News

Archbishop Chaput defends school’s decision not to re-enroll lesbian’s children

March 10, 2010

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has written a newspaper column defending an archdiocesan school’s decision not to re-enroll two children being raised by an openly lesbian couple.

“The policies of our Catholic school system exist to protect all parties involved, including the children of homosexual couples and the couples themselves,” he writes. “Our schools are meant to be ‘partners in faith’ with parents. If parents don’t respect the beliefs of the Church, or live in a manner that openly rejects those beliefs, then partnering with those parents becomes very difficult, if not impossible. It also places unfair stress on the children, who find themselves caught in the middle, and on their teachers, who have an obligation to teach the authentic faith of the Church.”

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

• Archbishop Chaput: Catholic schools: Partners in faith with parents (Denver Catholic Register)
• Denver Catholic school: Lesbian couple’s child may not re-enroll (CWN, 3/8)

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• Posted by: LPFM - Mar. 11, 2010 5:22 PM ET USA

  Effort by lesbian pair primarily a quest for approval of a certain life style. The interests of the child were only an incidental.

• Posted by: Bernadette - Mar. 11, 2010 1:05 PM ET USA

  This problem and others current and "coming down the pike" serve to point up the sad state of catechesis among our Catholic adults. We must do a better job. First we need teachers who believe and are faithful and obedient servants. This includes the clergy as well as laity. Every parish needs to have ongoing catechesis for adults & attending these classes should be a requirement for receiving any of the sacraments, or for registration. The classes can be exciting & interesting, not onerous.

• Posted by: Bernadette - Mar. 11, 2010 12:57 PM ET USA

  GymK, the key words here are "openly reject." The examples you give are often not known to the administrators of the schools. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have an "Oath of Fidelity" to the Catholic Faith and list those moral teachings and precepts which are so egregiously flaunted and dissented from. Many Catholic adults are ill-taught these days and if they know and understand and then accept these teachings, they will sign. If they still dissent, their children will not be enrolled.

• Posted by: GymK - Mar. 11, 2010 10:29 AM ET USA

  Should the schools also expell the children of all those who practice artificial birth control or of politians who vote for abortion of of parents who do not attend Sunday Mass? How will these children ever hear or learn the Truth if we deney them a Catholic education. Why punish the child for the sins of the parents?

• Posted by: dad2dlj - Mar. 10, 2010 7:19 PM ET USA

  A charitable yet clear, concise and unapologetic statement on the situation. Would that all bishops were able or willing to explain and defend the Church so well.

• Posted by: jere3812 - Mar. 10, 2010 5:52 PM ET USA

  Hooray for courageous bishops and archbishops! Right down the line, neither wavering one way or the other. Would that other clergy emulated him!