(What a SPOILED ,ARROGANT, THOROUGLY PROGRAMMED SECULAR REACTION!
What a PERVERSE DISTORTED SENSE OF INJUSTICE!)
It seems that these students have never been taught the Church teachings on human sexuality but they are well versed in the prevailing popular public propaganda on sexuality espoused by our presentday secular society ...the culture of death! It seems these were things that they did not want to hear, were not able to hear , were too hard to hear.
Sadly, it also seems that these students are not likely to learn any better because it seems that many of those around them,their parents, teachers and community do not know or understand these teachings much better than they do.
"After a public meeting with diocesan and school officials turned ugly, with parents and students alike shouting at administrators over what they perceived as “hateful” remarks criticizing homosexual behavior, divorce and extra-marital sex"
Dear Students and Parents,
The Catholic Church teaches that these BEHAVIORS ARE wrong!
The Catholic Church teaches this BECAUSE JESUS TAUGHT THIS!
It is NOT hateful nor inappropriate to state that these behaviors or wrong!
It IS the Catholic teaching.
We do NOT JUDGE PEOPLE< THEIR HEARTS< OR THEIR SOULS.
But we DO judge behaviors. We are allowed to do that and we must to that...or should all the prisoners, regardless of the crime be let out. Do you think there shoud be no conseuences for behaviors. Let the murderers, rapists, child molesters do asthey please. That is what you are saying if you erroneously think/believe that behaviors should not be judged!
Even if there were some mistakes or errors in Sr Jane's presentation( and I am not saying there were or there weren't), it does not justify your actions or your PUBLIC DEMANDS for apologies. It does not justify the impact your actions and CHILDISH OVERREACTIONS have had on Sr Jane, her community,yourselves, your school, your diocese, and the Catholic Church. It does not justify THE HARM THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ALL OF THESE!
It is YOU who have acted inappropriately!
It is YOU who owe the apologies!
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HOMOFASCIST AGENDA AT WORK TAKING OVER YOUR COUNTRY AND TAKING AWAY YOUR FREEDOMS!
Bishop wants Catholic school to move on after nun's speech | www.wsoctv.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
LETTER FROM JUGIS:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The past few weeks have been very difficult for Charlotte Catholic High School. We have all experienced a great deal of pain. During this difficult time I want to express my support and encouragement for all the parents, students, staff and faculty at the high school. We must move forward toward healing with charity, the hallmark of our Christian life.
Different viewpoints regarding Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel's presentation to students on March 21, 2014 have been discussed in a variety of venues.
At the parent meeting on April 2, 2014 many expressed concern about the lack of advanced communication with parents regarding the subject matter of the assembly. Apologies were made at the meeting for that lack of advanced communication.
The content of the Church's moral teaching was not raised as a matter of contention at the parent meeting. All of our Catholic schools are committed to hold and teach the Catholic faith in its fullness and with integrity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains an explanation of our faith and is accessible to all.
During this difficult time I support the continued work of Fr. Matthew Kauth, the chaplain, Mrs. Angela Montague and Mr. Steve Carpenter, the assistant principals, and Mr. Randy Belk, the dean of students, and all they are doing for our Charlotte Catholic High School students. All of us are indebted to them.
I am shocked to hear the disturbing reports of a lack of charity and respect at the parents' meeting, and outside the meeting in conversations and in social media. There simply is no room in the Catholic Church for such displays of uncharitableness and disrespect. If we have failed in this regard let us make amends to God and neighbor. Even when we disagree, that disagreement should be expressed respectfully in love.
We ask the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy and His healing as we approach the celebrations of Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Sunday of the Lord's Resurrection. Please be assured of our continued dedication to the mission to teach and live the truth of the Catholic faith at our Charlotte Catholic High School.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Bishop of Charlotte
http://ncronline.org/blogs/just-catholic/attitude-adjustment-derby/
The attitude-adjustment derby
..
by Phyllis Zagano | Apr. 9, 2014 Just Catholic
Debates about homosexuality are not going to go away. Many, if not most, religions call homosexual acts immoral. They have varied theological analyses. Many, if not most, secular societies have adopted the third shoe of "don't ask, don't tell." That would be "don't care."
So why did students of a North Carolina high school and their parents throw Dominican Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel under the bus? She was talking about church teaching. And why did Brendan Eich, CEO of Mozilla, maker of the Firefox Web browser, quit his job? He provided plenty of protections for gay employees.
Laurel, a Dominican sister of St. Cecilia of Nashville, Tenn., is an assistant professor of theology at the sisters' college there. She holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the Angelicum in Rome. Her catechetical lectures include comments about psychological causes and effects of homosexuality.
Brendan Eich fought gay marriage with a $1,000 donation to California's Proposition 8 in 2008.
Each is among the fallen in the attitude-adjustment derby about homosexuality.
03-28-2014_catholic-ed.jpg
Take a sneak peak at our Catholic Education special section. This content is only available in the print newspaper and Kindle edition, so subscribe today!
..
Not long ago, at 1,400-student Charlotte Catholic High School, Laurel gave a school assembly talk called "Masculinity and Feminity: Difference and Gift." Published reports say many students -- and later, many parents -- were horrified as she blamed single parents and pornography for same-sex attraction and behavior. Her talk was not recorded, but sections of her online Newman Connection "Rich Gift of Love" lectures, especially "Stage 3 Adolescence," present much the same opinion.
The outrage of the 900 parents at a meeting with diocesan officials was twofold: What are Laurel's credentials, and why were parents not given advance notice about the topic of her talk? Someone started a change.org petition against her. Now there is a counterpetition. She has canceled all future talks.
