The following comes from a March 21 story in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
After meeting with local pastors and Catholic school administrators this week, Santa Rosa Diocese Bishop Robert Vasa reversed his prior edict that all teachers at schools under his jurisdiction sign a controversial morals addendum by March 15 in order to keep their job, delaying the requirement for at least two years.
In a letter sent out to all faculty, staff and parents of students at schools under the Santa Rosa Diocese Thursday afternoon, Vasa said he regretted not gathering input from pastors and administrators prior to issuing the requirement for teachers to sign the addendum. The document required all teachers — including non-Catholic teachers — to say they believe that things like gay marriage, contraception and euthanasia are “modern errors.”
In the letter, Vasa said he overlooked “the devotion and dedication of many in our Catholic schools who have labored and continue to labor with great love for the welfare of the children entrusted to our schools.”
Vasa said he and local pastors decided that a longer implementation period for such an addendum would be required. He has given a reprieve to all teachers under the Santa Rosa Diocese, including those at St. Vincent schools in Petaluma, until Spring of 2015. In the meantime, Vasa said he will continue to work on the matter with pastors and principals and hopes to have a revised addendum for teachers to sign in 2015.
To read original story, click here.
In an earlier post, I heartily thanked the Bishop for his plan, and still do, but a small voice said “catechize first” and we both ignored it in our enthusiasm. I’m glad it’s coming and hope it comes here.
Bishop Vesa demanded that the teachers, etc., sign a pledge that they support the teachings of the church. On the surface, something that should be a simple request and an appropriate one. What the Bishop did not do is work in a collegial manner with the people who had to sign the document. He didn’t take the time to educate the people involved, seek their understanding of the need for the document and give them time to thinks about it. We sometimes think that the Bishop is all powerful. But those who have studied organizational effectiveness and the use of power know that a “manager” only has as much power as the people are willing to give her/him. Although the Bishop gets his power from God, people still expect him to work with them, to listen to them and to take their ideas/thoughts into consideration before a major decision. I think he did the right thing by agreeing to take a couple of years for formation and creating understanding with his school staffs.
This is extremely odd as well as very disappointing. Bishop Vasa DID have it right the first time. Bob One, Of course you think that a two year stall tactic is great. You also think the ACLU is great. It does not take TWO YEARS to say, “Yes I do and will” or No I don’t and wont.” It does not take TWO YEARS to recruit faithful teachers if the hirers of those new teachers are faithful. It does not take TWO LONG YEARS to teach the basics of the faith. It looks like the hirers were hiring non Catholics all along. It looks like the same hirers were also successful in expecting and convincing Bishop Vasa to have the metanoia instead of the other way around.
Yep, it takes years to say, “no gays, no abortion”. After all, teachers need time to read and think it over … In this case, they might be able to speed read and get the four words down in the next two years. Only two words per year. But I wonder if the Bishop would have told them to say “no sin”, if this would make it easier for them, since it’s only one word per year that they’d have to deal with.
Yes, Skai, I agree with you. Maybe this will all turn out right, but why are we wasting two years while people dither and courage withers?
I must conquer with Skai, time in this case is souls lost.
I am sorry that the Bishop let himself be swayed by what are probably devils in his Diocese and not by God’s commandments.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Seriously ? Catechize first ? As if the whole world doesn’t know that these are the positions of the Church? No, he had it right the first time. Move swiftly to set right what should already be. Anyone who works for a ministry of the Catholic Church should be expected to support the values and charisms of the Church in all their activities or else they are a bad fit for employment.
I suspect teachers threatened to walk out. They should have let them. Parents are paying for a Catholic education.
“Parents are paying for a Catholic education.” A. Maybe. B. Do they know what Catholicism is, or do they know what pseudo-Catholicism is?
Skai: I’ve taught for thirty years and any time you make a radical change in what was customary, no matter the reason, it takes time for people to get used to it. A year to catechize and explain to the folks in the pews, the parents and the teachers will make this a lot easier. I hope the US bishops do the same before returning us (as I hope) to Friday abstinence.
