Secular campaigners have launched an attack on the Roman Catholic Church for urging its secondary schools to back the current legal definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.
The Catholic Education Service contacted 385 Catholic state-schools across England and Wales asking them to sign a petition seeking to preserve the current definition of marriage.
It urged staff to distribute a letter written by the Archbishop of Westminster, Reverend Vincent Nichols, voicing his opposition to the Government’s proposals to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.
The letter was read out to approximately one million worshippers last month in churches across the country. It defended conventional marriage as a “natural” institution which brings "huge value to society".
But secularists are claiming that the move amounts to “political indoctrination”, breaches anti-discrimination laws and encourages pupils “into bigotry.”
Richy Thompson of the British Humanist Association described the move as“absolutely outrageous”.
Church teachings
However Maeve McCormack, policy manager for the Catholic Education Service, pointed out that Catholic schools were entitled to ensure that information received by pupils on marriage and sexual ethics was in line with the teachings of the Church:
"Schools with a religious character are allowed to teach sex and relationships – and conduct assemblies – in accordance with the religious views of the school. The Catholic view of marriage is not a political view; it's a religious view."
“It was an explanation of marriage and a positive affirmation of marriage, celebrating the huge value that it brings to society – we are proud of the fact that these kinds of values are taught in our schools.”
Brendan O’Neill, writing in the Telegraph, said:
“The attempt to drain religious schools of religion is a highly illiberal, intolerant exercise. Catholic schools have a certain amount of leeway to teach the Catholic view on life, sex and relationships. If they didn't, then they wouldn't be "Catholic schools" – they'd just be "schools".
“Forcing Catholic parents to send their children to schools which celebrated same-sex marriage, despite the fact that many of those parents don't like the idea of same-sex marriage, would represent a stinging attack on parents' rights over their children and on their right to "freely associate" with like-minded people.”
Comment
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“The outrage caused because Catholic schools want to teach Catholic values brilliantly displays the intolerance and hypocrisy of the secular lobby, which wants to remove the Christian faith from this nation.
“Why shouldn’t Catholics affirm marriage according to their faith? Parents should be able to send their children to a school which reflects their values. Tolerance cuts both ways.”
Sources
Telegraph (Blog): Stop the Press! Catholic Schools teach Catholic ideas about gay marriage!
Resources
Christian Concern: Religious Freedom
Christian Concern: Sexual Orientation