A few days before the start of Pride Month, the Niagara Catholic District School Board sent a letter announcing its decision, for the first time, to fly the Pride flag to all schools and places. of the Council during the month of June.
The letter, written by education director Camillo Cipriano, said Niagara Catholic was waving a locally created version of the flag designed by staff at Brock University’s president’s office.
Cipriano wrote that, although “not all of our families support the banner of the progress of Pride … we see the flag as a very clear and public sign that all those who come to Catholic schools and places of the Niagara people are welcome, accepted, loved and respected unconditionally as children. ” of God. ”
It is, he added, a visible statement that schools are “safe and inclusive places to learn and grow.”
Since the letter was sent to families in late May, Niagara Catholic teacher Elizabeth Murphy-Semple said all of her virtual Masses for 5th graders, through Our Lady of the Scapular Church of the Niagara Falls and its pastor, Father Paul MacNeil, have been canceled.
In Fort Erie, Catholic Our Lady of Victory Elementary School confirmed to The St. Catharines Standard that his staff received a letter from St. Michael’s Church, written by Father Patrick Gilmurray, in which he said that “he has made the very difficult decision not to enter the school while the flag is displayed. of Pride “.
Neither the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular nor the Church of St. Michael responded to The Standard’s request for comment.
Murphy-Semple wants to see the flag continue to be raised because children should be at the heart of “everything we do as educators.” Through his young eyes, he said, the flag symbolizes that everyone is welcome.
“It is extremely discouraging for some of our local priests to refuse to enter schools while waving the Pride flag. The world needs our religious leaders to preach unconditional love and inclusion in our schools and communities, now more than ever, “Murphy-Semple said.
“We must protect the rights (of children) to a safe and inclusive learning environment. If it makes a difference to a child, it’s worth it. “
The spokeswoman for the diocese of St. Catharines’ Margaret Jong said Bishop Gerard Bergie had left the priests individually and “to their conscience whether or not they felt comfortable going to school.”
“The bishop made it clear that children, staff, school, everyone is welcome in the church … there is no problem for them to enter the church,” Jong said. “We all believe, and we certainly want, that our Catholic schools and Catholic institutions … are open, welcoming and inclusive.”
In response to the board’s motives for raising the Pride flag, including the celebration of the beauty, dignity, and uniqueness of all people on their personal journey, as Cipriano wrote in a note to the Catholic staff of the Niagara, Jong said, “We certainly want to be loving and welcoming, even if we don’t agree.”
When asked how priests who refuse to enter school buildings are part of an inclusive message, Jong said it is a different view than what the flag represents.
“From a Catholic point of view, it represents much more than (inclusion), so things that would contradict Catholic or Christian teachings about marriage, family, gender,” Jong said. “It means so much more than acceptance and inclusion.”
OUTNiagara co-president Celeste Turner grew up a Roman Catholic in St. Louis. Catharines. The first time they asked about the word gay, Turner recalled being told, “It’s people who like same-sex people,” followed by “these people are going to hell.”
While praising the steps taken by the Niagara Catholic Board to promote inclusion, Turner said the actions speak louder than words and that priests who refuse to celebrate Mass or enter a school while the flag “send a very strong message”.
“If you really say they are children of God, and you care for them and accept them, whatever happens, then what does the waving flag matter,” Turner said. “I don’t understand how that keeps you from sharing your message and keeps you from wanting the best for these kids.”
Turner said LGBTQ + youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual peers, and that such actions “perpetuate this intolerance and unacceptability.”
In an email, Niagara Catholic Communications Officer Jennifer Pellegrini said the board is among the majority of Ontario’s Catholic tables that fly the Pride flag this year.
It is an extension of “our commitment to be living examples of our faith” and understands that 2SLGBTQ + students are at a “higher risk of mental health problems, self-harm or other tragic consequences due to school bullying or feeling different, ”he said. .
In response to the decision of some priests to cancel Mass or enter the school grounds, during Pride Month, Pellegrini said the board has always had a strong relationship with its diocese and the their parishes.
“We respect and value both Bishop Bergie and our rectors as important partners in Catholic education and look forward to continuing this partnership.”
Pellegrini confirmed that there have been two cases of individual protests this week, including at Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School in Niagara Falls and the Catholic Education Center.
People arrived at Welland School on Wednesday afternoon and advised staff that “they were there to pray the rosary and wanted to leave when they were finished.” They were allowed to do so in the front parking area, Pellegrini said, and left after about an hour.
“We know that there are members of the Catholic community who do not agree with Niagara Catholic’s decision to wave the Pride flag. Her prayer vigil was in response to that decision.”
Sacred Heart currently has no flags raised at the school due to mechanical issues, but the board expects them to return to Niagara Falls school next week. The rest of Niagara’s board buildings have flags raised, following the flag protocol, Pellegrini said, meaning they go down every evening and get up every morning.
OECTA Niagara Elementary Unit President Jennifer McArthur said strengthening the flag represents the association’s support for human rights and freedoms and helps establish a safe and welcoming environment.
Catholic teachers, he said, “want to make sure our 2SLGBTQIA + communities feel accepted. We are proud that our school board has joined other Catholic boards across the province to decide to wave the Pride flag.” .
“It is disappointing that any priest chooses to stop ministering to our students while the Pride flag is waved in our schools,” McArthur said.
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