OK, Tom, I’ll take the Bishop Vasa Option. A bishop changing his mind actually represents what Jesus died and lives for, changing our minds and hearts to better reflect the will of God. As I think this over, I begin to wonder if this is the only case in our time when a bishop has changed his decision for the better.
Tom,
The Bishops didn’t take anytime to wrongly tell the pew sitters that the Friday abstinence laws had been abrogated!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Skai, what does being gay have to do with abortion? Why do you link the two? Most gay people don’t have abortions? That is a bigger issue for heterosexual people. You don’t know if Bishop Vasa agrees with your opinions on homosexual persons. Maybe he believes what the Catechism says about homosexual persons being treated with respect, compassion and sensitivity and not discriminated against. You say “no gays” but I wonder how many Catholic schools there are that have no gay people in them.
Silly boy. Everyone knows that gays have abortions all of the time! Heterosexuals never get abortions.
It’s not controversial. It’s church and faith…what this country is all about!
Google “Confessions of a Wannabe Orthodox Catholic High School Teacher”
There are a number of things wrong here. Obviously the Catholic education in this diocese (et al) hasn’t been entirely Catholic, otherwise why the difficulty in signing the “addendum?”
The teachers are more than likely college graduates and I’m sure they can probably understand what the contract calls for – even if they went to a Catholic college – if not, why are they teaching? Finding Catholic teachers and administrators shouldn’t be that hard – this tends to indicate administrators’ and teacher interference. One would think that parents and priests would want authentic doctrine to be taught.
I was wondering if this might not happen, never dismiss the power of such things as a priest council, education board/office and/or influential parents. It’s a shame because it looked like a bishop was finally going to control Catholic education, now it looks like there will be a TWO year delay. Really? It takes that long to say, this is my diocese and this is the way it’s going to be? If there was ever a reason for unilateral action, this is it. For the next two years, it will be okay to teach quasi-Catholicism? If Catholicism is being taught and modeled in the classroom now, then why all the turmoil, sign the document!
I have seen a staff, who were mostly not Catholic, make fun of what was being said and done at a Mass, but nothing was said or done in response – except the priest apologized for the readings after they verbally “moaned” at the passage! Another instance involved an in-service where these same people openly questioned the Church’s stance on birth-control. Again, nothing was done, except to the Catholic teachers who complained about those belittled our Church.
Likewise, I have heard principals, teachers, and diocesan staff indicate their dissent from Church teachings – everyone should have to adhere to the Magisterium. Teachers and staff are role models and all need to be Catholic. It’s unreasonable to believe that Catholics can’t be found for every position to might become available.
If you read the press articles on this, a lot of the high school students don’t think too much of what the bishop intended to do. This also points out how much of the Faith these Catholic students haven’t received. I guess the WCEA needs to revisit this diocese.
“We must provide a sufficient number of programs of the highest quality to recruit and prepare our future diocesan and local school administrators and teachers so that they are knowledgeable in matters of our faith, are professionally prepared, and are committed to the Church.”
From the USCCB, 2005, Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium
One further suggestion and one that always meets with opposition from the powers that be: require an exit exam on Catholicism by middle school, high school and college/universities. This scares principals, deans and presidents because it is sure to point out how lacking in “Catholic Identity” their school is.
“even if they went to a Catholic college”: priceless !!!
Once again, the liberals get their way and Bishop Vasa is forced to cave in. So now they can continue to teach error and dissent against Church teaching. The wolves are devouring the sheep, and the shepherd is rendered helpless. Sad. Very Sad.
He wasn’t “forced to cave in.” The article says nothing of the sort.
If the bishop demanded that they sign a document pledging to be sensitive to sodomites, would it take them two years to mull it over?
It gives the potential outgoing teachers time to secure a job somewhere else. This is a reasonable act of mercy. Also, it serves to put the teachers on notice, and will likely result in some clean up of errant doctrines being propogated on the unassuming children and their unassuming parents.
