Tuesday, April 08, 2014

Nun Blasted by NC Parents for Teaching Catholicism

After most of the 1,000 Charlotte, North Carolina parents who came to a special meeting lambasted the Charlotte Catholic High School for a speech by a visiting nun entitled "Masculinity and Femininity: Difference and Gift," the school's chaplain apologized. In her speech to students, Sister Jane Dominic Laurel, assistant professor of theology at Aquinas College in Nashville, TN explained Church teaching on marriage, divorce, parenting, etc. and provided empirical evidence and secular science concerning homosexuality.  Needless to say, the speech was NOT politically correct, and although Sr. Laurel has been forced on indefinite leave by the college, the bishop of the Charlotte diocese said the speech was theologically sound and presented accurate information.
"I understand that Sister used data from the Linacre Quarterly, a reputable journal, and from other sources.  That data can be debated and, in fact, is debated back and forth by scholars who are researching the areas of human sexuality. Because of the ongoing debate, it would have been better if these studies and data were omitted from the presentation to the students."
-- Father Roger Arnsparger, Charlotte Diocese
For background, read Liberal Media Say Pope Francis OKs Gay & Women Priests but actually the Pope Said the Gay Agenda is the Work of the Devil, and also the Pope Disappoints Liberals by Opposing 'Gay Adoption.'

Apparently, even these North Carolina parents of Catholic school kids are buying into President Obama's Gay Agenda claiming that children do not need a mother and father.



-- From "Nun's message to students on gays prompts parents' ire" by Amy Cowman, WCNC-TV (Charlotte, NC) 4/3/14

About half of the one-hour talk centered on homosexuality, according to a statement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte's official newspaper.

Some parents at the 1,400-student school say they wanted to know about the topic of the assembly ahead of time and would not have allowed their kids to stay.

After the talk, students launched a Change.org petition calling her talk "both offensive and unnecessarily derogatory." The petition, which has more than 4,000 signatures, didn't call for change but listed 10 objections to the talk.

A counter-petition supporting Laurel has collected more than 1,800 signatures. A message left at Laurel's office was not returned Wednesday.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Nearly 1,000 attend Charlotte Catholic meeting on nun’s speech" by Tim Funk, The Charlotte Observer 4/2/14

Diocese spokesman David Hains acknowledged after the meeting that the Rev. Matthew Kauth, the school’s chaplain, apologized to the parents for a March 21 speech by Sister Jane Dominic Laurel that was not the one he expected her to give.

Hains also said the high school committed to developing new policies that would better scrutinize visiting speakers in the future. He said the school also wants to do a better job of communicating with parents ahead of time when such speeches will deal with sensitive subjects such as sexuality.

During her speech, Laurel quoted studies that said gays and lesbians are not born with same-sex attractions, and that children in single-parent homes have a greater chance of becoming homosexual, Hains and others said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

For background, read Most Homosexuals Who Want to Convert Report Change and also read Homosexuality NOT Fixed, Change Possible: Study as well as Study Shows Lesbianism is NOT Genetic

From "Nun who sparked outraged after comments at Charlotte Catholic to take leave" posted at WSOC-TV9 (Charlotte, NC) 4/7/14

She is now taking a sabbatical from her teaching position at a Nashville college.

Last month, Sister Jane Dominc Laurel told students at Charlotte Catholic homosexuality comes from a lack of a father figure and a lack of masculinity.

The college’s president said she went too far.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Charlotte diocese backs nun who gave school talk promoting Church teaching on homosexuality" by Kirsten Andersen, LifeSiteNews.com 4/7/14

After a public meeting with diocesan and school officials turned ugly, with parents and students alike shouting at administrators over what they perceived as “hateful” remarks criticizing homosexual behavior, divorce and extra-marital sex, a spokesman for the diocese told LifeSiteNews that the nun in question, Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel, did nothing wrong and will be welcome to speak on the issue again if she chooses.

“I was in attendance at the same presentation when given on Long Island, NY a few months ago,” Dr. Gerard Nadal told LifeSiteNews.  “In that meeting, Sister Jane gave medical and scientific data that came from reputable sources and were presented as examples of the consequences for human behavior that contravenes the moral magisterium of the Church. As a Ph.D. in medical science, and as a Catholic schooled extensively in my faith, I saw no contradictions, but rather a seamless presentation.”

