Dear Excellency,
I am writing to ask for clarity about your recent statements regarding Catholic theology teacher Patricia Jannuzzi. As you are aware, Mrs. Jannuzzi was recently punished by the school she has taught in for 31 years for writing a single post on facebook critical of the homosexual agenda and in support of traditional families. Here is her post:
Last Friday, the Lepanto Institute paid for an ad to be played during the Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity radio programs urging concerned Catholics to call your office to encourage you to defend this teacher and secure her employment at your Catholic school. In response to the multitude of phone calls you received, you posted the following statement on the Diocese of Metuchen website:
My dear brothers and sisters,
We are a compassionate Catholic community committed to treating our students, faculty and parishioners with respect. We have never wavered from our traditional Catholic teachings.
To that end we need to correct some misstatements with regard to the teacher in question.
The teacher’s comments were disturbing and do not reflect the Church’s teachings of acceptance. However, she has never been terminated, as some media outlets have reported. She has been put on administrative leave. There has been no interruption in her pay and benefits.
Pope Francis reminds us that we are to accept all of our brethren. We must ensure that our educators steer away from harsh and judgmental statements that can alienate and divide us.
We regret that certain individuals and groups are using inaccurate media reports to push their own agendas.
Your Excellency, I can’t speak for any other group, but the only “agenda” at the Lepanto Institute is to stand in defense of this teacher’s fidelity to Catholic teaching; a fidelity you imply is absent from her facebook post. You said, “The teacher’s comments were disturbing and do not reflect the Church’s teachings of acceptance.” There are several things that are unclear about this statement, which we hope you will clarify.
- What was disturbing about Mrs. Jannuzzi’s comments? Aside from the grammatical and typographical errors in her online comments, Mrs. Jannuzzi’s facebook post says in its essence that there is a homosexual agenda, this agenda is aimed at the slow extinction of western civilization, and that children and humanity need healthy families consisting of a mother and a father.
- Was her comment about the existence of a homosexual agenda what disturbed you? If so, you should be disturbed by the reality of it, not because she said it. We know there is a homosexual agenda because in 1989, the book, “After the Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90’s,” lays out a six-point plan for how they could transform the beliefs of ordinary Americans with regard to homosexual behavior in a decade-long time frame. A quick glance back shows how the plan was executed to perfection, and the end result is that same-sex “marriage” is the greatest fight of this generation.
- Was her comment regarding the slow extinction of western civilization disturbing? Considering the fact that no less than five cities (Sodom, Gomorrah, and three others) were completely incinerated for one of the four sins which cry to Heaven for vengeance, it seems that her only misstatement was the use of the word “slow.”
- It’s hardly conceivable that you would be disturbed by her closing statement that children and humanity need healthy families consisting of a mother and a father. So please explain to the faithful in precise and unambiguous terms what was disturbing about Mrs. Jannuzzi’s facebook post.
- What did Mrs. Jannuzzi say that did not reflect Catholic teaching? If there is something which Mrs. Jannuzzi said that is not in line with Catholic teaching, then the faithful need to be taught by Your Excellency what she said that was in error, and what the teaching of the Church is.
- What is the Catholic teaching on Acceptance? I searched all through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and I can’t find a single reference to a teaching on “acceptance.” Would Your Excellency be so kind as to explain to the faithful what the Magisterial teaching on “acceptance” is so that we may be sure of living in union with the teachings of Holy Mother Church?
As you can see, Your Excellency, the situation is confusing for the faithful, which is why a clear explanation from you is so needed. Additionally, you said, “we need to correct some misstatements with regard to the teacher in question,” and then proceeded to explain that Mrs. Jannuzzi “has never been terminated,” was “placed on administrative leave,” and that “there has been no interruption in her pay and benefits.” It seems that Your Excellency has been misinformed since Mrs. Jannuzzi’s children are reporting that her term of employment will end in August 2015, and she has been informed that her teaching contract will not be renewed for the next school year. This is commonly referred to as “terminal leave,” and it is quite clear that the situation is centered on her one facebook post.
Your Excellency, this situation is greatly distressing to the faithful. It is clear that the world is engaging in an all-out assault on the Church’s moral teachings and that our freedom to openly practice our faith is in grave danger. Please reexamine and reconsider the injustice being done to a faithful Catholic teacher in your employ.