Skai,
We shall see, I hope and pray you are right; however I don’t think so!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Well Juergensen, how do you think gay students in Catholic schools should be treated? Should they be bullied and made fun of and called sodomites, queers, fags, whatever? Or should they just be told to leave? Some here seem to see treating people with respect and kindness to be a sign of weakness. Whatever happened to loving one’s neighbor as oneself?
Mark from PA,
Homosexuals should be taught the truth. That is, that “homosexual acts [are] acts of grave depravity [and] are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law…. Under no circumstances can they be approved…. This inclination … is objectively disordered…. Homosexual persons are called to chastity.” CCC 2357-2359
PA, gay students in Catholic schools should be treated with respect, which means informing them as to the perverse nature of gayness, the grave character disorder of being gay, and should be given the options of either repenting of gayness or repenting of being gay. In other words, PA, gay children need to be converted to Christ so that they do not end up eternally condemned. If you indulge a gay child in that moral perversion, then you fall into the category of being better off with a millstone tied around your neck and being tossed into the sea (Jesus).
Skai, telling young people that they are perverse, throwing it in their face that they have a disorder and telling them that they need to repent of who they are is bullying. A lot of gay people are Christians and don’t need to be converted. To me those that hate them are the ones to need a conversion of heart. Those that call gay children names, make fun of them, make jokes about them and even physically assault them are the ones harming those children, not those who accept them for who they are and treat them with kindness.
“Whatever happened to loving one’s neighbor as oneself?” Mark according to you and your history of posts the answer to your question seems to depend on which particular website “you” are posting on.
Why, why why? This is Holy Week.
“We need in every community a group of angelic troublemakers.”
“Why, why, why? This is Holy Week.” …..Yes, it certainly is and this is all the more reason to remember what Jesus said to the good thief who repented and acknowledged his sins. “Today you will be with me in Paradise!” Jesus mercifully responded to the sincere, humble and contrite heart of the good thief. Jesus did not comfort the rantings of the thief who continued to mock Him by questioning His authority and was only interested in saving himself and his own comforts. So instead of comforting and assuaging the destructive passions of the homosexual agenda, follow the example of Jesus and Simon of Cyrene and stop thinking that there is merit in denying Christ by *hiding out anonymously* in the crowd.
Better?
Catherine, it is interesting how when I make pro-life comments on some of the more progressive sites that I don’t really get a lot of negative feedback. People tend to tell me that they respect my views and beliefs even if they don’t totally agree. I may be more conservative than many of the posters but I find most of the people to be considerate, to me at least.
Mark from PA,
Adam and Eve thought that they were progressive too. Disobeying God is not progress. Mark do you believe in Original Sin? Do you call Adam and Eve’s disobedience the progress of Original Sin? Mark, the reason that you think you are respected on those anti-Catholic sites is that you compliment and praise their decisions to completely ignore and disobey the clear teachings of Christ’s True Church. Mark, if you respectfully told them to stop offending God and reminded each of these individuals that you are concerned for them and they are in grave danger of losing their souls for all eternity, the welcome wagon would quickly disappear. You feel respected because you have all become comfortable with respecting sin more than respecting God.
Mark, Pro-life issues are important but it is not the same as asking someone to stop offending God with homosexual acts. You think you are respected but it is not a Godly respect. It is a mutually destructive acceptance and tolerance of sin and you feel respected because habitual sinners appreciate the fact that you are condoning their sinfulness too. You not only condone it, you label the same age old disobedience to God with a shinier looking polished “progressive” apple. Mark, the father of lies is not a respecter of persons and the individuals who you call progressive are being led by the same influences that brought about the fall of Adam and Eve. Mark you have posted enough evidence on those anti-Catholic sites that allows the individuals on those sites to know that you do not believe that homosexuals should avoid the near occasion of sin. These individuals recognize that you view the habitual committing of mortal sin simply as progress too.
