Golden Compass Leads Waterloo Schools in Wrong Direction

Note: Napoleon met his fate at Waterloo. It appears that sound Catholic doctrine is likewise headed for exile in a different Waterloo. Are there no good Catholics who can rally against this apostasy? Are there no leaders left in the Church there? Stay tuned, I guess.

The Golden Compass Battle of Catholic Schools - One Board Bans it While Another Praises It

By John-Henry Westen

Hamilton, December 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a 5-4 decision the Halton Catholic District School Board decided Tuesday to ban the anti-Catholic book "The Golden Compass" and the other two books in the "His Dark Materials" anti-religion series.

The film, "The Golden Compass" has ignited interest in the books and drawn the attention of Catholic leaders the world over who have condemned it. In addition to several US bishops and archbishops, the Vatican newspaper blasted the film and books in an editorial this week.

The removal of the book from Catholic schools comes as no surprise considering the author, militant atheist Phillip Pullman has admitted publicly that with his works "I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." In fact the question some are asking now is how the trilogy came to be placed in Catholic schools in the first place and how many other materials undermining Christian faith are in those libraries and school programs.

However, a Catholic school board near the Halton board is not only refusing to ban the books, but has expressed shock and disdain at the decision to pull the books. The Cambridge Times reports that Waterloo Catholic District School Board Chair Wayne Buchholtz ranked the Pullman novels as a classic in league with the offerings of C.S. Lewis. "How can you pull a book like that?" he said to the Times. "I'm pleased that our board is not even considering it."

But Pullman's books are not the only ones of little concern to the Waterloo Catholic board. The Board was approached early this year by the group Defend Traditional Marriage and Family (DTMF) which was concerned about a teacher resource book promoting homosexuality as well as some thirty similarly objectionable books, videos and pamphlets available to Catholic students in school libraries and guidance offices.

The Board decided to retain the teacher resource book at its main offices but not in all schools but has of yet not dealt with the objectionable materials in the libraries. During the kerfuffle, a board spokesman even referred to DTMF as "an extremist hate group".

In what came as no surprise, gay "pride" clubs have begun in at least two Catholic schools in the board. One student who founded one of the clubs calls herself an "out lesbian" and reports that a pro-homosexuality novel, one of those objected to by the marriage group, was her inspiration for starting the club. (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/nov/07112909.html )

LifeSiteNews.com contacted DTMF spokesman Jack Fonseca for comment on the Buckholtz approval of the controversial books. "I suppose I'm not terribly surprised," said Fonseca. "In the November 2006 elections for Catholic school trustee, he failed to answer a candidate questionnaire prepared by DTMF to help Catholic voters know the views of candidates on relevant social issues. The first question was: "Do you agree that marriage should be defined solely as the life-long union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others? Yes or No?"."

Fonseca concluded, "We contacted candidates 3 times by email or phone, but he failed to respond. While I'm not suggesting that he would have given an improper answer to that question, the reluctance to take a stand at that time seems to fit with the current pattern of non-resistance to books that are clearly controversial from a Catholic moral perspective."

His Excellence Bishop Anthony Tonnos
700 King St. W. Hamilton, ON L8P 1C7
Phone: (905) 528-7988
Fax: (905) 528-1088
Email: mglover@hamiltondiocese.com

Auxiliary Bishop Gerard Bergie
Phone: (905) 528-7988
Fax: (905) 528-1088
Email: gbergie@hamiltondiocese.com

Catholic School Board That Winked at Homosexuality Now Approves Golden Compass Books

Catholic lawyer says, It's painful that the Catholic Church itself has not addressed the problem of this wayward board"

By John-Henry Westen WATERLOO, December 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An Ontario Catholic school board that did little after being warned of books promoting homosexuality in its school libraries, has now approved the anti-Catholic His Dark Materials trilogy -- of which The Golden Compass is the first novel. While several Catholic school boards in Ontario and other provinces have pulled the controversial books, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has told the press the books will remain in its school libraries.

