Controversies over Catholic school teachers being fired or disciplined for immoral or dissenting actions outside the classroom seem to be increasing.
The latest one involves a Wisconsin teacher fired for using in vitro fertilization to get pregnant. She says that she knows other teachers in the Catholic school system used the same procedure but weren’t fired. The obvious question is whether the administrators knew they used the immoral procedure. In Kelly Romenesko’s case, they knew because she told them. Oops.
It may not be entirely her fault though, because she says her parish priest told her it would be okay. This is exactly why it is important for bishops to crack down on priests who publicly utter heterodoxy and dissent in their parishes. How many others have been led astray by malfeasant priests? How many unborn babies died because priests told supplicants that it was okay to use in vitro fertilization?
In any case, because it’s important that Catholic school students not be led astray by illicit behavior of their teachers, I think this should continue. But I think that we shouldn’t just confine it to schools: Priests and other teachers of the faith must be held accountable too.
Technorati Tags:Catholic, dissent, doctrine, education, in vitro fertilization
I don’t know if you’re being sarcastic or not, but no. My wife and I conceived our daughter the old-fashioned way on our honeymoon. We’ve only been married just over year, not nearly enough time for us to even get to the point of deciding we have impaired fertility. Obviously, we don’t.
I’d ask for an apology, but combox trolls rarely give them. This is the sort of obnoxious comment that makes me wonder at the usefulness of comboxes.
Even if this was a case of mistaken identity and you confusing me with someone else, this is still clearly a case of accusing me of sin—hypocrisy, lying, and sexual immorality—without taking time for due diligence, of even approaching me in private email.
I’d suggest you consider bringing this up in confession.
I’m going to make a post while Dom comes down off the ceiling from Chloe’s post…
On Catholic doctrine… I found an interesting line in the Church’s proclamation on Masonic Institutions, and I wonder if they have such a proclaimation on other points.
It goes like this: It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 1981 pp. 240-241; English language edition of L’Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).
If I read this correctly, it is a note to priests and bishops that NO means NO! and you lack the competenceto give judgement on this.
I guess the could say CCC #2377 states the case against in vitro plainly, but how many priests EVER refer to the Catechism for anything!
After suffering nine years of infertility, my doctor told me I would never be able to conceive a child unless my husband an I made use of immoral means. I had been praying many hours every day but was not knowledgeable about what the church taught at the time. I thought I would do anything. However, that day, in that room, a voice said to me, “That would be a violation of your marriage vows” and I repeated it out loud to the physician. I was devistated for a moment standing there knowing I had no power to change my circumstance at all as I could not make use of any further medical treatments and was at the end of an incredibly suffering ordeal. I was a scientific hopless case.
However, instead of despairing, I went directly from the the physicians office at the University of NC to the public library to read the Bible and then to the Daughters of St. Paul where I purchased a rosary and began to pray it. Our Son was born nine months later and I have the medical records to prove that there was no medical hope of us conceiving and that we did in fact, nine months later have our biological and infinitely loved son. Then, two years later we had our infinitely loved daughter and then another son born on the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima or Our Lady of the Rosary.
I would encourage all married couples to make use of the treasures of our faith in desperate circumstances.
I know it is tempting when we suffer unbearable pain and sorrow to want to grasp at whatever is offered to ease our agony but by the grace of God, I was offered divine assistance and I know it is available to all in abundance. There is never a need to resort to sin for what we need or desire. God does provide and changes us forever in His own loving way.
In thanksgiving, my husband and I have tried to help mothers and fathers in problem pregnancies say yes to life with trust in God. If we hadn’t experienced this we probably wouldn’t have been as aware and compassionate toward these children and their mothers and fathers. It is only now that I can see a glimmer of God’s will in our past circumstances.
It is strange that one person or couple can suffer because they can not conceive a child and another can suffer because they have conceived a child.
I really am sorry for this mother and father though. They put their faith in science over God. They may have been gifted with a child but they have lost their faith and for parents faith is very necessary. Someday, their sense hopelessness may very well return.
Isabelle
Oh, one more thing. I believe that voice was the voice of my Confirmation that suddenly came to life!
Isabelle
I agree.
I hope my archbishop starts to crackdown on the malcontent priests here in Houston.
“I think that orthodox seminaries and formation programs have begun using it.”
If they’re not orthodox and can be identified as such, then why is the Church permitting them to remain open? I really can’t believe that Catholic seminaries don’t use the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What are they going to teach if not the Catholic Faith?
I do pray for priests, especially my own. We need many good shepherds. I will pray for you.
Isabelle
Chloe: Does Fr. Reed know that you’re using a Boston Catholic TV computer at work to slander his friends on the web sites?