Catherine, it is somewhat funny that you call Adam and Eve progressives. Adam and Eve lived 6000 to 8000 years ago in the Middle East long before the “progressive era.” Yes, I suppose I talk to sinners. How many people aren’t sinners? We are all sinners. We all look to Jesus as He came to save sinners. May peace be with you as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
Mark,
Adam and Eve thought that they knew better than God too. They soon learned how mistaken they were. That’s a nice try Mark in avoiding the fact that the issue is not about simply “talking to sinners”. We are all sinners. There is a very big difference between talking to sinners vs encouraging and praising the sinful actions of sinners on anti-Catholic websites.
Actually, Catherine, I don’t go to anti-Catholic websites. I don’t consider liberal Catholics to be anti-Catholic. It has often been said that the Catholic Church is a big tent and a welcoming faith.
Well PA, liberals (so called) are anti-Catholic. How? Because they reject the majority of Church teaching on sex and morals. And no, the Church is not a “big tent.” You either accept all of the Church’s teaching or you reject them.
When it comes to the Catholic FAITH (Religion) – there is no such thing as Conservative or Liberal – only Faithful or Heretics and Schismatics.
Read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”: #2089 for the Church’s definition of heresy and schism.
In addition – “….the Catechism has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
Good is 100%; Evil is 100%; the two are not compatible.
Catherine you are good….it’s holy week and a good time to help us all reflect on how we sin or mislead others into sin…you are just fine..its interesting how some just come in and correct you but they don’t seem to correct the ones who are doing the misleading.
The “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” – which all Catholics are required to adhere to – is 20 years old.
It is really a shame that so many US Bishops and US Priests do not publically, emphatically, and actively promote the reading and studying of the CCC by all literate Catholics.
ALL Diocese employees must be required to read and adhere to the CCC, and live their public lives accordingly. NO EXCUSES.
It is no wonder that Bishop Vasa inherited a mess. Most Diocese in CA are a religious mess, made up of ignorant Catholics.
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved … and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. “ – Pope John Paul II. (CCC page 5)
Mary, it is way easier to read and comprehend the Bible and the Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church and the Mystics than it is to understand what the CCC is talking about. After all, why would anyone think a bureaucratically composed book would compare to the Saints who put it into writing in the first place?
Skai makes a good point and I hope that many will consider his point and reflect. It is something that I feel that the church needs. Or else we will keep having the unnecessary abuses that provoke some to lose their faith.
Two years is sufficient time for the non-catholic teachers to go find other jobs elsewhere. Only practicing Catholics should teach in our Catholic Schools.
The pastor at the newly formed parish of St. Catherine Laboure in Chino Valley, Arizona, said that he would never speak from the pulpit about moral issues, such as abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, etc… I wonder how many parishioners in Bishop Vasa’s diocese are hearing the truth about these matters. Truth delayed is Truth denied!
Never speak about moral issues? My doctor just told me he will not treat anyone with a health problem!
Sounds more like a “happy farm” than a church out there in the land of AZ.
Joel,
Find another parish with a Catholic Pastor!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
If you are a witness to this Priest’s statement, you have a duty to write to the Diocese Bishop so his Priest will learn what he is supposed to be doing.
CCC: ” 890 The mission of the Magisterium is linked to the definitive nature of the covenant established by God with his people in Christ.
It is this Magisterium’s task to preserve God’s people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error.
Thus, the pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God abides in the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals. The exercise of this charism takes several forms.”
CCC: ” 427 In catechesis “Christ, the Incarnate Word and Son of God,. . . is taught – everything else is taught with reference to him – and it is Christ alone who teaches – anyone else teaches to the extent that he is Christ’s spokesman, enabling Christ to teach with his lips. . . Every catechist should be able to apply to himself the mysterious words of Jesus: ‘My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”
Priests should never neglect their TEACHING duty; and always teach in full accord with the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in entirety.
The CCC has been given to all of us from the Magisterium.
See: “What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE” on the net.
I wonder what would happen if the diocese insisted that their teachers assert that they believe that contraception is a modern error. Would they end up loosing the vast majority of their teachers? Or would they, more likely, have a legion of teachers be forced to decide between their conscience and their livelihood and vocation?
