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I support Patricia Jannuzzi's right to express her Catholic mind without fear of retribution
Vivificat - From Contemplation to Action ^ | 25 Mar 2015 | Teófilo de Jesús (@vivificat)

Posted on 03/25/2015 8:35:47 AM PDT by Teófilo

Teacher Patricia Jannuzi

Brethren, Peace be with you.

As you may know from numerous media reports, Patricia Jannuzzi is a (suspended) teacher at a Catholic high school in New Jersey. According to Aleteia.org,
Jannuzzi, a teacher at Immaculata High School in Somerville, was suspended with pay and benefits two weeks ago. Her bishop, Paul Bootkoski of the diocese of Metuchen, wrote that Jannuzzi’s now-deleted Facebook post was “disturbing and do not reflect the church’s teachings of acceptance.”

Placing private-school teachers on administrative leave is a common form of punishment that school district officials use to fire the employees, according to an official.  Has Bishop Paul Bootkoski made up his mind already? Has he terminated Jannuzzi?

According to mycentraljersey.com, Jannuzzi’s lawyer said the bishop did just that. Attorney David Oakley told the publication that lawyers for the diocese of Metuchen said Jannuzzi would be fired in effect by the summer.
Her offending post, as captured by a gay activist,  was as follows:


Those were the expressions Bishop Bootkoski called “disturbing and do not reflect the church’s teachings of acceptance" and what triggered her current suspension without pay and her impending dismissal from her job, according to her lawyers.

For what is worth, I want to say I support Patria Jannuzzi. What she said about the gay lobby is true. Barring any other personnel issue that we are not aware of, that Bishop Bootkoski is making her an example for failing to adhere to his interpretation of a public comment by the Pope - in which I detect no will to prescribe policy changes to any local diocese's personnel practices - is sad and disturbing. More so if Bishop Bootkoski had not expressed himself specifically on issue before, and detailed these conditions in Mrs. Jannuzi's contract before employing her.

What happened here is that Mrs. Jannuzi told the truth, and the Thought Police went after her, and that her Bishop for reasons unknown, bent to the artificial pressure generated by gay rights activists and made an example out of her instead of protecting her right to speak her mind on a matter of concern to all Catholics, which now will cost Mrs. Jannuzi her livelihood.

Pelea Monga or Death by a Thousand Cuts

Yes, I'm aware that she hasn't been fired, but suspended but that in itself is an injustice. Her lawyers state the school will not renew her contract under any circumstances despite the diocese's tepid denial to the effect that they will not make hiring decisions "until late spring."

The thing is, and this is a constant I perceive in the administrative culture across our local churches, that if "they" don't want you - "they" is a social network consisting of the formal administrative staff of a bishop, his formal and informal advisers, or the bishop himself as the person with ultimate authority, alone or with all or some of his staff and advisers - "they" will make things so hard for the person they've targeted that the target has no choice but to resign whatever his or her ministry or position might be for the sake of their sanity, dignity, and sense of self-worth.

"They" will follow the playbook of what we call in Puerto Rico pelea monga (literally "flabby fighting" in the sense of inflicting a person's moral or administrative "death by a thousand little cuts") - consists of administrative inaction or slowdown affecting the victim's bureacratic existence; erecting increasingly insurmountable bureaucratic barriers, cutting off information flows; isolating the hapless person from peers; and delivering the victim to a life of utter professional and personal uncertainty.

This is all too common in Catholic local government circles I'm afraid. The end of this playbook is to avoid confrontation and false promises and representations made by people in authority that will cost them later. Also, to cool tempers, and anything that might compromise the local church's stance in the face of her critics - in this case, gay rights advocates. The playbook also aims at driving the problem away, instead of solving it with the charity the Gospel demands of all of us when treating people as persons, not as disposable accouterments to the life and government of the local church. It also dilutes the participants' sense of individual responsibility for the evil visited upon their target by convincing them that the outcome was "God's will".

I'm sure that "they" - as defined above - expected that Mrs. Jannuzi would submit to her fate quietly and then fade into the woodwork. I'm sure they were infuriated when she refused to.

All this could have been avoided had the diocese distanced herself not from Mrs. Jannuzi's truth-telling, but perhaps from her choice of words, while supporting her right to express her mind and avoiding punishing her altogether. Now's too late. "They" have become involved and "they" don't want to lose face. Mrs. Jannuzi should demand from the diocese a clear settlement of her state in black-and-white and ready herself for a continuing pelea monga until her opponents score their triumph.