God bless you, Your Excellency.
Michael Hichborn
President, Lepanto Institute
There seems to be a lot of this beating up of the lay faithful going on lately. The treatment of this Mrs. Januzzi is disgusting. It is uncharitable and there is no evidence of mercy. To now say that she is receiving “full pay and benefits” is disingenuous. She won’t be after August when her contract expires. She has not been “terminate” but she won’t be “rehired!” Further, the bishop has essentially blackballed her from working again as a teacher. Objectively speaking, he seems to be very culpable in this. I have made the point on Vox Cantoris that he is personal responsible and certainly liable. As far as I know, the United States bends to Common Law in the matter of a “corporation sole” and the Bishop is open to a major lawsuit for wrongful dismissal and perhaps even defamation; Mrs. Januzzi is owed justice, notwithstanding St. Paul’s admonition on lawsuits.
This situation in New Jersey is not even the latest example.
The Bishop of Boise, the Most Reverend Peter F. Christensen, MA. DD., has publicly chastised a State Senator for her comments about Hinduism after availing herself of her right not to be present during the praying to what we all know are false gods.
According to a statement released to the press; “Her opinions “do not represent the opinions or teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, (Boise) Bishop Peter Christensen or even our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who has been an outspoken supporter of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue,” said a statement from the Boise Diocese provided on Friday by communications director Michael Brown. “Sen. Nuxoll’s comments reflect her own personal opinions.” Well, she never said she was speaking for the “Catholic Church” but the fact is, she was right!
What is going on with these bishops? When are they going to defend the smelly sheep in the peripheries and Our Lord’s teaching? Perhaps, I ask this question rhetorically; they are not. Then, we must see them for what they are and call them out for the sake of our brothers and sisters and the Truth of Christ and His Church.
I could not agree, more. Lepanto Institute made certain light was thrown on this disgraceful episode. It will not be the last time, God willing, that faithful RC’s must Stand Up to out of control clerical abuse of their authority.
Indeed. It’s time R.C.s – Time to make a stand. Be ready! Sadly, many of our bishops will not be standing with us….God have mercy! OK – Let’s Go!
This all sound so much like what happened at the end of Mary Shelly’s book “Frankenstein,” where the villagers, (R.C. Parishiones) will be heading towards the Monsters Castle to seek revenge upon Dr. Frankenstein (most Catholic Bishops), and to kill the monster (Gay Agenda). This is a mere sentiment, but we seem to be heading in that direction. Sure the media is what it is, (corrupt) and the American Bishops have apparently lost all sense of reason regarding Catholic teachings and dogma. But what will the final outcome of this mess tend towards?
Indeed, Mr. Domet’s remarks about ecumenism are to be taken to heart. Remember, ecumenism is a Protestant concept, designed to lessen the gaps in the many professions of faith that still remain apart from the Universal Faith (That would be us, here in Catholicism, to make it abundantly clear.) The point is that Catholics do not participate in ecumenism to find some spot in the middle between what we believe and what other separated brethren believe. It never has been so, and never will be. The sole point of Catholic recognition of and participation any dialog of ecumenicism with other folks, Christian or not, is to save souls by bringing Christ crucified to them in the fullness of the Catholic Church. There is no middle ground. Sounds harsh, eh? Hell is like that.
Thank you for the clarification, Kenneth. I have long been persuaded that ALL on the planet should be Catholic because of The Fullness of Faith given the Roman Catholic Church by Jesus when He gave Peter the keys. This word ‘ecumenism’ is somewhat perplexing and yes, it IS a protestant word, I see that now quite clearly after reading your comment. Thank you!! How the Holy Spirit will bring about one sheep herd is His problem but I will always be courteous to non-Catholics in order to avail myself to them when needed. I gave up what I thought, at the time, was the MOST prized opportunity I could have in this life to remain Catholic. How could I possibly deny the Presence of Christ in Holy Communion after reading John 6 for a mere proposal of marriage with a mortal who was not Catholic?! I am happily married to a fine man and we are able to assist at Holy Mass almost every day now! The only and greatest treasure in existence is to worship The One True and Only God – The Holy Trinity. Even Jesus HImself said if you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you have no life within you. Yes, hell is harsh, quite harsh. So let’s all avoid it and believe in the One True Lamb of God – Jesus the Christ. Charity and courage to you AND to the bishops. May Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Word up
Looks to me like the Wolves are bearing their teeth.
