Bishop Vasa had a plan. Bishop Vasa caved on the plan. Plan needed now more than ever.
Bishop Vasa OF Santa Rosa asked all teachers in the diocese to sing a pledge supporting the Church’s teaching on certain hotbutton issues affirming that “contraception, gay marriage, euthanasia are “modern errors” and “matters that gravely offend human dignity.”
The teachers freaked out and Bishop Vasa postponed the policy implementation until 2015 to allow for time for education and reach agreement on the policy in “some form.”
At first glance, it seems like Bishop Vasa has relented on the notion of Catholic identity, but I can see why he may have thought that success would require some regrouping. But the reaction to Bishop Vasa’s postponement only re-emphasizes the need for the policy. Here are some quotes from teachers (note this newspaper did not find one teacher in support of the policy.)
“We are extremely ecstatic and grateful to Bishop Vasa,” said Lori Edgar, the parent of a Cardinal Newman High School senior and freshman. A Catholic, Edgar had said Vasa’s edict did not reflect her understanding of her faith.
…
Asked whether she would have signed the clause, she said, “I wanted to ask if there was another way, to reach the goals that we agree on.”
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“The ultimate goal is still to filter out those who aren’t followers,” said a non-Catholic teacher who has taught at Cardinal Newman for more than five years.
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“I’m not going to feel any different about euthanasia or contraception or gay marriage 10 years from now,” said the teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity because “because of this continued fear of this power.”
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“Our hopes are that it’s not the same addendum, it’s a reformed version, something that’s a litte less discriminatory and hateful,” said Natalie Ramirez, a Cardinal Newman senior.
“I think that Bishop Vasa removing that now and giving us a time period to move to work toward something that’s not as extreme, something that we can agree to, I think that’s wonderful,” Ramirez said.
Bishop Vasa, please don’t change a single word of it. If they cannot sign it, they have no business teaching in a Catholic school. You are doing the right thing, don’t go wobbly now.
March 24, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Sadly, another Catholic Bishop caved into the culture of death. PLEASE consider sending him a polite email asking him to change his mind.
http://prolifecorner.com/another-catholic-bishop-caves-in/
March 24, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Pray for Bishop Vasa. He has great principles and makes the effort, but he cannot stand up to pressure. He made a similar request for fidelity in the Baker diocese. He didn't recant since he only asked that people follow a properly formed conscience, but he caved any time the parishioners complained to him that their priest was taking it seriously. He can make a difference, but he needs prayers. He also needs to see evidence that he is supported in his attempts. Progressives are very good at holding bishops' feet to the fire to get what they want. Maybe conservatives should get better at both showing bishops encouragement and at making threats if he backs down. That doesn't seem to come naturally to conservatives.
March 24, 2013 at 10:12 pm
The problem with unfaithful Catholic colleges is so-called Catholic high schools. Today's Catholic high schools sow seeds of doubt and rebellion. Catholic high school Religion classes are not even a slim imitation of the wisdom of the catechism; and there is little attempt made to introduce even basic apologia and other proofs of the faith.
March 24, 2013 at 10:59 pm
And the problem with (really, one shouldn't ever use "so-called") Catholic high schools would be Catholic elementary schools which would be Catholic parents which would be…
Sounds like a closed loop of pass-the-blame. So who's at fault? Bishops? Parishioners? School trustees? Parish councils? Pastors? No one? Everyone? Bill Keane's "not me?"
March 24, 2013 at 11:15 pm
What if I told my kids they had to do the dishes after dinner. Then they complained and I said, ok, never mind. Do ya think they would learn to do the dishes? Do ya think they would learn not to do the dishes?
Or do ya think they would learn that every time they whine and complain, they will get their way?
March 24, 2013 at 11:37 pm
I hope Bp Vasa will use this year to teach what has not been taught for years. Then, with full thought and freedom, if those who dissent can leave. God, grant your Bishop the strength to lead faithfully in this struggle.
March 25, 2013 at 4:31 am
Bishop Vasa probably finds himself unsupported by his fellow bishops and up against the temporizing powers of those above him. To hold strong in that situation must be quite hard. Its the difference between men who really believe Catholicism and those for whom it's a career path. Sad for him.
March 25, 2013 at 10:32 am
So the anti-Catholic teachers have another year to corrupt the minds of our children in Church schools. Thanks to the Church and its schools, many atheists are honed.
March 25, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Make the pledge optional this year for rehire but do not give a step-increase in salary to teachers who refuse to sign it. Over the next year or two, provide faith formation and instruction about the distinctiveness of Catholic education and schools to teachers. Once that is complete, make the pledge mandatory for rehire and provide retroactive step-increases in salary to those teachers who remain but had not signed the pledge previously when it was not required for rehire.
March 25, 2013 at 6:28 pm
A catholic school principal that hired non catholic teachers lead by liberal bishop in the past and some liberal pastors currently will take more than a single year to turn around. The prediction that the Church will be smaller will happen, but non Catholics and ill informed Catholics are working and parenting currently. Students of all faiths and levels of faith will continue to graduate. If the smallness happens in the diocese all at once there will be no Catholic schools.
March 25, 2013 at 6:32 pm
Bishop Vasa needs our prayers. May God bless him with strength and perseverance.
March 25, 2013 at 7:20 pm
Cotton
I'd like to know who the Bishop consulted before he made this move…..
March 25, 2013 at 10:45 pm
Bishop Vasa has taken over a hornet's nest of hetrodoxy in that Northern California diocese. Not only are the parents and students uncatechised, I'm willing to bet that the priests that Vasa inherited in this diocese are not standing with him at all and in fact are encouraging the hetrodox disobedience of the parents. Some areas have become so un-Catholic that perhaps the best answer might be for the good bishop to close down the "Catholic Schools", and sell the properties to the various Catholic home schoolers