The Lead

David Badash writes:

A Catholic priest who hosted a mandatory assembly told seniors at Minneapolis’ DeLaSalle high school that single parents and children who are adopted are not normal, preached against same-sex marriage, and a Catholic couple who presented with the priest told the students gay marriage was akin to bestiality, all apparently in an effort to influence the seniors — soon to be of legal voting age — to vote for the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment facing Minnesota, according to a report.

Joe Tevlin writes in the StarTribune:

"The first three-quarters of the presentation were really good," said (DeLaSalle senior Matt) Bliss. "They talked about what is marriage and how marriage helps us as a society. Then it started going downhill when they started talking about single parents and adopted kids. They didn't directly say it, but they implied that kids who are adopted or live with single parents are less than kids with two parents of the opposite sex. They implied that a 'normal' family is the best family."

At that point, some of the students objected to the presentation.

(Lydia) Hannah said students were anxious when they heard about the program and were suspicious because only seniors were required to go. "We put two and two together," said Hannah. "All of us will be able to vote next fall [on the constitutional amendment that limits marriage to same-sex couples]."

Hannah said the presenters briefly brought up the amendment but backed off when students got angry.

A priest and a volunteer couple presented the information. When someone asked a question about two men being able to have a quality, committed relationship, the couple compared their love to bestiality, Bliss said.

"Most people got really upset," said Bliss. "And comments about adopted kids, I found those to be really offensive. There were at least four kids there who are adopted."

Hannah, who is adopted, said one of the presenters said that adopted kids were "sociologically unstable." She called the comments "hurtful" and comparisons between gay love and bestiality upsetting.

"My friend said, 'You didn't just compare people to animals, did you?'" said Hannah. "I think everyone has a right to their opinion, and I don't judge them on it. But we don't force people to sit down so we can tell them their opinion is wrong."

Tevlin asked Jim Benson, a vice principal at the school who was at the gathering, if he thought the comments of the presenters were appropriate. Benson referred Tevlin back to the archdiocese.

Jim Accurso, spokesman for the archdiocese, said most of the presentation went fine. But during a question-and-answer session, a presenter used "an unfortunate example" to answer the question and made students upset.

"I can see where in a situation like this, students can feel dismayed," said Accurso, who added there have been no problems at other schools.

Comments (18)

The Episcopal Church in Minnesota welcomes all Catholic GLBT families to the flock.

Eric

Posted by E Sinkula | April 5, 2012 11:50 AM

Well, if the RCC thinks that there's something wrong with adoption, they should stop serving as adoption go-betweens.

Full disclosure: I was adopted.

Posted by Bill Dilworth | April 5, 2012 11:56 AM

Bill:

I guess Moses would also be an upset Catholic.

Posted by E Sinkula | April 5, 2012 12:05 PM

Good point, Eric.

What does "sociologically unstable" even mean? I've seen it used a couple of times in discussions of societies, but what does it mean to say that a person is sociologically unstable?

Posted by Bill Dilworth | April 5, 2012 12:13 PM

I saw a more colorful account of this story on Towleroad, and apparently the students got so upset and angry that the whole thing was shut down. Thanks be to God for that. Second of all, I've never seen an official Catholic Church teaching claiming an equivalence between homosexuality and bestiality. Maybe between masturbation and homosexual activity - and that both are considered "disordered" - but never have I seen bestiality officially mentioned as such.

Posted by Clint Davis | April 5, 2012 12:31 PM

It just gets weirder and weirder and sadder and sadder. Can anything be more transparent or more manipulative, or (frankly) more off-putting? Did anyone in the RC hierarchy really think this would be accepted by these modern students?

Posted by Eric Funston | April 5, 2012 12:40 PM

How about Jesus? Born out of wed-lock, raised by a father that was not his "natural" father... there's very little that was "normal" about His family.

Posted by Charles Browning | April 5, 2012 1:02 PM

The great point of this report is that the students saw through the presenters, confronted them and refused to buy what they were selling

Posted by Roger Mortimer | April 5, 2012 1:43 PM

This is very troubling. Not only is this representative of the Catholic Church teaching very hurtful positions, but they are clearly targeting a specific school age because they will be able to vote in the upcoming election. It's very cynical. No wonder so many poeple have trouble with religion.

Posted by Ellen Lincourt | April 5, 2012 2:26 PM

They will only do what people allow them to get away with. That's pretty simple so long as everybody remembers that there is often a cost for speaking truth to power. For myself, I walked away and I thank God for that.

Posted by Peter Pearson | April 5, 2012 5:07 PM

I am utterly astonished at the oblivious way the ecclesiastical leadership is burning through whatever credibility they might have left with a whole future generation.

It is truly breathtaking.

Posted by Richard E. Helmer | April 5, 2012 5:13 PM

That comment about Jesus is classic! This assembly sounds absolutely appalling. Sadly, I experienced much of this same kind of stuff when teaching at a parochial school. And the people the often congratulated themselves on how open-minded they were.

Posted by Leslie Scoopmire | April 5, 2012 5:57 PM

Good for these kids! The fact that they challenged this shows that there's still hope!

Cullin R. Schooley

Posted by Apps 55753818692 1675970731 F785b701a6d1b8c33f0408 | April 5, 2012 6:05 PM

Why is everyone surprised that they promoted their church's stand on social issues at a school that they run?

Posted by Nicole Porter | April 6, 2012 12:06 AM

Nicole, no one is surprised that they promote their own position. I, for one, continue to be amazed that they can't come up with better arguments (perhaps there aren't any) or that they try to be persuasive by insulting the people in the room.

Posted by Paul Martin | April 6, 2012 12:44 AM

The church's stand is not that adopted persons are sociologically unstable nor does RC theology equate bestiality and homosexuality - these folks are way over the edge of Catholic thinking. The lovely surprise is the rejection of these hateful statements by the students -- yay them!

Posted by Ann Fontaine | April 6, 2012 1:06 AM

Nicole, the Episcopal Church runs schools. Can you imagine them pulling out high school seniors to indoctrinate them to vote AGAINST such a ssm ban? I, for one, can't---and TBTG for that!

JC Fisher

Posted by tgflux | April 7, 2012 4:34 AM

Yes I am fully aware of that. I would like to place my future children in one. And honestly, I wouldn't want my child indoctrinated in any school to take any position over another. The seniors should make their own choices.

Posted by Nicole Porter | April 7, 2012 3:14 PM

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