Let us pray for Patricia Jannuzi: may she be reinstated and restored to her former position of respect and consideration, and may the Lord guide Bishop Bootkoski to a just and equitable decision in her case. Let us pray also for all our local churches, that the Spirit of God and not the spirit of bureaucracy and weakness,reigns and prevails in all the churches.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: catholic; patriciajannuzi
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Blunders. Typos. Mine.
1 posted on 03/25/2015 8:35:47 AM PDT by Teófilo
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To: YellowRoseofTx; Rashputin; StayoutdaBushesWay; OldNewYork; MotherRedDog; sayuncledave; ...

PING!


2 posted on 03/25/2015 8:36:49 AM PDT by Teófilo (Visit Vivificat! - http://www.vivificat.org - A Catholic Blog of News, Commentary and Opinion)
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To: Teófilo

3 posted on 03/25/2015 8:37:55 AM PDT by mrmeyer (You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. – Robert Heinlein)
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To: Teófilo

Indeed!


4 posted on 03/25/2015 8:40:51 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Teófilo

Prayers for her and that her Bishop will change his mind.


5 posted on 03/25/2015 8:43:55 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Teófilo

Not much of a bishop is he.


6 posted on 03/25/2015 8:48:26 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: Teófilo

I think initial reports wrote that she was fired but current reports back off that heading for non-renewal of fall contract. I hope we are not heading for love the sinner and the sin.


7 posted on 03/25/2015 8:51:36 AM PDT by ex-snook (To conquer use Jesus, not bombs.)
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To: Teófilo

So the bishop shut her down for standing on Catholic teaching?

WTH?


8 posted on 03/25/2015 8:52:22 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Teófilo

There is a website set up by her family to keep them afloat.
There is at least one child in college.
She has battled cancer and there are expenses.

It is disgusting that the Bishop entertains these boobs who despise him, the Church, and everything the Church teaches.

Truth is anathema to this Bishop and the ravenous dogs circling this woman and her teaching position.

God help us.


9 posted on 03/25/2015 9:10:20 AM PDT by RitaOK ( VIVA CRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming)
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To: Teófilo

Wait a minute...the “pope” had lunch with homos. She should have known better than to point to something like a biblical position when Rome is slowly morphing into a cross between Starbucks and the Elks Lodge.


10 posted on 03/25/2015 9:17:47 AM PDT by Dutchboy88
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To: Dutchboy88

Just for clarity’s sake, the teaching of the Church regarding homosexuality can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as follows:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,140 tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”141 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

There’s nothing wrong with lunching with people who suffer from same-sex attraction. Throwing the book at them and telling them to swim or sink is not the right way to reach out to them. Remember that Jesus was accused of having too much to do with prostitutes and publicans. Jesus made house calls, as Pope Francis does. Sometimes the physician must go to the sick to heal them.

+JMJ,
~Theo


11 posted on 03/25/2015 9:27:31 AM PDT by Teófilo (Visit Vivificat! - http://www.vivificat.org - A Catholic Blog of News, Commentary and Opinion)
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To: Teófilo

Sure...Rome is behaving just like Jesus (gag).


12 posted on 03/25/2015 9:30:17 AM PDT by Dutchboy88
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To: Teófilo; mrmeyer; afraidfortherepublic; YellowRoseofTx; Rashputin; StayoutdaBushesWay; ...
There's a possibility we can fight this and win. Bishop Bootkoski, who turns like a weathervane in every passing gust, is ready beginning to waffle. Give his a piece of your mind at:

bishop@diometuchen.org

Also Contact:

Immaculata High School
Mrs. Jean Kline, principal:
jkline@immaculatahighschool.org
Phone: (908) 722-0200, ext. 110 or 111

Monsignor Seamus Brennan
c/o Immaculate Conception Church
35 Mountain Avenue
Somerville, New Jersey 08876
Phone: 908-725-1112

And don't forget the link for YouCare crowdfunding site: http://www.youcaring.com/family-fundraiser/patricia-jannuzzi-catholic-educator-needs-your-help-/322057

13 posted on 03/25/2015 9:32:13 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Stupidity is always a vice." - Jacques Maritain)
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To: Mrs. Don-o; All
Just saw this on her site:

Thank You! Thanks so much to all of you who have expressed your support for our Mother. The latest announcement from the diocese suggests that we may have been misinformed about their decision to terminate her in August. Therefore, we are taking down this appeal as we ask for a prompt public answer from the diocese to the question: will our mother, a tenured teacher of 30+ years be allowed to continue to teach at Immaculata High School in September? ...

14 posted on 03/25/2015 9:37:14 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: Teófilo; mrmeyer; afraidfortherepublic; YellowRoseofTx; Rashputin; StayoutdaBushesWay; ...
Here's my letter to Bishop Bootkoski.


bishop@diometuchen.org

Dear Bishop Bootkoski,

Understanding that you are looking for a good pastoral approach in the matter of the Patricia Jannuzzi controversy, I would be honored if you would consider the following points. I am responding to your official statement as found on your diocesan website.

