The following is an analysis of another outrageous attempt in the schools to
make homosexuality acceptable, this one by "a group of Roman Catholic educators."
Earlier, Catholic Insight reported a so-called "homophobia workshop" moderated by
Father Repicky for North York and Toronto Catholic teachers ("How to corrupt boldly,"
May 1994 followed by an exchange of opinions and further articles in the July/August
1994 issue). The same people involved in that venture are backing this one, now
augmented by the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith & justice and units of the Ontario
English Catholic Teachers Association.
In December 1995 Toronto parishes received an expensively produced pink and
blue poster promoting acceptance of homosexuality. It came from the Toronto
Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues, a subcommittee of the Mayor's Committee on
Community and Race Relations. The poster, by appearing to attack "homophobia" (a
new word meaning hatred of homosexuals) is really trying to gain tolerance and
acceptance of homosexual activity.
Similarly, just before Christmas 1995, copies of a sixteen-page, legal sized edition
of The Moment devoted to affirming the "gay"-lesbian-bisexual lifestyles was left in
teachers' rooms in Catholic elementary and secondary schools throughout Ontario,
enough for one copy for every four teachers. The colourful white, purple and black
newsletter was recommended to Toronto teachers in two simultaneous public meetings
and distributed everywhere by members of the Catholic teachers union.
The Moment is a newsletter published by the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and
Justice, Toronto. Issue Number 26, 1995, produced by a "group of Roman Catholic
educators." was entitled In Search of Safety: The Lives of Lesbian and Gay youth. It
was co-published by the Ontario English Catholic Teacher's Association (OECTA),
Toronto Secondary Unit, Affirmative Action Committee.
Hatred...a smoke screen
As usual in such documents there is much made of the putative hate of others for
L/G/Bs. This "hatred" is blamed for 'rejection", which in turn is blamed for the
existence of loners, alcoholism, drug addition, run-aways, street kids, suicide,
prostitution, theft, and drug dealing.
It is true that some people have a vindictive attitude toward individual L/G/Bs.
This is to be deplored and guarded against. But hostility towards sodomy as such is a
necessity and is simply society's defence against its own destruction. The authors
refuse to recognize this. Instead they dwell exclusively on perceived hateful attitudes.
This over-emphasis has been evident in the media and the publications of Public
Health Departments from the first moment that the public became aware of, and afraid
of, HIV infection. This exaggeration is a deliberate one aimed at covering up, first, the
approval of a sinful lifestyle and, second, at diverting attention from the danger to
public health that L/G/B practice entails.
The concentration on the "bad" attitudes of others is thus being used to provide a
smoke screen. Held especially to blame for these attitudes are "non-supportive" church
communities and "non-supportive" families. Needed, the authors say, is "...love of
families to integrate their sexual orientation into a healthy sense of self." This surely can
only mean acceptance of homosexual practice as good.
There is also a clear implication that acceptance and understanding are far more
likely to be found if the young person confides in a teacher or counsellor, rather than
parents, whose potential attachment to notions of right and wrong is considered
threatening.
Pastoral questions but no sin
Nowhere in this document is a distinction made between a tendency to L/G/B
activity and the L/G/B activity itself. This failure to differentiate has totally confused
the discussion, and as a result, the document represents homosexual activity as normal,
healthy and good.
Everyone agrees that all people deserve to be treated with charity and justice at
all times, regardless of who they are or how they have behaved. This does not mean
however, that criticism of the L/B/G lifestyle implies the slightest injustice or
uncharitableness to those whose lifestyle it is. Quite the contrary! The only charitable
and just response to this problem is to tell the unvarnished truth with kindness.
The heavy emphasis in the media, and in this document, on the real or imagined
hate of others takes the spotlight off the sinfulness of homosexual practice. This
document hopes to have a pastoral function for those working with L/G/Bs. It claims
to help counsellors and chaplains yet, illogically, it claims not to deal with moral
questions. It then proceeds to contradict itself in boosting one side of the moral
argument by quoting young people, with implicit approval, as follows:
".........I happen to like who I am."
".........I know I am a good person because of my sexuality."
".........I accept myself now....my life seems headed in the right direction"
(emphasis added).
In a comic strip by Lynn, which fills two pages, a young man says to his
homosexual friend, "I'll do my best to accept your lifestyle."
On page 13 "the Roman Catholic educators"provide a list of 32 L/G/B role
models, including k.d. lang (Canadian singer) and Member of parliament Svend
Robinson (Canadian politician).
Catholic Church teaching that L/G/B activity is seriously sinful is nowhere
mentioned. Nowhere is the question put, "Do you not know that our body is the
Temple of the Holy Spirit?" (1 Cor. 6:19).
Instead the advice is given:
".....start looking for support."
".....find a local book store with and L/G/B section."
".....hit libraries and video stores."
For this purpose, the authors provide a two-and-a-half page list of active L/G/B
centres in Canadian cities from coast to coast, and a one-page list of homosexual videos
and books.
Elsewhere in the publication, teenagers (gay or not) are encouraged to view
popular films which feature L/G/B characters, including "Jeffery," a hedonistic sex
comedy which contains one of the most viciously anti-Catholic portrayals of a priest
ever presented!
Teenagers, we are told, ask such questions as: "How can I face God?" or "What
will god do to me now?" The answer given is "God love.....provides the strength to
choose...wholesome, honest and mutually satisfying relationships." The implication is
that homosexuality is God-given.
Sexually transmitted disease
In one brief sentence, the document fleetingly refers to STD's (sexually
transmitted diseases) and HIV but only in a context of sexuality and promiscuity in
general. Nowhere is it mentioned that promiscuity is common to the L/G/B lifestyles,
in fact practically constitutive of it, and is a great danger to life and health both in
regard to oneself and to others. The hazard of HIV infections and of many other
sexually transmitted diseases in great. In 1994 the World Health Organization reported
333 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases. Where is the compassion and justice
in not warning of the possible consequences of this lifestyle?
God's grace
Being homosexual implies a tendency or temptation to evil. God's grace is
sufficient to enable everyone to live a holy life. This document mentions neither evil
nor grace. It appears to imply that the lifestyle is good, healthy and wholesome and
that a person so afflicted has no need of grace. It is not "tragic" that the L/G/Bs feel
guilty and ashamed. What is truly tragic is that "the Roman catholic educators"do not
themselves express any guilt or shame over this publication.
The list of credits below speaks for itself. Readers will recognize some of the
names which have appeared earlier in our magazine.
Son Schmidt is the president of OECTA, Toronto secondary unit. (See his attack
on C. I., Dec. '95, p.18) Fr. Bob Repicly, C.S.B. and Donna Ash were involved in the 1994
"homophobia"workshops described in Catholic Insight. Ted Hyland, S.J., was the
former director of the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice; Kevin Arsenault is the
current director. Stan Kutz, Principal of Toronto's Senator O'Connor high School, is a
former priest, and one of the two speakers recommending this newsletter to teachers.
Fr. Michael Mulhall, O.Carm, is a supporter of CCCC and a contributor to its
publication Roundtable. (The CCCC itself has had a speaker promoting the acceptance
of homosexuality at each of its annual meetings.)
Catholic Insight Magazine
P. O. Box 625
Adelaid Station,
36 Adelaide St. East,
Toronto ON M5C 2JB