Jonathan Wright, the religion and family life consultant for the board, told the local newspaper, The Record, that there will not even be a formal review of the books. He told the paper that he and a few others read the first book "just out of interest" adding, "I suppose that constitutes an informal review, but there will be no formal process at all."

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board was approached early this year by the group Defend Traditional Marriage and Family (DTMF) which was concerned about a teacher resource book promoting homosexuality as well as some thirty similarly objectionable books, videos and pamphlets available to Catholic students in school libraries and guidance offices.

The Board decided to retain the teacher resource book at its main offices but not in all schools but has of yet not dealt with the objectionable materials in the libraries. During the kerfuffle, a board spokesman even referred to DTMF as "an extremist hate group".

Read the rest

Gay Pride Clubs Erupt in Catholic Schools

What's going on up there in our neighbor to the north? One of my favorite and most holy Priest friends is a French-Canadian immigrant who is as faithful an apostle as i've ever met. When did the Church in Canada become so weak as to suffer such insults? Read the article on Lifesite.com.

A pertinent excerpt about gay Clubs is repeated here:

Gay Pride Clubs Erupt in Catholic Schools in Board Embroiled in Homosexuality Controversy

By John-Henry Westen WATERLOO, November 29, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An Ontario Catholic school board approached by a family issues group concerned about pro-homosexual materials in school libraries, is now facing the opening of homosexual student clubs in its high schools.

Hartnett stressed that "pastoral care of students with same sex orientation is not against our teachings as long as we follow the teachings of the Catholic Church."

She said she would likely follow up on the matter now. Asked if she was aware of such clubs prior to the newspaper report, Hartnett replied that she was, "aware that there were some students interested in that." She added again, "Pastorally there's nothing wrong with a group that will support students."

However, identification with a gay and lesbian club can be a negative way to go, according to Courage, a Roman Catholic group which is dedicated to those who struggle with same-sex attraction. Courage has been endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family and is approved by the Vatican.

"Having young people who are struggling with gender issues join a "gay-lesbianbisexual- transgender" group will only encourage a false and limiting type of selflabeling," said Courage in a communication to Defend Traditional Marriage and Family (DTMF).

"We believe it is most important to encourage young persons to primarily identify themselves as men and women made in the image of God. Even while acknowledging that their struggles with homosexual feelings or their experiences of gender confusion are real, they should not be encouraged to base their core identity on these difficulties," added Courage. "Christian anthropology teaches that we are created male and female - it does not teach that we are created gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Subjective feelings, thoughts and struggles, while real, do not translate into "identity". Also, these particular labels are often associated with political causes which are incompatible with Catholic moral teaching."

Catholic School Board Committee Approves Pro-Gay Manual, Does Not Teach Homosexual Acts Sinful

Our take - the local Bishop must move to protect the Catholicity of the institutions under his authority for the sake of the good and honest Catholic families that send their children to "Catholic" schools. If this moral decay is allowed to progress in Catholic schools, eventually there will not be any. We already are seeing a generation of religious illiterates as a result of failed religious education programs. This incident is a direct result of the secularization of religion.

Director of the Board says, "differences of opinion in areas like theology, faith, and morals" is "natural and healthy for a living, dynamic Church"

By John-Henry Westen

WATERLOO, Ontario, November 2, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Family Life Advisory Committee (FLAC) of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) met last night to consider objections to a pro-homosexual teacher resource manual which were raised by the local group Defend Traditional Marriage and Family (DTMF). Despite a petition signed by nearly 500 Catholic parents opposing the book, FLAC decided to retain "Open Minds to Equality" in an 11-5 vote.

Page 16 of the book states: "The heterosexism in our society fosters homophobia, the fear and hatred of homosexuality which is grounded in prejudice and stereotyping." The book provides role play and group activities which train children into viewing the homosexual lifestyle as normal and natural.

Of note, at the meeting one of the members, asked if students in the Catholic schools of the board are taught "that homosexual acts" are sinful. The response from the board was "no."