The time has come to take a decisive stand

The Judgment of Solomon

As a retired Catholic teacher and parent, I cannot see how anyone including some of our bishops can say that the controversial sections of Bill 13 aren’t contrary to the Catechism or that it can be accommodated with Catholic teaching. It's sad that some Catholic leaders agree with one MPP who recently said, "that Catholic schools can operationalize Bill 13." In the world of politics, nearly all things are possible. In the world of natural law and morality, only the truth counts. Of course, in the fluid game of politics anything can be implemented, rationalized and in this case we can even legislate gay/straight alliances in Catholic schools and claim they comply with the teaching of the Church. But GSAs by definition contradict Catholic teaching and the very meaning of personhood and family.

What's the Catechism for if we aren't ready to live it and defend it? The Toronto Catholic District School Board was the only board, thanks to parental input and their hard work in mobilizing the community, to pass two amendments to the "Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy:" One was the protection of denominational rights and the second the teaching of the Catechism. It doesn't matter how many trustees, school board officials, MPPs and Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association representatives say that Bill 13 is compatible with Catholic teaching. It's not. Bill 13 cannot be reconciled with Catholic teaching because students, parents and staff are legally forced to accept numerous sexual orientations, GSAs and the promotion/acceptance of the LBGT lifestyle. GSAs are now approved school clubs, but a Bible club or its distribution by the Gideons have already been rejected as unacceptable school activities.

If Bill 13 were truly inclusive and diverse as its proponents claim, then it should include and respect the Catholic position and other cultural views of human sexuality, the person and marriage. Regrettably, it doesn't. Bill 13 discriminates against people of faith and anyone who dares to disagree with it. The politicians have passed Bill 13 for political reasons. The very least they could have done in the process is not insult Catholic parents, Christian parents sending their children to public schools and the rest of the electorate by telling them the truth about the legislation: It undermines and contradicts Christian beliefs and parental rights. It's Christophobic and anti-Christian at heart.

Bill 13 has also been very divisive. Surely the politicians are aware of this. If this weren't so, we would not have had so many protests, including two at Queen's Park, and dozens of presentations before the Standing Committee on Social Policy against this misguided bill. The Catholic Church and  even the Protestant Separate school Board in Penetanguishene should invoke section 93 of the Constitution and challenge Bill 13 in the courts to reclaim their denominational rights before the school year opens in September. If we go on with business as usual, we also must stop pretending we have Catholic schools, except of course for the names of saints and martyrs on most of the buildings.