Real trouble
Alberta NDP Education Minister David Eggen claims he supports publicly-funded Catholic education. Really? Is that why he ordered a review of teacher contracts at all 17 Catholic school districts in Alberta, where Catholic teachers are actually being told to live Catholic values.
Eggen has organized a witch-hunt, encouraging Catholic teachers to contact the Human Rights Commission if they feel they are being discriminated against by “Catholicity” clauses.
I have long felt that Catholic education is in deep trouble, and now we have a perfect storm — an ex-principal catapulted into media stardom for standing against oppressive Catholics and their archaic view of marriage as a sacrament between a man and woman, a government that champions sexual freedom at all cost and a Catholic school system that has lost the courage to defend Catholic moral truths.
It’s all well and good for Catholic schools to charge ahead on social justice issues, but unless we can fearlessly live out what makes the Catholic faith so very special, our system — and country — are in real trouble.
Mario Loreto,
Toronto
Confused thinking
When we can “legally” dismember an innocent unborn child in the womb and euthanize the unwanted and call it freedom and autonomy, does anybody really believe that we can then truly care for the environment? Aren’t the womb and the human person part of the environment?
Sadly, we have built a culture that includes violence and death; we’re reaping what we have sown. Our society has pushed God, truth and faith out of the public square, but legally protects the worship of self, sex and the progressive secular state.
Of course it’s a great and noble idea to be responsible stewards of the world around us, both for ourselves and future generations. However, the medical profession long ago turned its back on the Hippocratic Oath of “first do no harm” when they began doing “legalized” abortion and euthanasia. The choice was a failure to show uncompromising respect for human life. This has resulted in our confused thinking that we can save the planet, and at the same time kill the unborn and those that wish to die in the name of “end-of-life care.”
Statements such as “reversing climate change could be the greatest health accomplishment in the 21st century” is sheer hypocrisy.
Lou Iacobelli,
Toronto
A step forward
Pope Francis has instructed that the abuse of children by priests is to be handled by the law. No longer will bishops be able to cover up and allow offending priests to be protected and allowed to move around. They are in the world, as we are in the world.
As much as we may speak about faith and the hereafter, we are in the world of flesh and blood. We live with trees and lakes and bears and climate change. We need to stress that in the schools and in the workplace.
Loving your neighbour means here and now, and abuse that happens must be acknowledged and reported to law enforcement. This is a step forward. Christians, while often stressing the hereafter, must live in the here and now.
Virginia Edman,
Toronto
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