Problem? On one hand, this was a diocesan school in the generally conservative southern United States. On the other hand, Laurel was presenting social science, not theology. That is a very important distinction because so many folks have been hurt by muddled presentations of fact. Homosexual activity and inclination each fall into the church's wide "objectively disordered" net, meant here specifically for acts not directed at procreation. That does not mean the church calls homosexuals "disordered," as in off-the-rails crazy.
Laurel apparently intimated, or even stated, that homosexuals are psychologically disordered, claiming gay men had between 500 and 1,000 lifetime partners. Even her college president admitted that Laurel's "deviation into realms of sociology and anthropology was beyond the scope of her expertise." The school's chaplain, who had heard her speak several times, apologized.
Then there is Eich, a founder and now former CEO of Mozilla, hounded out of his job because he disagreed with gay marriage. Eich's statements and actual policies to protect his gay employees notwithstanding, an angry boycott backlash forced him out. Oddly enough, the co-founder and CEO of OkCupid, the dating website that rallied the opposition, once donated $500 to a congressional candidate who opposed gay marriage. No matter; high-flying word bats beat down Eich. He resigned.
Eich apparently did not object to legal protections for gay couples but, like many others, did not want the word "marriage" expanded and redefined. But there was no allowing for his private political beliefs. A corner of gay activism became so enraged at his position that it called a boycott on Mozilla products, forcing his resignation. Even Andrew Sullivan, a writer whose credentials on the topic include his own homosexuality, wrote that it is "unbelievably stupid for the gay rights movement ... to squander the real gains we have made by argument and engagement by becoming just as intolerant of others' views as the Christianists."
Sullivan obviously criticizes those who fashion brickbats out of Christian teachings, not they who behave as Christians. I think we must agree. Religion and politics are an explosive mix, boring down into people's deepest thoughts and beliefs.
Within the gay marriage debate, the pro side argues for civil rights and protections not otherwise available to the couples. Within the homosexuality debate, the pro side has argued for biological roots and now also argues for simple behavioral preferences with psychological causes irrelevant.
Those against gay marriage argue on behalf of the singular definition of "marriage," and often for civil unions; religious teachings argue against homosexual behavior.
Has political correctness -- in either direction -- replaced facts and conversation? Eich lost his job. Laurel is going on sabbatical. I don't think it is a question of defending the positions of either of them. Eich has the perfect right to his political opinions, and Laurel's beliefs had to have been known before she appeared at the school. Yet each individual's story has become a blog, Facebook post, even a USA Today sideshow.
My principal question: Can these topics be discussed rationally, or have media and the blogosphere dragged everybody into an unending knock-down, drag-out screaming match? Is civility dead?
[Phyllis Zagano is senior research associate-in-residence at Hofstra University and winner of the 2014 Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice. She will speak May 6 at St. Francis Xavier Church in New York City and June 9 at Holy Family Church, South Pasadena, Calif. From June 9 to July 8, she will conduct a free online seminar about women in the diaconate based on the books Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future and Ordination of Women to the Diaconate in the Eastern Churches. Seminar registration opens April 21 at http://people.hofstra.edu/phyllis_zagano/MOOS.html]
Editor's note: We can send you an email alert every time Phyllis Zagano's column, Just Catholic, is posted. Go to this page and follow directions: Email alert sign-up.
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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/parents-meet-after-controversial-speech-school/nfQ6B/
Posted: 10:18 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Parents outraged after nun's speech at Charlotte Catholic
Related
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
Parents met at Charlotte Catholic Wednesday night to discuss a controversial assembly held on March 21.
A nun from Nashville spoke about the origins of homosexuality.
Students told Channel 9 they thought Sister Jane Dominic Laurel was only going to speak about gender but they said she also spoke at length about homosexuality.
Many students found her words inappropriate and their parents were outraged they weren’t notified.
The diocese told Channel 9 there may be changes coming as far as alerting parents about assemblies.
“That is something that we’ll definitely be looking to change in the future and something that we’re really going to hear a lot from the parents on,” David Hains, with the Diocese of Charlotte, said.
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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/nun-who-sparked-outraged-after-comments-charlotte-/nfTZF/
2014
A nun from Nashville spoke about the origins of homosexuality.
Students told Channel 9 they thought Sister Jane Dominic Laurel was only going to speak about gender but they said she also spoke at length about homosexuality.
Many students found her words inappropriate and their parents were outraged they weren’t notified.
The diocese told Channel 9 there may be changes coming as far as alerting parents about assemblies.
“That is something that we’ll definitely be looking to change in the future and something that we’re really going to hear a lot from the parents on,” David Hains, with the Diocese of Charlotte, said.
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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/nun-who-sparked-outraged-after-comments-charlotte-/nfTZF/
2014
Nun who sparked outraged after comments at Charlotte Catholic to take leave
Parents meet after controversial speech at school
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
A nun who sparked outrage at a Charlotte high school with comments about homosexuality will take a leave of absence.
She is now taking a sabbatical from her teaching position at a Nashville college.
Last month, Sister Jane Dominc Laurel told students at Charlotte Catholic homosexuality comes from a lack of a father figure and a lack of masculinity.
Now, Laurel is taking time off from her job at Aquinas College.
The college’s president said she went too far.
PAST STORY:Parents outraged after nun's speech at Charlotte Catholic
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http://wdtprs.com/blog/2014/04/update-bp-jugis-d-charlotte-endorses-sr-jane-laurel-and-talk-at-high-school/
From Fr. Z
UPDATE: Bp. Jugis (D. Charlotte) endorses Sr. Jane Laurel and talk at High School
I have written about the incident at the High School in Charlotte, where Dominican Sister Jane Laurel gave a talk on human sexuality that produced sparked a mob reaction. Nun UNDER The Bus and Sister explains the situation. Spittle-flecked nutty, bullying, intimidation ensue.
From LifeNews:
Fr Z kudos to Bp. Jugis. Mega kudos to Sr. Jane.
