Catholic education in the Diocese of Santa Rosa

A priest must abide my standards unique to his position.  As do persons serving in the military, lawyers, doctors, and peace officers.  So why is this so objectionable?

The Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese is requiring its 200 schoolteachers to sign an agreement affirming that "modern errors" such as contraception, abortion, homosexual marriage and euthanasia are "matters that gravely offend human dignity."

The move is an effort by Bishop Robert Vasa to delineate specifically what it means for a Catholic-school teacher -- whether Catholic or not -- to be a "model of Catholic living" and to adhere to Catholic teaching.

But not all agree.


"On my high moral days, I feel I absolutely won't sign," the teacher said. "And on my days that I think about my job, I think who will it affect if I don't sign it."

The teacher said he objects to the "whole idea that they want me to live their morals when it's my personal life what I do outside of work."

What a strange notion that one would accept a job in a religious school and take such an attitude.  Frankly, that seems to demonstrate that the person is merely a whore for the paycheck.  Perhaps that teacher should be let go, since they fail to grasp concepts such as free will - indeed, while the diocese may want you to live by certain standards, you personal life remains as such.

I used to be on the school board at my former parish in Southern California, St. Joseph.  I recall the pastor at one meeting stating that he did not want to see the school become merely a "private school" but be a "Catholic school."  What I believe he meant at the time was that the school must strive to be accommodating but not at a compromise to Church teachings.  I certainly placed my children at the school and paid my tuition faithfully as I wanted a Catholic education for them, expecting both high educational and moral standards.

I am taken aback at the comments to this article:

I wasn't aware that there was a "Catholic algebra" or a "Catholic world history" that only orthodox Catholics could teach. So now a condition of employment at Catholic schools (not churches) is that teachers make an appearance of Catholic orthodoxy, in violation of their individual consciences.

What is ironic about that statement is that "algebra" and "world history" - as well as "mathematics," "astronomy," "genetics," "philosophy," etc. - have all been established as major areas of education courtesy of the Catholic Church.  But what this commentator does not realize is that a teacher's individual conscience did not spring fully formed upon accepting employment.  It was there when he or she said yes to a job offer from the Diocese of Santa Rosa - and it was theirs to reject if they did not hold to the same morality as their private employer.

Kudos to Bishop Vasa.  I hope more Bishops think like him.  See, because he is serving Catholic parents who want to raise their children as practicing Catholics.  And to those teachers who object - hey, it's not about you, it's about my kids, and the kids of other Catholic parents, who pay tuition and have expectations of you, since we are the ones funding your paycheck.