The Diocese of Charlotte’s newspaper, the Catholic News-Herald, reported that the meeting was acrimonious, with those who dared to speak out in support of Sr. Laurel or the Church being shouted down by an angry mob.  The paper’s sources called the atmosphere “disrespectful” and “hate-filled.”

[Diocese of Charlotte Communications Director David] Hains said Bishop Peter Jugis is expected to make further public comment on the situation soon.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Dominican nun at heart of Charlotte Catholic controversy takes leave from teaching" by David Exum and Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Catholic News Herald 4/4/14

In an April 4 statement, the president of Aquinas College defended the school's curriculum and Sister Jane's credentials as a theologian, but acknowledged that the portion of Sister Jane's presentation of social science data about the alleged causes of same-sex attraction – which prompted many of the concerns from parents and students – was outside the scope of her academic background.

[At the contentious meeting,] Parents heard apologies and statements from Father Kauth, as well as from Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education, and Charlotte Catholic's dean of students and two assistant principals.

. . . many parents' emotions boiled over, with arguments even carrying over into the school's parking lot when the meeting ended after two hours. Two observers called the meeting's climate "disrespectful" and "hate-filled."

. . . His intention, Father Kauth explained, was to bring back a popular speaker to give a different voice on the topic of sexuality to students. Sister Jane's talk last fall at Charlotte Catholic was so well received, he said, that he invited her back to deliver a presentation to the entire school.

He defended Sister Jane's presentation on same-sex attraction as it related to Church teaching, but he distanced himself from the social science data she quoted as being appropriate for the forum of the student assembly.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Statement by Father Matthew Kauth, Chaplain of Charlotte Catholic High School"

. . . I heard Sister speak in the Fall at St Patrick’s. While I had given so many talks on this topic in so many different ways I found her approach just different enough - a new voice and the added perspective coming from a woman. I decided to bring her here. As you recall, I wanted the boys and girls separate and thought it would be a time for families to address these topics in a more intimate setting. . . . It was so well received that at the request of parents and students alike I decided to have her back for the whole school.

I asked her to give the same talk she gave while here before. By this time I had heard it 3 times. There was nothing in it which to my mind would require notification anymore than other assembly speakers we have had this year. However, Sister asked me a few days before the talk if it was ok for her to give a different talk. I asked why and she said it would be too difficult in that venue. I encouraged her to give the talk. The kids who had been there had even asked me if she was giving the same talk since they wanted their friends to hear it. Right before she began she asked me once again, are you sure you want me to give the same talk with the discussion on same - sex attraction? I said yes. Here is where two ships passed seemingly in the sunlight but actually in the night. What I didn’t know was that Sister has a section that she sometimes inserts into her talk that focuses on the leading studies of the CMA on same sex attraction. She simply assumed that is what I meant for her to do. Now I understand her initial hesitation. I didn’t know such a section existed. In that sense I was as stunned as anyone. I was not stunned by what she said per se as I had read similar things in various medical/theological journals. . . .

. . . Nothing in the Church’s teaching harms us - it gives life. Nevertheless those teachings if not transmitted in a way which is prudent, timely, and precise making the distinctions necessary can appear as a weapon of war and not a surgeon’s tool for healing. It was no one’s intention to do so - quite the opposite.

The Light has come into the world, St. John tells us, and the darkness has not overcome it, but sometimes it can be eclipsed by ignorance or by sinfulness. If in any of my sins I have eclipsed that truth - if I have been a momentary obstacle to His light for you or anyone else because of my weaknesses or sinfulness I am heart-fully sorry. Sister and I are both quite aware of the biblical admonition from our Lord about what happens if one leads a little one astray and I am not fond of the mixture of millstone and water. The intent is and has only been to shine so as to set them free. However to hide Christ’s saving teaching is also a means to lead them astray by allowing them to be led away by another - and as you know as parents, there are many who would take your children where you do not want them to go. Christ is light and in Him there is no darkness. His light sets us free to love as we were made to love - in the full dignity and beauty of the sons and daughters of God. His light also exposes and that can be painful. . . .

To read the entire statement above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

In addition, read American Decline: President Obama's Gay Agenda vs. Christians