Note: To sign a petition asking for Patricia Jannuzzi to be reinstated, click here.
April 2, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Which two words best describe the reason LifeSiteNews exists? I could answer that a lot of ways – unborn babies, traditional marriage, Christian worldview – but I think I'll use these two words: Patricia Jannuzzi.
If you haven't heard of Patricia Jannuzzi, she's the high school theology teacher at a Catholic school who is being persecuted for posting a message on Facebook upholding traditional marriage.
In response to a story on her news feed about vile and vicious comments made by gay activist Dan Savage, Jannuzzi said the argument in favor of redefining marriage is “bologna.”
That's it. That's the whole outrage. But ever since she said “bologna,” she's been put through the grinder.
Unfortunately, one of the people who saw this message – on her private Facebook account – was the nephew of actress Susan Sarandon. She got her far-Left Hollywood friends to swoop down on the town and demand the school shut her up.
But here's where the story gets really terrible: The school turned its back on Jannuzzi – and some say the bishop lied to cover it up.
Bishop Paul Bootkoski of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey, said that Jannuzzi had been placed on leave, but she has not been fired, and “there has been no interruption in her pay and benefits.”
But then Jannuzzi's lawyer released a series of emails that show that may not exactly be true.
The principal at Immaculata High School in Somerville, Mrs. Jean G. Kline, sent an email saying, “I have decided to place you on administrative leave without pay effective immediately.”
In another email, her lawyer accepted a deal for the school to continue paying her salary and benefits – but it appears it was conditioned on Jannuzzi not being rehired next fall.
We personally feel very badly for this heroic, faithful woman who deserves much praise, or at the very least fair reporting of her firing, rather than condemnation. And we are trying to do whatever we can to help her.
All this woman did was share the Catholic Church's position on gay “marriage” on her own social media page, and even students who disagree with her fidelity say she is a kind and effective teacher who always has her students' best interests at heart.
But instead, the Catholic school – and the leadership of this diocese – decided to disregard her 30-year teaching career and throw her to the Hollywood lynch mob.
Jannuzzi can't afford to fight this on her own. She is a 57-year-old breast cancer survivor with one son in college and another in a parochial high school.
Until LifeSiteNews brought her story to light from a traditional perspective, all the media coverage had been hostile. Supposedly “impartial” media sources branded her post an “anti-gay rant” and hinted she was full of “hate.” (Come to think of it, that's the same thing they say about you….)
After our story, one of our reporters spoke with Patricia Jannuzzi. She couldn't say much for legal reasons, but she broke down in tears and thanked him for our media coverage. She also asked him to pray with her right there on the phone.
That's the reason LifeSiteNews is so necessary.
It's no secret that there's a war in America. But that war isn't just between “their” side and “our” side: it's taking place within the church.
When a beloved, veteran teacher can't disagree with the Hollywood jet set without fear of her diocese taking away her livelihood, things have gotten terribly out of control.
LifeSiteNews exists to inform you about what's going on in the world, from a faithful perspective. But we also exist to make sure people like Patricia Jannuzzi can have their story told, truthfully and without fear of being demonized. We want to give them a voice that all others are denying them.
We're here to hold everyone equally accountable – inside the church and out.
And our reporting is accurate – a little too accurate for some people's liking. Because we refuse to let “our” side slide when they step over the line, we can never count on them for financial support.
We have to rely on you. We have no one else.
Your generous support for LifeSiteNews helps us bring you the facts you need and the stories that other news outlets are afraid to touch – the stories they refuse to tell the truth about. We desperately need your help at this time to keep working at this mission.
In the last few days of Lent, do yourself two favors: Say a prayer for Patricia Jannuzzi, and make a donation of any size to LifeSiteNews.
God bless,
Ben Johnson, U.S. Bureau Chief
LifeSiteNews.com
