Santa Rosa Diocese Requires its Teachers to Reject 'Modern Errors'

The Press Democrat ^ | 2/27/13 | Martin Espinoza

[marshmallow]

The Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese is requiring its 200 schoolteachers to sign an agreement affirming that "modern errors" such as contraception, abortion, homosexual marriage and euthanasia are "matters that gravely offend human dignity."

The move is an effort by Bishop Robert Vasa to delineate specifically what it means for a Catholic-school teacher -- whether Catholic or not -- to be a "model of Catholic living" and to adhere to Catholic teaching.

That means means abiding by the Ten Commandments, going to church every Sunday and heeding God's words in thought, deed and intentions, according to a private church document that is an "addendum" to language in the current teachers' contract.

In his two years as Santa Rosa's bishop, Vasa has attempted to bring his strict interpretation of church doctrine to a diocese that historically has had a more tolerant approach.

But some teachers fear the addendum is an invasion of their private lives and a move toward imposing more rigid Catholic doctrine.

[trad_anglican]

a move toward imposing more rigid Catholic doctrine

Imagine the imposition of Catholic doctrine in Catholic schools! Why the very idea!

[Sergio]

The Press Democrat...isn’t that redundant.

[livius]

It’s about time. That diocese has been the pits for decades and has had bishops ranging from indifferent to those who left under criminal charges.

[spirited irish]

Imagine the imposition of Catholic doctrine in Catholic schools!

Spirited: Even worse: requiring that the creature submit to the Moral Laws of his Creator.

[veritas2002]

one bishop with a set of functioning testicles

[RedStateRocker]

Actually, the PD was pretty conservative, at least compared to the Comical back before it was sold. Now that a group of local business people hae boughgt it the paper is trending much more conservative, at lease on economic issues.

[irishjuggler]

Bravo for this bishop! The facebook-integrated comments below that article show precisely why the bishop’s action is necessary. It’s disturbing (though unsuprising, sadly) to read such ugly, anti-Catholic comments from people purporting to be alumni/ae of Santa Rosa Catholic schools.

[pgkdan]

Good for Bishop Vasa. Catholic and gutsy, a rare combination in today’s American episcopate.

[mtg]

But some teachers fear the addendum is an invasion of their private lives

Then go find somewhere else to teach and stay away from Catholic schools.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Even though he's not a Cardinal, I must say this would look very good on a papabile's resume.

Media shock: Bishop is Catholic!!

And those Catholic School teachers are stepping out in the open and sorting themselves in public. Good. The anti-Catholics can be quicky weeded out, and there's plenty of actual believers presently unemployed, who would be willing to step in and take their jobs.