I was recently banned from an online catholic forum for a post very similar to Mrs. Jacuzzi ‘ s which I clouded statements similar to yours. I replied to the warning I had received on the topic that the forum appeared to have the same sort of ‘rats in the walls’ that prevented bishops from taking action against the sodomite priests in the early 1990s. For this I was labeled a troll and banned for life. It’s quite evident that bishops are being pressured by the same groups to twist the Holy Father’s words this way – in other words, the networks are still in place in disaster is and dioceses.
I too am an educator working hard to encourage our young students to stand strong in the ‘public square’. Hard enough in the first place…but what will happen when their own Church for which they are suffering persecutes them within ??
Do not let the world win…we are in it but not OF It !!!
If you muzzle people because of their sincere stated belief, opinions, and views, you have no equal right either, most of all you have no right to be i authority or to be in control of a school. Simply, you deserve to be Fired!
Would a Catholic schoolteacher in such a diocese be able to read from Sacred Scripture, e.g., 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Jude 7, etc.? Or would that merit being put on administrative leave? Remember the 9 ways to contribute to the sin of another? Now tell us how this diocese, in light of the spectacle that has been made of Miss Jannuzzi, has indicated to the public that homosexual sex is a mortal sin. Or has it “by silence” voiced its approval for a sin that leads to perdition?
I find the bishops actions uncharitable to say the least. In fact he is denying the very acceptance and charity to Ms. Jannuzzi as demanding of her towards homosexuals.
I believe the bishop failed to take into consideration that Ms. Jannuzzi was responding to what she sees as unethical and deceptive methods by homosexuals to win 14th Amendment protections with their ultimate aim of winning approval for homosexual marriage. That is what she directed her remarks toward. Broadening her remarks to present a larger picture of Catholic Theology on homosexuals would have been a bit out of place. I concur with her views and I believe they are consistent with Natural Law and the constant teaching of the ordinary and universal Magesterium.
Below is a letter I will email tonight to Bishop Bootkoski and encourage everyone else to contact him as well: his email address is [email protected].
March 23, 2015
Reverend Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski
Diocese of Metuchen
146 Metlars Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854
RE: Ms. Patricia Jannuzzi
Your Excellency,
I respectfully write to you about the suspension of Ms. Jannuzzi in response to a post she made regarding homosexuality. My take on her post is that she was responding to a pro-homosexual interview et. al. that she found disturbing. In her response she made three points:
1. She explained that the interview was dishonest because homosexuals are using a ruse to obtain 14th Amendment Rights (equal protection under the law). Homosexuals argue that they had no choice because they were born homosexual [being born homosexual is not settled science at this point] and so they should be covered by the 14th Amendment as a protected group. Their argument is that their condition is permanent and is no different than race, gender, disabilities etc. However, once they gain 14th Amendment protection their arguments morph from a permanent condition to people having the right to decide if they are gay or not therefore moving into and out of a protected group. Something not intended by the 14th Amendment. I believe her view that this is a form of social engineering is correct and her views are consistent with natural law and the constant teaching of the ordinary and universal Magesterium regarding homosexuality.
The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction. This summer the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will decide the constitutionality of homosexual marriage. Otherwise I believe homosexuals enjoy all the rights and protections of any citizen. Even if the court decides that homosexual marriage is constitutional, as Catholics, we cannot conform to an unjust law and accept the negative impact on society, as suggested in Ms. Jannuzzi’s post..
2. I did not see where Ms. Jannuzzi’s views were at all inconsistent with Church teaching. The Church labels homosexual relationships as ‘intrinsically evil’. That is pretty harsh language, and in the context of Catholic voting guides this label is rarely softened by explaining the Church’s acceptance of homosexual individuals but active homosexual relationships.. So in the context of the interview etc. to which she was responding her remarks are not harsh and not exclusionary. At the end of her post she rightly promoted the need for traditional families for the protection of children and society.
