CATHOLIC SCHOOL TO FIRE EMPLOYEES WHO SUPPORT GAYS
An American Catholic school’s new policy will punish gay employees or any employees who show support for gays and lesbians.
The Cincinnati Archdiocese added the “morality clause” to the new employment contract for the school’s 2014-2015 year.
It makes being gay or lesbian grounds for being fired and any expression of support for the so-called “homosexual lifestyle” will also be grounds for dismissal. The new contract further prohibits membership in any LGBT rights organisation.
The contract reads: “Such conduct or lifestyle that is in contradiction to Catholic doctrine or morals includes, but is not limited to, improper use of social media/communication, public support of or publicly living together outside marriage, public support of or sexual activity out of wedlock, public support of or homosexual lifestyle, public support of or use of abortion, public support of or use of surrogate mother, public support of or use of in vitro fertilisation or artificial insemination, public membership in organisation whose mission and message are incompatible with Catholic doctrine or morals, and/or flagrant deceit or dishonesty.”
The new contract comes in the wake of a wave of firings of LGBT teachers and administrators at Catholic schools in the US over the past two years.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called on diocese leaders to show true Christian values and not discriminate against LGBT teachers or straight allies in their employment practices.
“At a time when Pope Francis is talking about support of civil unions, the Cincinnati Archdiocese, in a throwback to past times, is talking about firing gay and lesbian teachers and silencing their straight supporters,” commented Dr. Sharon Groves, director of the HRC Religion and Faith Program.
“This isn’t in keeping with the olive branch Pope Francis has extended to LGBT people around the world, but even more importantly, it’s not in keeping with the living message of God’s love of all people.
“The majority of Catholics and people of faith believe LGBT people deserve dignity, respect, and equal protections under the law, and at the same time leaders of the Cincinnati Diocese are determined to weed out supporters of LGBT equality. This must stop,” she said.
According to HRC, recent polling found that 86 percent of American Christians believe the very tenets of their faith compel them to support protections for LGBT people under the law and 59 percent of lay American Catholics support marriage equality.
There was a time when their crusaders swept across Europe and the Middle East killing Muslims, Jews and even fellow Christians. There was a time when they kept silent when millions of Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals were murdered and burnt to ashes in the 1940’s. There was a time when human beings were tortured and burnt alive by catholic priests/ inquisitors in public executions because they dared to be different. There was a time when this “holy mother church” turned a blind eye to the pain of thousands of children who were abused by her priests and nuns. Today, it is the LGBT who are their victims: We are classified as disordered. We are told we can never fall in love and live a normal family life. We are told to never have no right to sexual intimacy until the day we die because celibacy is our fate. We are fired from their schools and institutions. WE ARE SILENCED, MADE INVISIBLE. Once again the church is turning a blind eye. How can any civilized country, with human rights enshrined in its constitution, allow these violators if human rights to exist? Why are these violators of human rights not taken to an international court of justice and held accountable?