The Archdiocese of Liverpool is sitting on its hands while a Catholic headmaster has entered a civil partnership with a male teacher and celebrated the “union” in a parish center, according to The Telegraph.

The Archdiocese of Liverpool has taken no action against Charles Coyne, the head of St Cecilia’s primary school.

Many local Catholics have urged the archdiocese to take action over the scandal. So Archbishop Patrick Kelly did what Jesus surely would have done; he called a lawyer who warned him against doing anything. A spokesman for the archdiocese said nothing could be done. “Legal advice was sought,” the spokesman said. “The Church was advised that in this case nothing could be done, despite the fact that the head was acting contrary to Church teaching.”

The archdiocese put out a statement saying that Mr Coyne had run St Cecilia’s for many years and “matters relating to his personal life have in no way interfered with his management of the school”. Yeah, except for the fact that he’s blatantly flouting the rules of the church before all of the children.

The Rev Richard Kirker, the general secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, predicted that Mr Coyne’s “courageous” step would be followed by others in senior posts.

Let’s hope not. But with the church shrugging its shoulders in the face of brazenness like this what hope is there? One doesn’t have to think hard about why Europe is sinking down the secular toilet.