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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/parents-meet-after-controversial-speech-school/nfQ6B/
She is now taking a sabbatical from her teaching position at a Nashville college.
Last month, Sister Jane Dominc Laurel told students at Charlotte Catholic homosexuality comes from a lack of a father figure and a lack of masculinity.
Now, Laurel is taking time off from her job at Aquinas College.
The college’s president said she went too far.
PAST STORY:Parents outraged after nun's speech at Charlotte Catholic
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http://wdtprs.com/blog/2014/04/update-bp-jugis-d-charlotte-endorses-sr-jane-laurel-and-talk-at-high-school/
From Fr. Z
UPDATE: Bp. Jugis (D. Charlotte) endorses Sr. Jane Laurel and talk at High School
I have written about the incident at the High School in Charlotte, where Dominican Sister Jane Laurel gave a talk on human sexuality that produced sparked a mob reaction. Nun UNDER The Bus and Sister explains the situation. Spittle-flecked nutty, bullying, intimidation ensue.From LifeNews:
Charlotte diocese backs nun who gave school talk promoting Church teaching on homosexualityIt is good to see that some sanity is being applied.
CHARLOTTE, NC, April 7, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The bishop of Charlotte is backing a Dominican nun who has been at the center of a fiery controversy since last month when she gave a speech promoting Catholic teaching on sexuality to students at Charlotte Catholic High School.
After a public meeting with diocesan and school officials turned ugly, with parents and students alike shouting at administrators over what they perceived as “hateful” remarks criticizing homosexual behavior, divorce and extra-marital sex, [To think... that's how conditioned people are now by the MSM and the "new normal".] a spokesman for the diocese told LifeSiteNews that the nun in question, Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel, did nothing wrong and will be welcome to speak on the issue again if she chooses.
“Nothing in Sister’s talk opposed Church teaching,” Diocese of Charlotte Communications Director David Hains told LifeSiteNews in an email. “Sister would be welcomed to speak in the diocese in the future.”
Hains said Bishop Peter Jugis is expected to make further public comment on the situation soon.
Sr. Laurel’s critics have complained about a section of her talk in which she discussed scientific findings related to the causes of homosexuality. [And here I thought the Church embraced science.] According to the Charlotte Observer, she was accused of using “suspect anecdotes, antiquated data and broad generalizations to demonize gays and lesbians as well as divorced and single parents.” [That's right... if you state what the Church teaches, that homosexual acts are disordered, that's "demonizing".]
But one Catholic scientist says he recently heard the sister give the exact same speech she delivered to the students, and in his opinion, there is nothing in it to which a practicing Catholic could possibly object.
“I was in attendance at the same presentation when given on Long Island, NY a few months ago,” Dr. Gerard Nadal told LifeSiteNews. “In that meeting, Sister Jane gave medical and scientific data that came from reputable sources and were presented as examples of the consequences for human behavior that contravenes the moral magisterium of the Church. As a Ph.D. in medical science, and as a Catholic schooled extensively in my faith, I saw no contradictions, but rather a seamless presentation.”
Still, in light of all the controversy, Aquinas College announced in a press release Friday that Sr. Laurel has asked to take a sabbatical from her teaching and speaking duties for an indefinite amount of time.
After the sister’s speech at a school assembly last month, students at the school launched an internet petition drive demanding an apology from everyone involved with arranging the speech, which quickly garnered thousands of signatures. Some parents also initiated a letter-writing campaign to the school’s chaplain, the bishop and even the Vatican, to complain. [Complete with pitchforks and torches.]
Last week, school and diocesan officials held a public meeting to address the issue. The meeting attracted nearly 1,000 people, most of them offended by the nun’s remarks.
The Diocese of Charlotte’s newspaper, the Catholic News-Herald, reported that the meeting was acrimonious, with those who dared to speak out in support of Sr. Laurel or the Church being shouted down by an angry mob. The paper’s sources called the atmosphere “disrespectful” and “hate-filled.”
[... READ THE REST THERE... several quotes of reactions, all interesting...]
“Darkness has fallen upon us with all of the attendant confusion which it brings,” Kauth continued. “Our Lord can speak to this darkness just as He did in the beginning and say, let there be light.”
To read Fr. Kauth’s full statement regarding Sr. Laurel’s presentation click here.
Contact:
Diocese of Charlotte
Phone: (704) 370-6299
chancery@charlottediocese.org
Fr Z kudos to Bp. Jugis. Mega kudos to Sr. Jane.
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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/parents-meet-after-controversial-speech-school/nfQ6B/
Parents outraged after nun's speech at Charlotte Catholic
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
And the devil wins this battle! Thanks a lot for all the overreactions and PUBLIC dissension at Charlotte Catholic High School. These students should have NEVER started an online petition DEMANDING APOLOGIES! What is wrong with simply disagreeing? Whatever happened to working it out with the people involved? I should not even know about a presentation at an assembly at this Catholic high school in North Carolina. Yet I do. Your little public tirade has caused much PUBLIC scandal and heartache and taken a faithful servant of the Lord out of commission for the time being. Are you proud of yourselves?
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http://catholicnewsherald.com/press-releases/bishop-jugis/45-news/rokstories-local/5264-charlotte-catholic-speaker-sparks-student-petition?showall=&limitstart=
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http://catholicnewsherald.com/press-releases/bishop-jugis/45-news/rokstories-local/5264-charlotte-catholic-speaker-sparks-student-petition?showall=&limitstart=
Charlotte Catholic student petition taken offline
Last Updated on Friday, 11 April 2014 16:32
Page 1 of 4
Petition criticized student assembly on sexuality by Dominican sister
CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Catholic High School student who launched a petition critical of a recent assembly on human sexuality has taken it down and thanked supporters.