3. Please correct me if I’m wrong but the Church teaches that homosexual relationships are intrinsically disordered and cannot be accepted (cf. CCC para. 2357). But, the Church states, “They (homosexuals) must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (cf. CCC para. 2358). I believe the thrust of Ms. Jannuzzi’s remarks is that she is objecting to the questionable methods employed by active homosexuals to obtain 14th Amendment approval and approval of homosexual marriage; and so her position is totally consistent with Church teaching.
Christ showed not acceptance of or tolerance for the Pharisees when he chastised them; Matt 26:30 – “[26] Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean. [27] Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men’ s bones, and of all filthiness. [28] So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. [29] Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just, [30] And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.”
I believe putting Ms. Jannuzzi on administrative was unjust and not renewing her contract would be downright punitive. I beg your Excellency to show Ms. Jannuzzi the same charity and acceptance that you demand she show to homosexuals. I seriously doubt that Pope Francis would approve your actions.
Respectfully,
Dennis Malone
Glenwood, IA
Thank you Dennis. Well put. The Bishops are SUPPOSED TO LEAD US IN HOLINESS AND IN LEARNING HOW TO HONOR THE HOLY TRINITY. Do i have to speak more loudly?
Sad days in the Church.
Good on ya Kevin.
Who was it that said that the bottom of hell was paved with the skulls of Bishops? I wonder why…..not!
I think it was St. John Chrystostom, but not completely 100% on that. He sure hit the nail on the head.
The ‘GOOD’ Bishop (and I use that term loosely if not sarcastically) needs to step down.
The Bishop needs to repent, publicly. We WILL learn humility. Praise the Lord 🙂
Sounds right
I’m sick and tired of being billeted by the homos and the idiots who support them
Bulleyed not billeted
When Jesus forgave sinners , such as mary magdeline for example, He said go and sin no more. He did not ACCEPT the sin , He told the sinners to repent. We had a priest last Sunday who said we must accept homosexuality because God created them. That to me is not what Jesus would do. We must hate the SIN , and show compassion for the sinner.
I think this ‘born that way’ theory is now being looked at quite scrupulously by the scientific community. They seem to be going more in the ‘nay’ department than the ‘yea’ department on the matter.
The bishop needs to be sacked
Indeed, it is a sad day for the church. I too suffered being asked to no longer consider myself a member of the Archdioceses of St. Louis Catholic Committee. It seems my exposure of the Girl Scouts and their agenda was not to their liking. FB Make the Girl Scouts Clean Again. The Bishops give a yawn to the facts. This teacher is the one who has shown courage and I trust with the great work of Michael Hichborn and the Lepanto Institute that she will be reinstated. St. Michael defend us in our day of battle. Prayer is so necessary. The attack of Satan has given rise to the call of Catholics eager to save our faith.
If Bishops are against catholic teaching and for firing this innocent teacher, what do we do? This has to stop.
Sadly, there’s more bad news regarding another Catholic Bishop. I read that Catholic State Senator Shery Nuxoll was not supported by Bishop Peter Christiansen of The Diocese of Boise whe she boycotted an opening prayer at a state senate session that was conducted in Hindu. She said that Hinduism is a false religion with false gods.
Unfortunately, The Bishop said that Nuxoll did not represent the opinions or teachings of The Catholic Church.
I called the Bishop’s office and explained respectfully the The Church has always taught that error has no rights, and Jesus, Our Lord said that He is The Way The Truth and The Life and that no one can go to The Father except through Him…The Bishop’s secretary told me she would pass the message on to The Bishop.
Let us pray for all Bishops,Cardinals and Priests to be of courage, and to comfort their flock!
The Bishop in regards to Ms. Jannuzzi wasn’t very “accepting” of her and her views. Seems the “acceptance” crowd isn’t so accepting of others.
I find it very suspicious when a prelate of the Church gets bent out of shape when someone speaks against the sin of sodomy. Why is that sin such such a touchy button for them? Hmmm…
I have often wondered about some bishop’s sexual orientation. This may explain something. No one, not the priests, bishops, cardinals, or even the pope can change Catholic Moral Teaching. I fear our very Catholicism is being sacrificed daily on the altar of political correctness.
Yes Larry, you have a point, and I have yet another point. MONEY. Heaven forbid that the money flow would stop.
Talk about friendly fire! Instead of supporting this woman for upholding Catholic Teaching, it seems this bishop decided to shoot her in the back.
