I found the story in the March 18 Catholic Messenger regarding Archbishop Charles Chaput’s refusal to re-enroll two children of lesbian parents in a Boulder, Colo., Catholic school very disturbing.
I disagree with his rationale. Many people don’t live in harmony with church teachings. There are people in problematic marriages. We have seen people involved in organized crime and other scandalous situations. There are, no doubt, countless people whose violation of church teachings is as bad or worse than these lesbian parents.
I disagree that allowing the children to remain at the Catholic school would place an “unfair burden” on the children. We’re talking about children in kindergarten and first grade. At this grade level, are they getting into discussions of homosexuality in Colorado’s Catholic schools?
At an appropriate level, far beyond the first grade, you can present sensitive sexual teachings in a diplomatic way not singling out any individual situation. Countless children come through their education unscathed, despite having parents in marriages not approved by the church.
This policy penalizes innocent children who have no power over their parents’ actions. They are to be denied a Catholic education simply because of the actions of their parents? We should actually embrace such children as students rather than shun them.
In the clergy sexual abuse scandal, certain members of the hierarchy have winked at flagrant violations of church teachings. Why do we penalize kindergarten children, and not them?
Let us be mindful of the passage from the Gospel of Matthew 19:13-14. Let the children come to Jesus and do not hinder them.
Richard O’Neill
Rock Island, Ill.