The petition at www.change.org garnered 4,689 names – some real, some fabricated – before being closed by the author, who is not being identified in the Catholic News Herald.
It was drafted in response to a talk by Sister Jane Dominic Laurel, a Dominican from Nashville, Tenn., and a frequent speaker in the Diocese of Charlotte. She spoke to an all-school assembly March 21 on "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," which explains Catholic teaching about gender using Blessed Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. The assembly, arranged by the school's chaplain, was based on a series of instructional videos she created for Aquinas College in Nashville where she is an associate professor. She has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
The petition listed 10 objections to the presentation, concluding with "We the students of Charlotte Catholic High School are confused why time was spent condemning the practice of homosexuality," it said in part.
In the wake of ensuing anger from parents, along with national media scrutiny over the assembly and the actions of school officials, Sister Jane withdrew from a scheduled May appearance in the Diocese of Charlotte. The president of Aquinas College, Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith, issued a statement April 4 that Sister Jane was taking a sabbatical from teaching.
In the message announcing it was being closed, the author of the petition wrote, "Thank you to everyone in the CCHS community who supported my petition. I have now removed it from change.org because I feel that its goal has been accomplished. I wanted to call attention to something I felt was wrong so that something similar would not happen in the future. Certainly enough attention has been brought to the issue, and I believe that our school system is working towards a meaningful change. The petition has served its purpose and can now be put to rest. It's time to look forward and not backward. Not forget but move on. The Charlotte Catholic community is one I have grown up with and love. I have faith that our community can weather this storm."
A counter petition also launched on www.change.org entitled "Stand Up for Catholic Beliefs" is still online and had more than 2,500 commenters as of April 8.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. Photo courtesy of Aquinas College via YouTube.
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http://catholicnewsherald.com/press-releases/bishop-jugis/45-news/rokstories-local/5264-charlotte-catholic-speaker-sparks-student-petition?showall=&start=1
Charlotte Catholic student petition taken offline
Last Updated on Friday, 11 April 2014 16:32
Page 2 of 4
Dominican nun at heart of Charlotte Catholic controversy takes leave from teaching
Sister Jane Dominic Laurel withdraws from all speaking engagements, takes leave from teaching at Aquinas College
CHARLOTTE — The Dominican sister who gave a presentation on sexuality to students at Charlotte Catholic High School that sparked controversy among students and parents last month is taking a sabbatical from teaching and cancelling her other speaking engagements.
The presentation March 21 by Dominican Sister Jane Dominic Laurel of Nashville, Tenn., entitled "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," drew the ire of hundreds of students and parents over the past two weeks, and their emotions boiled over during a parents meeting with school and diocesan leaders Wednesday night.
Sister Jane has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, and her presentation at Charlotte Catholic was based on a series of instructional videos she created for Aquinas College in Nashville where she is an associate professor. She gave similar talks to youths and parents at St. Mark Church in Huntersville on March 23 and gave a related talk at Charlotte Catholic High School last fall.
In an April 4 statement, the president of Aquinas College defended the school's curriculum and Sister Jane's credentials as a theologian, but acknowledged that the portion of Sister Jane's presentation of social science data about the alleged causes of same-sex attraction – which prompted many of the concerns from parents and students – was outside the scope of her academic background.
Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith's statement reads, in full:"The events around the recent talk by Sister Jane Dominic Laurel, O.P. in Charlotte, NC have produced a great deal of speculation from many sides. Among the commentators, there are few who were actually present to hear the talk, which was not recorded.
"It is the firm belief of Aquinas College that all men and women are created in God's image and likeness and are made with a capacity to love and be loved. The College supports the Catholic Church's teachings which are open to the diverse needs and desires of all, which must be considered in light of eternal truths.
"We support and affirm that every man and woman, regardless of his or her state in life, deserve respect, and that the health of any culture is gauged according to the capacity of its members to uphold their own beliefs while respecting the beliefs of others. The College's patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, was known for his ability to thoughtfully consider all things and retain what is true, regardless of the source of that truth.
"We believe it is our privilege to bring the best aspects of our faith tradition to bear on the moral and cultural questions of the present age. In her presentation, Sister Jane Dominic spoke clearly on matters of faith and morals. Her deviation into realms of sociology and anthropology was beyond the scope of her expertise. Sister is a trained theologian from a Pontifical University and has the credentials to contribute to scholarly bodies of work. This she has done in the past with distinction. The unfortunate events at Charlotte Catholic High School are not representative of the quality of Sister's academic contributions or the positive influence that she has had on her students. The students at Charlotte Catholic were unprepared, as were their parents, for the topic that Sister was asked to deliver. The consequence was a complete misrepresentation of the school's intention to bring a message that would enlighten and bring freedom and peace.
"There are no words that are able to reverse the harm that has been caused by these comments. The community of Aquinas College is saddened by this extreme outcome and wishes to reiterate that this is not something the College condones or desires to create. There is division where there should be unity. The events and discussions that have transpired over the last two weeks reflect that there is something in this that surpasses an ordinary high school assembly.
"Sister Jane Dominic has cancelled her speaking engagements and, at her request, is preparing to begin a sabbatical from teaching at Aquinas College. It is our sincere hope that the community of Charlotte Catholic High School will soon begin a process of healing and renewal, and that all who have been affected by this event will be drawn into profound reconciliation as we approach this great season that commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Among the speaking dates she has cancelled, Sister Jane has withdrawn from speaking at the 2014 Diocesan Youth Conference at the Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville in May.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
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http://catholicnewsherald.com/press-releases/bishop-jugis/45-news/rokstories-local/5264-charlotte-catholic-speaker-sparks-student-petition?showall=&start=2
Charlotte Catholic student petition taken offline
Last Updated on Friday, 11 April 2014 16:32
Page 3 of 4
Angry parents condemn Charlotte Catholic student assembly on sexuality
CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of parents packed the gym of Charlotte Catholic High School April 2 to criticize a recent student assembly on human sexuality and the school leaders who arranged it.