(1)If you're trying to teach your students, faculty and teachers with respect, why do you fail to even address Patricia Jannuzzi by name?? And why do you fail to quote her actual words, showing where they differ from Catholic teachings? This isn't "respect," it's leaving the person you have crushed by your punitive firing, nameless and voiceless.

(2) "Never wavered" in teaching Catholic doctrines? Can you show is even one instance in which you have actually, comprehensively taught your flock "our traditional Catholic teachings" on the question of homosexuality?

(3) That a teacher's comment is "disturbing" may or may not be relevant. One may "disturb" another by telling the truth, or by telling an untruth. Christ said things which were so disturbing that the religious and social hierarchy of His day wanted to kill Him. Would you want to dispute the truth of anything Patricia Jannuzzi said?

You say she has not upheld the Church's teaching of "acceptance," and yet these are the actual words of the Catechism, para 2357:

"Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved."

The Catechism also says that persons with a deep-seated homosexual tendency "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity" and that "Homosexual persons are called to chastity." If Patricia Jannuzzi's comments were blunt, they were not more blunt than Paragraph 2357 of the Catechism.

(4) "She has never been terminated"? This is an untruth. She was put on administrative leave (with pay) until August, and informed that she would not be re-hired in September. That means she is terminated as of September.

(5) There is a difference between accepting "brethren" (ordinary men and women, boys and girls, students who may be struggling with same-sex attraction) and accepting the social and political agenda of LGBT activist groups, the "Gay Lobby."

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis (Abp. Bergoglio) called on the priests of his Archdiocese to bring the faithful to an upcoming protest against homosexual "marriage."

"Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God," wrote Cardinal Bergoglio in a letter sent to the monasteries of Buenos Aires. "We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God."

Pretty disturbing, isn't it? I'm thinking Bergoglio would be considered unfit to teach in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Metuchen.

To the clergy of the parishes, Bergoglio requested that all of them read from the pulpits a declaration defending the true definition and understanding of marriage.

"The Argentinean people will have to confront, in the coming weeks, a situation whose result could gravely injure the family. We are speaking of a bill regarding marriage between people of the same sex," a bill that calls into question "the identity, and the survival of the family: father, mother, and children."

It's impossible to miss the parallels between Bergoglio's statement, and Mrs. Jannuzzi's comment on Facebook that the Gay movement threatens to “reengineer Western civ[ilization] into a slow extinction...We need healthy families with a mother and a father for the sake of the children and humanity."

(6) Patricia Jannuzzi made no "harsh and judgmental" statements toward any individual gay student or any individual whatsoever. She was speaking of the homosexualist movements, ideologies and social-change groups which are even now coercing acceptance of homosexual acts and the relationships predicated upon those acts, by force of law.

The only report of her speaking to or about an individual, was the following from the New York Daily News. "I left this school after being told in religion class I must live a celibate single life if I had gay ‘feelings,’” wrote Doug Bednarczyk.

Is this wrong? Isn't this the same choice facing every human being, no matter what their orientation: either chaste celibacy, or marriage as defined by Divine and Natural Law?

This should have been an excellent teaching moment. In my opinion, Mrs. Jannuzzi should have been invited to clarify and expand on her thoughts by citing the Catechism and Bergoglio statements quoted above.

Jannuzzi should not have been suspended or terminated. That kind of heavily punitive reaction is entirely disrespectful of her, and consists of silencing, shaming, and exclusion as well as a punishing loss of vocation and income. Such radical exclusion of an excellent teacher with decades of honorable service to the Church and School is cruel and shockingly unjustified.

`


By the way, I sent this to Bishop Bootkoski as a paper copy, as well as posted it at the Diocesan website HERE (LINK).

15 posted on 03/25/2015 9:44:46 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Stupidity is always a vice." - Jacques Maritain)
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To: Timber Rattler

Excellent. As I said, the Bishop, who apparently has the non-courage of his non-convictions, is waffling. It’s time to keep on pushing.


16 posted on 03/25/2015 9:47:01 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Stupidity is always a vice." - Jacques Maritain)
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To: Teófilo

The current Pope is a fraud, which renders your comments as meaningless.


17 posted on 03/25/2015 9:47:07 AM PDT by ohioman
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To: Dutchboy88

Having lunch with sinners-— what a Jesus-y thing to do.


18 posted on 03/25/2015 9:53:38 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" - Luke 7:34)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

Well said!


19 posted on 03/25/2015 9:55:48 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Thank you!


20 posted on 03/25/2015 10:06:30 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God." Liturgy of St.John)
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