California diocese delays requirement for Catholic school personnel to affirm Church teachings
March 22, 2013
The Diocese of Santa Rosa, California, has delayed implementation of a policy that would require all Catholic-school teachers to affirm Church teachings on matters such as abortion, contraception, and same-sex marriage.
After meeting with pastors and school principals, Bishop Robert Vasa announced that the policy would not take full effect until 2015. He said that he was postponing the requirement out of respect for “the devotion and dedication of many in our Catholic schools who have labored and continue to labor with great love for the welfare of the children entrusted to our schools."
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Further information:
- Bishop delays 'morals' requirement (Santa Rosa Press Democrat)
- Bishop delays teacher pledge (Napa Valley Register)
- California diocese asks teachers to affirm Church teaching (CWN, 2/28)
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Posted by: Defender -
Mar. 24, 2013 1:52 PM ET USA
There are a number of things wrong here. Obviously the Catholic education in this diocese (et al) hasn't been entirely Catholic, elsewise why the difficulty in signing the "addendum?" A two-year wait, by itself, is a long time and time enough for foes of this action to consolidate. Finding Catholic teachers (or administrators)shouldn't be that hard - this tends to indicate administrators' and teacher interference. One would think that parents and priests would want authentic doctrine taught.
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Posted by: John J Plick -
Mar. 24, 2013 12:01 PM ET USA
Mat 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck...,” I must be doing something right this Lent because my heart is growing kinder towards the bishops. I am beginning to see that if I were a bishop I would tremble constantly, because of the above. This poor bishop tries to do right like Our Lord in the Garden, and then like Him must fulfill the second sorrowful mystery???
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Posted by: Frodo1945 -
Mar. 23, 2013 10:20 AM ET USA
So this Bishop talked to no one before he promulgated his policy. I would call that arrogance. Where do they teach leadership to these guys? His job is to teach, govern, and sanctify, not issue proclamations from on high.
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Posted by: koinonia -
Mar. 23, 2013 8:27 AM ET USA
Bad theology, bad thinking, "bad" charity. Bishop Sheen's analysis: "The Church has been and will always be intolerant so far as the rights of God are concerned, for heresy, error, and untruth affect not personal matters on which She may yield, but a Divine Right in which there is no yielding. The truth is divine; the heretic is human. Due reparation made, the Church will admit the heretic back into the treasury of Her souls, but never the heresy into the treasure of Her Wisdom." Love truth.
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Posted by: LCRich -
Mar. 22, 2013 10:34 PM ET USA
“the devotion and dedication of many in our Catholic schools who have labored and continue to labor with great love for the welfare of the children entrusted to our schools." My concern is about the welfare of the children in their afterlife. I don't see that concern addressed by this delay.
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Posted by: Defender -
Mar. 22, 2013 3:44 PM ET USA
I was wondering if this might not happen, never dismiss the power of such things as a priest council, education board/office and/or the threat of legal suits. It's a shame that it really looked like a bishop was finally going to control Catholic education, now it looks like there will be a TWO year delay. Really? It takes that long to say, this is my diocese and this is the way it's going to be?