The presentation March 21 by Dominican Sister Jane Dominic Laurel of Nashville, Tenn., entitled "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," drew the ire of many students and parents over the past week and sparked an online petition with more than 3,000 names.
About 900 people attended the April 2 meeting, arranged by school and diocesan leaders to hear from concerned parents and explain the intended purpose of the assembly. There were comments from parents who supported the school and the presentation, but most of the comments were critical.
Parents said they felt betrayed by school administrators for not being told about the March 21 all-school assembly beforehand. Other parents objected to some of the controversial material Sister Jane presented about the alleged causes of same-sex attraction and the way she presented it.
The first parent to speak said her student came home after the March 21 assembly feeling ashamed and embarrassed.
"Where was the trust? Where was the communication?" she said, directing her comments to Father Matthew Kauth, the school's chaplain who arranged for the assembly. "It is trust. It is respect. It is confidence. I have lost confidence. I do not trust your judgment and I do not respect (Father Kauth)." Her comments drew loud applause from many others.
Parents heard apologies and statements from Father Kauth, as well as from Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education, and Charlotte Catholic's dean of students and two assistant principals.
School leaders asked parents to engage in a respectful dialogue, and a statement was read aloud from Bishop Peter Jugis, who was unable to attend because he was presiding at a church dedication in Hayesville. Bishop Jugis prayed there would "be a friendly and respectful conversation among Catholic brothers and sisters, united in the one faith and in the love of Almighty God."
But many parents' emotions boiled over, with arguments even carrying over into the school's parking lot when the meeting ended after two hours. Two observers called the meeting's climate "disrespectful" and "hate-filled."
"There was a lot of passion from two different viewpoints," David Hains, diocesan director of communication and moderator for the parents meeting, said afterwards.
Sister Jane has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, and her presentation was based on a series of instructional videos she created for Aquinas College in Nashville where she is an associate professor.
In his statement, Father Arnsparger explained that Sister Jane "has been invited to give this presentation very many times throughout the country in many dioceses and with great interest and success. Many said that the first part of her presentation at Charlotte Catholic High School was excellent and fully in line with the Catholic faith. There was unfortunately a misunderstanding about the content of the last part of the presentation. In that part, I understand that Sister used data from the Linacre Quarterly, a reputable journal, and from other sources. That data can be debated and, in fact, is debated back and forth by scholars who are researching the areas of human sexuality. Because of the ongoing debate, it would have been better if these studies and data were omitted from the presentation to the students."
In his remarks, Father Kauth likened the Catholic faith to a light that dispels the darkness, and the truth which sets people free from sin. (Read his full statement.)
"When I came here, I experienced to an increasing degree the suffering that comes to our children and the blackness they feel inside. They are taught by nearly every form of media that Christ’s teachings in His Church are restrictive bars, medieval torture chambers to keep them from happiness. When they have 'broken free' I get to see their agony," he said.
His intention, Father Kauth explained, was to bring back a popular speaker to give a different voice on the topic of sexuality to students. Sister Jane's talk last fall at Charlotte Catholic was so well received, he said, that he invited her back to deliver a presentation to the entire school.
He defended Sister Jane's presentation on same-sex attraction as it related to Church teaching, but he distanced himself from the social science data she quoted as being appropriate for the forum of the student assembly.
"I was stunned as anyone," he said, when asked why he didn’t stop her talk. "I didn’t know she had inserted this other piece. That piece (on homosexuality) is something that I wouldn’t have presented" in that forum. He said later that he takes responsibility for not making that clear.
Father Kauth repeatedly told the crowd of parents that Sister Jane should not be blamed, and that any fault should be pointed towards him.
"I take my responsibility very seriously," he said. "No one here has a monopoly on love. Everyone in this room wants what is best for these children."
Parents were given three minutes each to express their concerns and ask questions, but as moderator Hains frequently had to remind speakers to control their emotions.
One parent told Father Kauth, "You have divided parents, you have divided students, and we’ve lost respect for you."
A parent who said she was representing homosexual and bisexual students at Charlotte Catholic said Sister Jane "pounded home the message" that if these students are questioning their sexual identity, they had better stay in the closet. She also said she felt the presentation created nothing but an unsafe environment for these students at the school.
Several parents questioned why Father Kauth did not stop the presentation once it went awry.
"I wasn’t sure where (Sister Jane) was going," he responded. "I assumed her goodwill. She didn’t say anything that was contradicting to our faith."
Some parents tried coming to Father Kauth’s defense but were shouted down by other people. Several parents thanked Father Kauth profusely for the positive impacts his ministry has had on their children, who are students at the school.
"I trust the administration here and it has brought very good and energetic talk into our household," one parent said, but they were booed.
Another parent told Father Kauth, "You don’t know best for our children. What are you planning on doing for the healing? We want our children to remain Catholic, but we are being pushed away by the climate of what is going on here."
In an effort to express his displeasure with the discussion by Sister Jane, one parent said he suggested to his child that they should have just gotten up and left the assembly.
"We all need to recognize that there are gay and lesbian students at Charlotte Catholic High School," said the parent. The parent further explained that gay and lesbian students need to be embraced with love, not hatred. He said the discussion was "over the top" and never should have been allowed in the first place.
Afterwards, Hains said the meeting was designed to assure parents of "a commitment on the part of the school to better communicate when dealing with issues of sexuality."
School administrators Angela Montague, Randy Belk and Steve Carpenter said they regretted not notifying parents about the assembly in advance, as has been done for other assemblies in the past.
