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Ontario Catholic schools cannot require students to attend Mass, court rules

April 08, 2014

Catholic schools in Ontario cannot require students to attend Mass, the Ontario Superior Court has ruled.

Catholic high schools in Ontario are at times required to accept non-Catholic students, and to excuse them from religion classes. The court ruled that these students must be excused from attending Mass or spiritual retreats as well. Justice Ted Matlow wrote that these spiritual functions “have as their central purpose the provision of religious experiences and education to the students who attend them.”

 


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  • Posted by: unum - Apr. 09, 2014 9:40 AM ET USA

    This sounds reasonable to me because it applies only to non-Catholic students. Why would a Catholic school force them to attend Catholic liturgies? What is the problem?

  • Posted by: wtchurch5213 - Apr. 08, 2014 11:25 PM ET USA

    This is a really misleading headline. The way it reads makes one think Catholic students don't have to attend Mass, but it is only non-catholic students who don't have to. You should be more careful in how you present your article so that it doesn't mislead readers. Shame on you.