It’s bad enough that the secular media crucifies anyone who supports traditional marriage, but to have Bishops joining the LGBT “Thought Police” is quite disturbing.
We are now actively and vehemently being persecuted about as much from the INSIDE of the Church as from the OUTSIDE of the Church. What do we do?? The only thing I can think of at the moment is to put on the armor of God and fight……..bravely, publicly, and loudly come what may, with prayer being our greatest weapon, I will keep on writing to the Bishops and Cardinals and Priests who do not uphold Catholicism, but at the rate we’re going, that’s getting to be a full time job.
The only thing that will get the attention of bishops and priests who perpetrate this kind of foolishness is for faithful Catholics in large numbers to close their checkbooks and wallets to them. To support the church, give the money you would have given to these wayward clergy and things they support to one of the new and rapidly growing orders orthodox in their support of unchanging truths.
Excellent point. There are many, many good institutions that desperately need money and the worst place to give money is to a liberal bishop or parish.
The fact is that checkbooks have already been closed. Attendance at Mass has diminished greatly and the relative correlation between attendance and giving is evident. Church closings/consolidations are happening everywhere. Attendance at Parishes where the TLM is offered is on the increase, and yet Tradition is under perpetual attack by Pope Francis. Actions like those taken by this Bishop are everywhere, and occur on a daily basis, and yet it is implied that the SSPX is in schism. Come Lord Jesus! I am so sorry Your Emminence, if this is too insensitive.
You got it John. The only thing they ‘HEAR’ is the lack of money. That they hear loud and clear.
How can we as catholics continue to have priest who are allowed to teach error. I want his dismissal. He needs to be retrained in his catholic faith and if he will not teach the true catholic faith. We catholics are paying his salary and he is not doing his job. It is time he find another profession. I stand behind the teacher and I know god will find her a better school to teach at.are
And the truth shall set us free. If we cannot look to the Catholic Church to uphold the truth, then where shall we look?
So many of those apostate bastards pretend to be Catholic and Christians. About 50 percent of Vatican Cardinals. This is the reason why Popes didn’t reveal second part of 3-rd Fatima’s prophecy.
The only way to help situation is to find v. few still Christian Catholic priests and sending your contributions there. Most of those Bishops/Cardinals have salary over 200 000 dollars a year and they ignore stupid parishioners. Poor Bishops are much more adherent to faith.
Those apostate bastards kidnapped our religion – as Masons planned. Find out about Alta Vendita. I personally cut my donations to my church ( SJV in Orlando) and I’m glad to see that my church has difficulties in meeting Bishops assessment numbers. I’m not sure about current Bishop but last before him was a friend of Liberation Theology and 2 before him were most likely homosexuals bringing to Orlando homosexual pedophiles. Assigning them to parishes with schools., and protecting them from law. Those were bastards who will rot in Hell.
Dear Bishop, This acceptance is dangerously close to the denial of the reality of serious sin which closes the door on repentance and God’s mercy and which invalidates Christ’s mission to the world.You help no one with this position especially the sinner.I will keep you in my prayers along with your courageous teacher.
What I have read here, I think what the bishop is trying to say, is, treat all, like you would want to be treated. Because since homosexuals live outside the laws of God, as long as you do not participate in their immoral lives, but, tat them as you would anyone else, ( not as a leper) Or call them unkind names, (Which I admit to doing) As long as they do not try to involve any “straight” people i their lifestyles, they should be treated like any other person you might know.
I may be wrong, but, this is the way I see it. I don’t know why this teacher was put on paid leave, it’s not as if she embraced the homosexual lifestyle, she just made a comment on it. so, I hope the Bishop has a change of heart, (Jesus did, when He met the woman at the well, He didn’t condemn her, He just told her, to go, and sin no more.
The reason we have so many bad bishops, cardinals and priests is because the people in the pews did not bother to learn their faith and they gave the responsibility of teaching their children away. There are so many who will complain about the hierarchy of their church but their knees seldom experience kneeling. I wonder how many whiners and stone throwers here are saying a family rosary or reading scripture daily. Sure many priests, bishops and cardinals are rotten to the core – but every man will have to answer for himself in the end and Catholics who think that their religious responsibility ends with reading up on the latest scandal will be sorely disappointed on judgement day.