"It is our hope that the feedback from you this evening, combined with our own reflections, will provide insight for considering any beneficial changes in our current practices. We recognize and value the love, care and concern our students have for each other as has been made evident the last couple of weeks," they said.
— David Exum and Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Catholic News Herald.
Editor's note: Read tweets about the discussion on Charlotte Catholic's Twitter page
Resouces
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2357-2359
Chastity and homosexuality
2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/homosexuality
Commonly-asked questions on Catholic teaching about homosexuality: http://www.catholic.com/browse/all/homosexuality/all/all
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Charlotte Catholic speaker sparks student petitions
UPDATE: Dominican sister withdraws from scheduled appearance at diocesan youth event in May
CHARLOTTE — Parents of Charlotte Catholic High School students have been invited to a meeting at the school at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, after an online petition started by a student questioned the views of a speaker at a recent assembly who spoke on human sexuality.The petition was launched in response to a talk by Sister Jane Dominic Laurel, a Dominican from Nashville, Tenn., and a frequent speaker in the Diocese of Charlotte. She spoke to an all-school assembly March 21 on "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," which explains Catholic teaching about gender using Blessed Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body.
The April 2 meeting at Charlotte Catholic High School is open to parents of Charlotte Catholic students, school faculty, and pastors of the Charlotte diocese.
In a letter addressed to parents and posted April 1 on the school district's website, school leaders stated that they "hope to hear from you and to answer some of the questions you may have about the assembly. As your child's first and most important teacher it is important for you to understand exactly what happened in the assembly."
Father Roger K. Arnsparger, the diocese's vicar of education, along with Charlotte Catholic administrators and school chaplain Father Matthew Kauth will speak at the meeting as well as listen to comments and take questions from parents, the statement said.
Although he has a prior commitment in Hayesville that prevents him from attending the meeting, Bishop Peter J. Jugis is preparing a message of prayerful support to the parents.
Sister Jane's March 21 address to students, which was arranged by Father Kauth, was based on a series of instructional videos she created for Aquinas College in Nashville where she is an associate professor. She has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
Speaking last week about the purpose of the student assembly, Father Arnsparger said, "Our students are bombarded with confusing messages about sexuality. Our task in religious formation is always to help people understand the meaning of love and relationships."
According to the www.newmanconnection.com website where Sister Jane's videos are posted, her presentations focus on the differences between the genders, the role of the family in nurturing each child's unique gifts, the importance of real friendships and emotional intimacy, and the impacts of contemporary culture and the media on our concepts of sexuality.
School officials said Sister Jane spent about half of her hour-long talk on homosexuality, including attributing a correlation between the decline of fatherhood in America and the rise in homosexuality.
It was that portion of her talk that sparked the petition and a counter petition, followed by emails, comments in social media and blogs. One email asked readers to contact school and diocesan leadership to express their support for Sister Jane. School officials said a majority of the emails they have received oppose the views expressed by Sister Jane.
The petition opposing the visit, online at www.change.org had more than 3,200 names – some real, some fabricated – as of April 2. The petition states, "We found some of (sic) ideas expressed to be both offensive and unnecessarily derogatory."
The petition lists 10 objections to Sister Jane's talk, concluding with "We the students of Charlotte Catholic High School are confused why time was spent condemning the practice of homosexuality," it said in part.
A counter petition online at www.change.org, entitled "Stand Up for Catholic Beliefs," stated, "We are outraged that the topics talked about are being debated within a community where the shared faith teaches us what truly is holy and that anyone would stand up against a nun, who has given her life for the Lord, and blantly (sic) deny God's teachings." It concluded, "The purpose of this petition is souly (sic) to help our misguided brothers and sisters in Christ, to better understand our Catholic beliefs." As of April 2, it had garnered more than 1,550 names.
When reached by telephone last week, Sister Jane said she has given similar talks more than 80 times in 25 states.
She gave similar talks to youths and parents at St. Mark Church in Huntersville on March 23 and gave a related talk at Charlotte Catholic High School last fall.
She said she presents the Catholic viewpoint toward persons with same-sex attraction by saying, "Homosexual persons do not need our judgment, they need our compassion."
Sister Jane had been scheduled to return to the diocese in May, to address the 2014 Diocesan Youth Conference at the Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville. However, in an April 1 statement, Father Arnsparger said Sister Jane will not be coming.
"Sister Jane Dominic has withdrawn from speaking at the Diocesan Youth Conference in May," his statement said. "I completely understand the decision of Sister’s Mother Superior that the timing is not right for her to make a return visit to the diocese. It was very thoughtful of Sister Jane to withdraw from this planned speaking engagement as the Diocese of Charlotte deals with the concern of parents of Charlotte Catholic High School students. Sister Jane Dominic has been a frequent speaker throughout the country and we look forward to learning from her in the future."
— David Hains and Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Catholic News Herald.
Angry parents condemn Charlotte Catholic student assembly on homosexuality
CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of parents packed the gym of Charlotte Catholic High School Wednesday night to criticize a recent student assembly on human sexuality and the school leaders who arranged it.
The controversial presentation March 21 by Dominican Sister Jane Dominic Laurel of Nashville, Tenn., entitled "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," drew the ire of many students and parents over the past week and sparked an online petition with more than 3,000 names.
About 900 people attended the April 2 meeting, arranged by school and diocesan leaders to hear from concerned parents and explain the purpose of the assembly. There were comments from parents who supported the school and the assembly, but most of the comments were critical.
Parents said they felt betrayed by school administrators for not being told about the March 21 all-school assembly beforehand. Other parents objected to some of the material Sister Jane had presented about homosexuality and the way she presented it.
The first parent to speak said her student came home after the March 21 assembly feeling ashamed and embarrassed.
