Protesting Catholic schools – for being Catholic

How crazy is San Francisco?

This may strike you as a little story in all the tumult and chaos in the world. But I think it's truly a sign of the times.

Confusion reigns.

Last week, about a hundred people held a vigil outside the Roman Catholic cathedral in the city by the bay to protest Catholic schools – for being Catholic.

The demonstration was prompted when Archbishop Salvator Cordileone took action to hold his faculty in his Catholic schools to the standards of the Catholic Church.

TRENDING: Capitol authorities on high alert Thursday over 'real inauguration' threat

Specifically, the archbishop presented teachers at the four high schools owned by the archdiocese with a detailed statement of faith affirming that Catholic school employees "are expected to arrange and conduct their lives so as not to visibly contradict, undermine or deny" church doctrine on matters related to sexuality, marriage and human reproduction. The statement, which the archbishop said would be added to the faculty handbooks, outlines the church's teaching that using contraception is a sin and that sex outside of marriage, whether it is in the form of adultery, masturbation, pornography or gay sex, is "gravely evil."

Did I mention these were Catholic schools?

Well, this did not sit well with about 100 parents of students in those schools.

"I chose to send my children to Catholic schools because I wanted their education to be grounded in love, compassion and a strong sense of social justice," explained Peggy O'Grady, a parent at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. "This effort by the archbishop will do the opposite, and would run counter to all I believe and value in a Catholic education."

Experience more of Joseph Farah's no-nonsense truth-telling in his books, audio and video products, featured in the WND Superstore

Did it occur to O'Grady to look for an alternative form of education for her children?

By the way, none of the faculty will actually be asked to sign the statement or take an oath.

I wonder why the protesting parents don't just send their children to government schools? Aren't they all about love, compassion and a strong sense of social justice? If you like adultery, masturbation, fornication, pornography and gay sex, they teach it all there. Wouldn't that be the place for your kids?

Now, I don't have a dog in this hunt.

I don't live in San Francisco. I don't send my kids to Catholic school. And I'm not Catholic.

BUT, it seems to me that the unique thing about Catholic school is its role in propagating the faith and the values of that faith.

So why would anyone – especially parents who choose to send their kids to Catholic schools – want to de-Catholicize them? Aren't there enough officially secular-humanist schools?

This beleaguered archbishop is obviously just trying to ensure that his faculty keeps in mind that Catholic schools are, after all, Catholic.

You know what is ironic about this?

The people at that vigil were probably 100 percent in favor of "diversity" and "tolerance."

But they don't mean it.

Because they don't want truly Catholic schools to proliferate. They want them to conform to the standards of the world. Basically, they just want their kids in private schools.

They want the good stuff Catholic schools offer, but not the stuff they disagree with – like the sanctity of life, the Ten Commandments, decency, standards, etc.

Is it just San Francisco?

Not at all. This kind of moral and intellectual confusion is spreading across the U.S. like a wildfire.

People can't even think straight anymore.

If you disagree with them, you are wrong.

If you believe in Judeo-Christian moral values, you should keep it to yourself – even if you run Catholic schools.

Does it get any nuttier or more bizarre than this?

Media wishing to interview Joseph Farah, please contact [email protected].