Who will remember this lost sheep bishop and his minions at the end of the day? Who will bother to recommend them to Jesus Christ and pray for their souls to be saved? It’s easy to stone people but we can only conquer evil through prayer.
You are so right…..prayer first always before action.
Your Excellency,
Please confer with your friends, Cardinal Dolan and Cardinal Kasper for proper Magisterial responses to these statements and questions.
Your in my prayers.
May God have mercy,
Ron Evans
Spot on…..
I’m sadden by the bishop’s actions and words. She needs our support, because she said NOTHING wrong! The devil is happy because he got a bishop to cause scandal. This means we have not been doing a good job in keeping these kind of bishops in our prayers.
Do you think for one minute that this bishop would have the kind of courage to rehire the teacher and face the ire of the sodomite agenda? He upheld her firing instantly so as to avoid standing up for the truth about marriage!
I have no idea what the Catholic Church stands for anymore. The St Patricks Day Parade in NYC gave into the Gays because their major sponsor Guinness pulled out. Who led them up the street? Grand Marshall Cardinal Dolan. I have nothing against gays but stop pushing this lifestyle down our throats. Those who push Tolerance (the Lefties) have absolutely zero Tolerance. I heard the ads today on the Radio and I have nothing but respect for the LEPANTO INSTITUTE. The Gloves are off and the fight continues!!
If I had children in his schools this year, I would not renew the contract for next year until this matter was corrected. WWJD? Make cords into whips and turn over tables is a viable option.
Bootkoski’s behavior is nothing new. For centuries, the bishops have viewed themselves — with the laity’s encouragement and acquiescence — as above accountability, certainly above the “peons” among the lay faithful. Catholic ecclesiology has encouraged this, accidentally or otherwise. The hierarchy has been riddled with institutional arrogance for centuries. As a result, people who were supposed to renounce “lording it over others” (see John 13) have become a religious Mafia, demanding automatic subservience and misusing power — whether its protecting sexual perverts in the clergy (going back to St. Peter Damian and “Liber Gommorahianus”) or arbitrarily changing theology. It’s not a matter of “liberal” v. “conservative;” Pope John Paul II behaved in the same manner — arbitrarily — in promoting his revisionist views on capital punishment, which contradict centuries of teaching from Scripture and Tradition yet have become de facto Catholic doctrine (despite what the CCC says).
This is not the fruit of Vatican II. This is not the fruit of pervasive homosexuality within the hierarchy and general clergy (though those certainly are factors). This is the ultimate fruit of the sacrifice of the Church’s spiritual patrimony on the altar of power, wealth, secular prestige, political influence, intellectual fashion, institutional arrogance and clerical isolation.
The Catholic Church is storing up Imperial tonnes of judgement from a holy, righteous God Who does not view such behavior lightly. Do not forget that the authors of the epistles prophesied mass apostasy in the “Last Days.” Why shouldn’t that affect the leaders of a church that claims to embody “the fullness of the Gospel” as the “One True Church” yet act as anything but?
Well put, Thank you, Joseph.
This teacher was promoting her own personal agenda, not the teaching of the Catholic Church. Nowhere in her rant will one find a reference to Church teaching. What the Catholic Church DOES teach, as the bishop correctly pointed out, is a policy of acceptance of all children of God, regardless of where they are in their own personal relationship with God. No human being has the right to judge; that is God’s purview. We are all free to hold our own personal beliefs. In posting to Facebook, this teacher made her personal belief public, and given her position of power as a teacher, she cannot be allowed to continue when she obviously believes it is her right to express her thoughts and possibly influence her students in a manner contrary to Church teaching. All of the posters who believe the teacher was wronged are effectively doing the same thing — holding their personal beliefs as “truth” regardless of the real truth of Church teaching. The bishop acted correctly in announcing that the teacher’s contract would not be renewed. He also acted charitably in allowing her to receive pay and benefits for the remainder of her contract. Thankfully we have church leadership who will stand up for the Church itself and not allow lay people to sway it’s teachings in the name of their own personal version of “right” and “truth”.
GiGi,
If Mrs. Jannuzzi was “promoting her own agenda,” and speaking away from the teachings of the Catholic Church … will you also say that the following saints are also promoting their own agenda and speaking out of line with Catholic teaching?