“Where was the trust? Where was the communication?” she said, directing her comments to Father Matthew Kauth, the school's chaplain who arranged for the assembly. “It is trust. It is respect. It is confidence. I have lost confidence. I do not trust your judgment and I do not respect (Father Kauth).” Her comments drew loud applause from many others.
Parents heard apologies and statements from Father Kauth, as well as from Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education, and Charlotte Catholic's three assistant principals.
School leaders asked parents to engage in a respectful dialogue, and a statement was read aloud from Bishop Peter Jugis, who was unable to attend because he was presiding at a church dedication in Hayesville. Bishop Jugis he prayed there would "be a friendly and respectful conversation among Catholic brothers and sisters, united in the one faith and in the love of Almighty God."
But many parents' emotions boiled over, with arguments even carrying over into the school's parking lot when the meeting ended after two hours. Two observers called the meeting's climate "disrespectful" and "hate-filled."
"There was a lot of passion from two different viewpoints," David Hains, diocesan director of communication and moderator for the parents meeting, said afterwards. Also, he noted, "there was frank admission that while (Sister Jane's) talk was factually correct, the school assembly was not the proper venue for that information."
Sister Jane has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, and her presentation was based on a series of instructional videos she created for Aquinas College in Nashville where she is an associate professor.
In his statement, Father Arnsparger explained that Sister Jane "has been invited to give this presentation very many times throughout the country in many dioceses and with great interest and success. Many said that the first part of her presentation at Charlotte Catholic High School was excellent and fully in line with the Catholic faith. There was unfortunately a misunderstanding about the content of the last part of the presentation. In that part, I understand that Sister used data from the Linacre Quarterly, a reputable journal, and from other sources. That data can be debated and, in fact, is debated back and forth by scholars who are researching the areas of human sexuality. Because of the ongoing debate, it would have been better if these studies and data were omitted from the presentation to the students."
In his remarks, Father Kauth likened Catholic teaching to a light that dispels the darkness, and truth that sets people free from the chains of sin.
"When I came here, I experienced to an increasing degree the suffering that comes to our children and the blackness they feel inside. They are taught by nearly every form of media that Christ’s teachings in His Church are restrictive bars, medieval torture chambers to keep them from happiness. When they have 'broken free' I get to see their agony," he said.
His intention, Father Kauth explained, was to bring back a popular speaker to give a different voice on the topic of sexuality to students. Sister Jane's talk last fall at Charlotte Catholic was so well-received, he said, that he invited her back to deliver a presentation to the entire school.
He took full responsibility for Sister Jane's discussion on homosexuality as it related to Church teaching, but distanced himself from the social science data she quoted.
“I was stunned as anyone," said Father Kauth, when asked why he didn’t stop her talk. “I didn’t know she had inserted this other piece. That piece (on homosexuality) is something that I wouldn’t have presented.”
Father Kauth repeatedly told the crowd of parents that Sister Jane should not be blamed, and that any fault should be pointed towards him.
“I take my responsibility very seriously,” said Father Kauth. “No one here has a monopoly on love. Everyone in this room wants what is best for these children.”
Parents were given three minutes each to express their concerns and ask questions, but as moderator Hains frequently had to remind people to control their emotions.
One parent told Father Kauth, “You have divided parents, you have divided students, and we’ve lost respect for you.”
A parent who said she was representing lesbian, gay and bisexual students at Charlotte Catholic High School said Sister Jane “pounded home the message” that if these students are questioning their sexual identity, they had better stay in the closet. She also said she felt the presentation created nothing but an unsafe environment for these students at the school.
Several parents questioned why Father Kauth did not stop the presentation once it went awry.
“I wasn’t sure where (Sister Jane) was going,” he responded. “I assumed her goodwill. She didn’t say anything that was contradicting to our faith.”
Some parents tried coming to Father Kauth’s defense but were shouted down by other people. Several parents thanked Father Kauth profusely for the positive impacts his ministry has had on their children, who are students at the school.
“I trust the administration here and it has brought very good and energetic talk into our household,” the parent said, but they were booed.
One parent told Father Kauth, “You don’t know best for our children. What are you planning on doing for the healing? We want our children to remain Catholic, but we are being pushed away by the climate of what is going on here.”
In an effort to express his displeasure with the discussion by Sister Jane, one parent said he suggested to his child that they should have just gotten up and left the assembly.
“We all need to recognize that there are gay and lesbian students at Charlotte Catholic High School,” said the parent. The parent further explained that gay and lesbian students need to be embraced with love, not hatred. He said the discussion was “over the top” and never should have been allowed in the first place.
Afterwards, Hains said the meeting was designed to assure parents of "a commitment on the part of the school to better communicate when dealing with issues of sexuality."
School administrators Angela Montague, Randy Belk and Steve Carpenter said they regretted not notifying parents about the assembly in advance, as has been done for other assemblies in the past.
"It is our hope that the feedback from you this evening, combined with our own reflections, will provide insight for considering any beneficial changes in our current practices. We recognize and value the love, care and concern our students have for each other as has been made evident the last couple of weeks," they said.
— David Exum and Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Catholic News Herald
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Fr's (the chaplain) letter Charlotte Catholic High
When I went to seminary over 20 years ago, I recall with what great joy I learned about Christ and His teachings in His Church. For me it was the difference between looking at stained glass in the dead of night-being able to make out rough lead outlines and then to have those windows shot through with the power of incandescent light. The lead bars I had taken in my youth for skeletal formations were actually the solid frame work for those gleaming gems of glass. His teachings seemed like skeletal death without the light. With the light, indescribably attractive. My reaction? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me this? Why did no one tell me that He and His teachings were so beautiful? Sorrow for my own sins and repentance ensued but also a deep desire to shine-to tell anyone and everyone what it looks like with light.