It is an illustration of the demise of the firm teaching of our Church when the Bishop sets a policy that is correct and necessary to then react to the prerssure placed on him by the ‘got to fit into todays society thinking crowd’ and change a good policy into a nothing policy. Leadership and teaching are sorely lacking in todays Church. No wonder every Bishop, pastor, priest, and teacher “does his own thing.
Bishop Vasa is a good Shepard. He will teach the faith and do so in a manner that will leave no “wiggle room” for the lukewarm. If he instructs, listen to his words. These lost teachers should feel blessed that such a man is willing to teach them, for they are surely lost in a world of secular thinking. This is for many a rare chance to once again accept the obedience that Our Lord calls all of us to embrace; they should be down on their knees.
It also seems likely that over the next two years the good Bishop will have time to recruit faithful Catholic teachers and especially bring to Santa Rosa Diocese newer orders of young sisters that are orthodox and true to the Magisterium and on fire with their love of Christ’s Church…and wear habits! So you teachers who think you are winning might actually be in line for replacement in a very organized manner! Pray that it is so.
Rest assured the teachers, principals, etc. already know full well what the Church teaches and have no intention of living as Catholics anytime soon. They’re hoping the Bishop will forget about the addendum altogether, or water it down as to be toothless and meaningless. I thought Bishop Vasa was being exceedingly pastoral the first time around by given everyone a chance to keep their jobs. What really needs to be done is to close the schools and start over.
The time to have checked the orthodoxy of the teachers was when they were hired. And then to have made at least ostensible orthodoxy a requirement in their contracts. Next time around, do it right. And in the meantime, proclaim the teachings however briefly at every Sunday Mass even if people walk out and the contributions suffer.
The teachers in that diocese were mostly already there when Bishop Vasa arrived, caroline.
Pretty difficult to force Catholic teachers to toe the line when 90% of Catholic couples practice contraception. When the students bring the information about the evils of contraception home from school, the parents will probably laugh, roll their eyes, groan, or just tell them what’s for dinner.
The bishop’s approach was a ham handed way of dealing with these issues, and one sure way to cause rifts that could leave to even more departures from our Catholic schools and even the Church. We need to pray about this.
so called “good cause”, once again I ask you to tell us just what your “good cause” is. I am sure I am not the only one who would like you to answer that very straightforward question!
Our greatest Saints and Teachers were very “ham handed”!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
good cause,
CCC: ” 2505 Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words, and guarding against duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy.”
and
CCC: ” 1759 “An evil action cannot be justified by reference to a good intention” (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Dec. praec. 6). The end does not justify the means. ”
Good is 100% good. Evil is 100% evil. The two are not compatible.
Your asking people to pray for evil is an abomination.
Yup, there is certainly some cruelty coming from people who oppose homosexual actions. I read a lot of comments on here that are meant to support of the Church’s teaching on human sexuality and yet are not written in a Christian spirit. I hear mention of kids who are called names and no, that’s not right. And yet I also know with my own eyes how much homosexual actions separate us from God and how harmful they are to the body and spirit. I don’t think that we have to choose between two kinds of evil but I believe that more people are hurt and even killed through homosexual activity, and no one seems to care.
Welcome back MarkF, I would be guilty of a lot of the name calling, I still carry the cross of the abuse from my childhood and sometimes those venomous emotions come out as I am tired of seeing lies where ever I go…but for Our Lord’s sake and yours Mark I will try and tone it down.
Regarding bishop vasa’s situation; the church is like a big ship in a stormy sea. The ship turns gradually. Catholic education is in a mess because the church lost tens of thousands of sisters who left their classrooms and even their vocations due to false doctrines. We need to pray for about another one hundred thousand nuns who will teach orthodox doctrine. Guess what? They are on the way. The orthodox orders are growing like crazy. The others are dying on the vine. Pray for more good vocations. God will not abandon the church!
Meeting the strict qualifications and being hired as a Catcholic School Teacher/Administrator is a privilage…..not a right.