I suppose if all of these had been facebook posts made by these great saints, and had they all been employed by Immaculata High School, you believe they should have their teaching contracts terminated as well?
GiGi…..could you please state for me the teachings of the Church in this matter. I must be confused. Thank you.
GiGi,
If you read the Teacher’s post carefully, she was not promoting her own agenda regarding homosexuals. She was battling against the gay’s plans and evil ideas, not the gays themselves as people created by God, like any other. But Jesus himself took a whip and hit the moneychangers and was harsh in dealing with them as well as the Pharisees and Scribes ( all of whom were also created by God), so there is no obligation to hold back when attacking evil ideas and behaviors. We are the Church Militant after all, and Christian soldiers can’t very well fight against their enemies with pillows and flowers, can they? Otherwise, how would the Catholics have defeated the Ottoman empire at the battle of Lepanto, or the Kings of Spain reconquer the lands invaded by the moors in Spain?. It sounds like you cannot stand conflict and strong words but sometime that is the right and Catholic thing to do. Remember all those ideas that attack the church and the people promoting them ultimately are influenced by and are serving Satan, who is our ultimate enemy.
Gigi,
I’m sorry that you don’t know the Catholic Church’s teachings on this matter. If you read her post carefully there is NOTHING hateful, or untruthful. You may not like what she is saying, but she is NOT judging anyone. Remember love the sinner, but never the sin. She is talking about the actual sin, but many who disagree with her will always read it to mean something else…some kind of attack.
Gigi, I’m sorry but you either mustn’t know or do not believe in Catholic teachings on homosexual marriage. This is all about religious liberty and all about upholding the position of the Catholic Church. This woman is being punished without cause. It is the priest and bishop that need to re-think what is going on.
Catholics struggle with sin like everyone else so no one is condemning anyone But consider this for moment. Let’s remove all the talk of agendas for a bit. Let’s forget the teaching of the church for a moment. Read the Bible and do not let the world confuse you. Do not let equally confused christians confuse you -Mark 10:6 . Here Jesus Himself speaks on the issue. If you are a believer in Christ then He must be your foremost authority. If after you’ve read this verse and the book of Leviticus, you still don’t get it, pray and ask for the spirit of discernment.
If you are not Christian you have the choice to disregard what I suggest. But if you truly are you have no choice but to consider what is laid out in the scripture. We do not get to choose the passages we accept or ignore. Christianity is not Walmart. I myself will have to answer for those chapters and verses I choose to ignore as will everyone else. I hope this helps. God bless.
I only have one question. Why is he still a bishop? It seems to me that if he no longer believes in the Church’s teaching he should resign. As it is he’s doing more harm to himself and others by staying. According to scripture it’s better for him that a millstone be tied around his neck and he be tossed into the sea.
Although I am no longer Catholic, I have been proud that the RC church has not abandoned the truth of Scripture by being politically correct as so many of the Protestant churches have in accepting the LGBT agenda. I felt that even though so mant of the other churches had been poisoned by this, Catholic doctrine & clergy remained Gods final bulwark. Hearing this greatly saddens me; although I cannot accept some of the tenets of Catholicism, I have always believed that RC doctrine on marriage and sexual morality were the only true reflection of Scriptural teaching on these matters rather than those of Protestant churches. Reading this disheartens me tremendously. If the shepherds have gone astray, who is there to lead the sheep? Jesus told us that many would be misled in the last days. I wonder (and worry) that we are facing that now. Maranatha! And may He give us the wisdom, guidance, and strength to endure what lies ahead.
Rita, you are a reasonable person as evidenced by your post. It makes me sick that you have left the faith….
Rita, how good to notice that although you claim not to accept the Church’s teachings, you nevertheless are still here, reading about Her. Perhaps you could spend a little time reflecting on why that is. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is tugging at your sleeve. Perhaps you don’t need a new church invented by mankind. Perhaps you just need to be reconciled with the Church that Jesus founded.
Oh, and perhaps you already know this, but unless you have specifically, formally, renounced The Catholic Church in favor of another, you still are Catholic. Baptism does that for us. That’s something else to think about.
C’mon back, Rita. All the Saints in Heaven are praying for you, and so are we.