From The Bishop

My dear friends in Christ, The Ontario Government, in an attempt to eliminate bullying from our schools has passed Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act. A controversial amendment to this Bill legislates Gay Straight Alliances (GSA) in our schools if requested by at least one student. The Bishops of Ontario and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association have vigorously opposed this amendment to the Bill. Some may ask, "Why should we be concerned about this title, after all, it is only words?" Words are very powerful because they represent concepts, ideas and even ideologies and this is certainly true with GSA's. The government and some other organizations would have us believe that this is a rather benign title that will help certain students feel accepted and welcomed. Promotional literature states that the GSA model was developed to provide a safe environment for homosexual students, to educate the school community, and to help form student activists. The problem is that what they teach and advocate is often not in harmony with the teachings of our Church. This is not acceptable in a Catholic school. Our Catholic Trustees have responded to the government's desire to combat bullying by creating "Respecting Differences". This is a strategy that is completely in line with the teachings of our Church and fulfills the basic requirements of Bill 13 regarding the issue of bullying. We simply wish to use "Respecting Differences" in our Catholic schools. Unfortunately many have responded negatively to this request and this is clearly seen in the media as there have been opinion pieces calling for the end of Catholic Schools. They argue that public funding should not be used to support an institution that discriminates and considers homosexuals to be disordered. This is based on a mistaken interpretation of what our Church actually teaches. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that homosexual acts are disordered not the person. It states that the homosexual inclination is disordered, not the person. St. Thomas Aquinas the great theologian stated, "Affirm when possible, contradict seldom, but always distinguish." He offered this maxim to promote meaningful discourse and debate. It also helps us to understand that a distinction must always be made between a person and his or her actions or inclination. The Catechism is very clear in stating that we accept the homosexual person with love, respect, sensitivity and without unjust discrimination; however, we cannot accept homosexual acts because they are disordered, meaning they are contrary to the natural law (2357, 2358). It is my hope and prayer that these brief comments will help you understand the concerns of the bishops and Catholic trustees regarding Bill 13. I wish to assure you that our Catholic schools continue to care for all students including those who struggle with same-sex attraction. They are committed to combating bullying in all its forms. All that we ask is that, as we do in all other aspects or curriculum, we be allowed to do this in the context of our Catholic Tradition. Pray for Catholic education - our students, teachers, administrators and trustees - and please be willing to promote the good work they do in each school, parish and community. Let those in political office know that we support our schools and the Ontario Catholic School Trustee's document, "Respecting Differences". In this way we will continue to preserve and promote the over one-hundred and eighty year legacy of Catholic education in the Province of Ontario. [caption id="attachment_919" align="alignleft" width="150"] Bishop Bergie Coat of Arms[/caption] Yours sincerely in Christ, Most Reverend Gerard Bergie, D.D. Bishop of St. Catharines