In an open letter to New Jersey Bishop Paul Bootkoski, Lepanto Institute’s Michael Hichborn wonders what exactly the bishop found wrong with these facebook comments made by a teacher in his diocese:
Hichborn asks:
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?
The good Bishop Bootkoski told the press that the teacher was on leave and not fired, but Hichborn notes in his letter that her children say her contract was not renewed. He seems to have lied.
Hichborn closes with:
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.
It’s unfortunate that we are placed in a position to have to be so gentle and respectful toward such men, is it not? Who has done this to us and what have we done to enable them?