When I became a priest, I was assigned to St. Matthew’s. It was a parish of young families and the problems for the young are not always the same as those for the seasoned. Questions constantly came to me about the lead structures-the skeletal formation of the teachings: why no abortion, why no contraception, why no divorce and remarriage, why the teaching on same sex attraction? As a skeletal structure it seemed as if the teachings bred death, hatred, an absence of love. Those bars seemed to confine more like prison bars than the Gospel of liberation. Most knew the bars but few had seen the glass. So I began to shed light-not my light for who am I? The light of Christ as explicated by my father Blessed John Paul II, who as Providence would have it, died on this day in 2005. What was the result of these talks? Why didn’t anyone ever tell us? I saw the same wonder and attraction to the teaching and at the same time the pain, different for all, of past remembrances of sin. If only someone had shown them they said. To break through those bars can be tempting like escaping from a cage-to so, however destroys the image, destroys us. The structure is His law, the design in His mind written into our very nature, and to break it, breaks us.
When I came here, I experienced to an increasing degree the suffering that comes to our children and the blackness they feel inside. They are taught by nearly every form of media that Christ’s teachings in His Church are restrictive bars, medieval torture chambers to keep them from happiness. When they have "broken free" I get to see their agony. I desire with a father’s heart to protect them harm and the false notions of freedom to be able to live in the true freedom which chastity brings-free to love as we were made to love.
This is where Sister comes in. I heard Sister speak in the Fall at St Patrick’s. While I had given so many talks on this topic in so many different ways I found her approach just different enough-a new voice and the added perspective coming from a woman. I decided to bring her here. As you recall, I wanted the boys and girls separate and thought it would be a time for families to address these topics in a more intimate setting. The result across the board? Why didn’t anyone ever tell us this? She had shown light and those bars were not the bars of a cage, but that which held up the beauty of Christ and the human person and kept the enemy, our only enemy, from damaging their beautiful souls. Those bars protect the dignity and beauty of the human person as well as hold up His beautiful image in us. It was so well received that at the request of parents and students alike I decided to have her back for the whole school.
Now many of you are asking me the same question as the above but for a different reason than I had hoped: Why didn’t anyone ever tell us this? Herein lies the confusion.
I asked her to give the same talk she gave while here before. By this time I had heard it 3 times. There was nothing in it which to my mind would require notification anymore than other assembly speakers we have had this year. However, Sister asked me a few days before the talk if it was ok for her to give a different talk. I asked why and she said it would be too difficult in that venue. I encouraged her to give the talk. The kids who had been there had even asked me if she was giving the same talk since they wanted their friends to hear it. Right before she began she asked me once again, are you sure you want me to give the same talk with the discussion on same-sex attraction? I said yes. Here is where two ships passed seemingly in the sunlight but actually in the night. What I didn’t know was that Sister has a section that she sometimes inserts into her talk that focuses on the leading studies of the CMA on same sex attraction. She simply assumed that is what I meant for her to do. Now I understand her initial hesitation. I didn’t know such a section existed. In that sense I was as stunned as anyone. I was not stunned by what she said per se as I had read similar things in various medical/theological journals. What I was stunned by was its inclusion in that venue. Why? Because without a small venue, a gentle hand, parents, a calm approach, good will, and most importantly the opportunity for follow-up questions this discussion exposes and unnecessarily prods at a wound that everyone has to some degree or other. What some of the students saw and what many believe now as a result of descriptions is that there were bars without glass. The light was eclipsed and no light creates caricatures and the semblance of death.
This breaks my heart. No one here has a monopoly on love-it is not as if this group or that group or this teacher or that teacher loves and the other doesn’t. We want the good for these children which means principally what we want for them is the greatest good, Jesus Christ Himself in all His light and splendor and beauty. The truth alone will set us free. For some that truth, the revealed truths of our Lord, truths which this school exists to expound, may have been obscured. For that I am sorry. Nothing in the Church’s teaching harms us-it gives life. Nevertheless those teachings if not transmitted in a way which is prudent, timely, and precise making the distinctions necessary can appear as a weapon of war and not a surgeon’s tool for healing. It was no one’s intention to do so-quite the opposite.
The Light has come into the world, St. John tells us, and the darkness has not overcome it, but sometimes it can be eclipsed by ignorance or by sinfulness. If in any of my sins I have eclipsed that truth-if I have been a momentary obstacle to His light for you or anyone else because of my weaknesses or sinfulness I am heart-fully sorry. Sister and I are both quite aware of the biblical admonition from our Lord about what happens if one leads a little one astray and I am not fond of the mixture of millstone and water. The intent is and has only been to shine so as to set them free. However to hide Christ’s saving teaching is also a means to lead them astray by allowing them to be led away by another- and as you know as parents, there are many who would take your children where you do not want them to go. Christ is light and in Him there is no darkness. His light sets us free to love as we were made to love-in the full dignity and beauty of the sons and daughters of God. His light also exposes and that can be painful. But that same light
radiates the beauty of what we were made to be and can be if we would but receive it and assist each other in love to receive it. That is why it is Good News. Darkness has fallen upon us with all of the attendant confusion which it brings. Our Lord can speak to this darkness just as He did in the beginning and say, let there be light. I pray we use this opportunity together to gently watch, learn and teach as the light softly dawns upon the window of His adorable face shining also on the visage of every person He has created.
Updated: 6:10 p.m. Friday, April 4, 2014 | Posted: 12:02 p.m. Friday, April 4, 2014
CPCC students protest after transgender student claims she was harassed
CPCC students protest after transgender student claims she was harassed
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IT SEEMS SR. JANE AND THE FIASCO AT CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC HIGH MAY BE PART OF A LARGER AGENDA! HOMOFASCIST AGENDA AT WORK TAKING OVER YOUR COUNTRY AND TAKING AWAY YOUR FREEDOMS!
Street preacher and students clash at UNCC
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
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