Worcester Bishop Robert McManus who called for the removal of Pride and Black Lives Matter flags from a Jesuit school back in April, has now issued a decree prohibiting the school from calling itself “Catholic” because the school refused to remove the flags.
Back in April, the Nativity School of Worcester issued the following statement in response to the bishop:
“The Black Lives Matter and Pride flags fly below the American flag at our school to remind our young men, their families and Nativity Worcester staff that all are welcome here and that they are valued and safe in this place,” reads the statement. “It says to them that they, in fact, do matter and deserve to be respected as our Christian values teach us. That is the purpose of flying these flags.”
Since May, The Nativity School of Worcester’s position has not changed, and they continue to fly the BLM and LGBTQ+ rainbow flags. The School does not operate within the Diocese of Worcester but is “proudly” sponsored by the USA East Province of Jesuits, school officials further pointed out back in April.
Nevertheless, Bishop McManus has not changed his position either.
Reported MassLive.com on June 16:
In addition to stripping the school of its Catholic title, the school may no longer perform mass or sacraments on its campus or sponsor any masses or sacraments at churches in the Diocese of Worcester, according to the decree.
The school can also no longer conduct fundraisers involving diocesan institutions and cannot advertise in the Diocesan Directory. The school also has to remove Bishop Emeritus Daniel P. Reilly’s name from the school’s list of the Board of Trustees, according to McManus.
The school, which serves about 60 predominantly students of color from low-income families, is a part of the Jesuit network. McKenney said in a statement following the Bishop’s initial comments that while the school “proudly” operates in the Diocese of Worcester it is not a Diocesan school.
The flags indicate that all are welcome at the school, McKenney said in his letter to the community, and noted that Pope Francis has praised outreach to the LBGTQ+ community in the church and the U.S. Conference of Bishops supports the spirit of the Black Lives Matter movement. ..
“Both flags are now widely understood to celebrate the human dignity of our relatives, friends, and neighbors who have faced, and continue to face hate and discrimination,” [Nativity President Thomas] McKenney wrote [in a statement]. …
Despite the decree, the school will continue to display the flags, “to give visible witness to the school’s solidarity with our students, families and their communities. Commitment to our mission, grounded and animated by Gospel values, Catholic Social Teaching and our Jesuit heritage compels us to do so ,” McKenney said [last week].
Read the complete MassLive.com report here.
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