line with Christian values and that “the Catholic Church abhors all forms of homophobia.”
Ann Rebgetz, principle at St. Columban’s College, wrote in a statement that Miracle Christian Center, the group intending to put on the event, requested permission to hold a “meeting” at the secondary school, without informing the school of the “nature of the ‘meeting.’”
Miracle Christian Center (MCC), a world-wide Christian church ministry group that aims at “global evangelization,” advertized the American speaker, Adam Hood, as, “A straight man who used to be a homosexual.”
Newspaper advertisements said Hood would “tell his story of how he was set free from homosexuality and now leads a strong Christian life with his wife and family.”
“Can a homosexual be free from same sex thoughts, attractions and feelings? Adam Hood says ‘yes,’” says the ad.
“Seeing the advertisement in the newspaper was the first time the college became aware of the true nature of the event,” said Ann Rebgetz. “I withdrew permission for the meeting to be held on college property, and notified the organisers that the nature of the meeting was not in line with the college’s Christian values.”
The school “acted in good faith” by agreeing to “provide a venue for the self-proclaimed Christian group,” said Rebgetz, but MCC “deliberately withheld from the school the real nature of the event.” Rebgetz echoed the words of the Executive Director of Catholic Education, saying “the Catholic Church abhors all forms of homophobia and will not provide a venue for homophobes to spout their views.”
The MCC website states, “We desire to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ’s saving, healing, delivering and restoring power to every man, woman and child, both in Word and in supernatural demonstration of God’s power.”
Rebgetz concluded, “We are in no way associated with the Miracle Christian Center, do not support its views, and will not allow the group to use our facilities.”
Contact information:
St Columbans’s College
100 McKean Street
PO Box 1254
Caboolture Q 4510
E-mail: Use this form.