Catholic school can fire teacher for being in same-sex marriage, Indiana court rules

by Michael Gryboski

An Indiana court has dismissed a lawsuit filed against a Roman Catholic Archdiocese by a former private school teacher who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage.

Marion Superior Court Judge Lance D. Hamner issued an order Friday in favor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ motion to dismiss a lawsuit by former teacher Joshua Payne-Elliot.

According to the order, the court concluded that there was a “lack of subject matter jurisdiction” and “failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.”

Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, a law firm that represented the archdiocese, released a statement Friday expressing support for the order.

“If the First Amendment means anything, it means the government can’t punish the Catholic Church for asking Catholic educators to support Catholic teaching,” Goodrich said.

“This has always been a very simple case, because the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed the freedom of religious schools to choose teachers who support their religious faith.”

Kathleen DeLaney, the attorney representing Payne-Elliott, told the Indianapolis Star that she took issue with the order, especially its explanation for the complaint's dismissal.

“The decision itself offers no reason, no rationale, no basis,” DeLaney said. “We have no way to know how the judge got to the decision.”

In June 2019, Payne-Elliot was fired from Cathedral High School after it was revealed that he had married another teacher of the same sex who worked at a different high school.

The firing reportedly came at the specific direction of the archdiocese, as the school had originally intended to renew his contract for the 2019-2020 school year.

Although Payne-Elliot reached a settlement with Cathedral High School soon after his firing, he filed legal action against the archdiocese, accusing it of forcing the school to dismiss him.

“We hope that this case will put a stop to the targeting of LGBTQ employees and their families,” said Payne-Elliot in a statement at the time, as reported by the Indianapolis Star.

A trial court had originally supported having the case go forward, however, the Indiana state Supreme Court intervened and told the lower court to reconsider the complaint.

In July 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that two Catholic schools could classify their teachers as ministers and not be held to the standards of anti-discrimination laws.

Justice Samuel Alito delivered the opinion of the court, known as Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru, which regarded two lawsuits against two Catholic schools in California.

“The religious education and formation of students is the very reason for the existence of most private religious schools, and therefore the selection and supervision of the teachers upon whom the schools rely to do this work lie at the core of their mission,” Alito wrote.

“Judicial review of the way in which religious schools discharge those responsibilities would undermine the independence of religious institutions in a way that the First Amendment does not tolerate.”

Source:  https://www.christianpost.com/news/catholic-school-can-fire-teacher-for-being-in-same-sex-marriage-judge-rules.html



Will We Place Our Faith in a Vaccine or in God?

by Staff


Will We Place Our Faith in a Vaccine or in God?
I think this fellow gets to the heart of the issue. The question for everyone to consider is Do you BELIEVE God as well as believe IN God? 

This sermon was pulled from YouTube within an hour of posting the edited version. YouTube gave this Church a Red Flag indicating that it violates their "medical misinformation" policy.  You tube policy prohibits posting home remedies and I would presume this would also include herbal alternatives, prayer or rituals in place of medical treatment such as going to the hospital or seeing a doctor. Because the originator will receive a 'red flag' if exercising other alternates and he video will be banned.  Welcome to the age of American fascism!!

The choice is will you be threatened with losing a job, attending school or traveling as a result of your decisions or will you choose to obey God? Do you really trust God or the pharmaceutical industry for your care?

Before you answer that make certain that you not only trust God but that you obey him as well. After all, you have to do what a boss asks you on a job if you expect to keep it, why would you expect God not to ask anything of you before healing you of diseases and health problems?  Read Leviticus 11 to find out what NOT to eat so you can remain healthy and Leviticus 23 to see what observances He wants you to keep.









Why America must return to Righteousness

by Allen Williams


I’d like to address an issue that is somewhat misunderstood today, having undergone a great deal of malignment throughout the last four decades and beyond.  I begin by asking what is righteousness?

Is it a state of mind, a label, or just a characteristic that defines a good citizen. This is what a popular dictionary claims: WikiPedia defines “Righteousness as the quality or state of being morally correct and justifiable.[1] It can be considered synonymous with "rightness" or being "upright".[2] It can be found in Indian religions and Abrahamic  traditions as a theological concept. For example, from various perspectives in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism it is considered an attribute that implies that a person's actions are justified, and can have the connotation that the person has been "judged" or "reckoned" as leading a life that is pleasing to God.”

This definition starts out well but beyond the first two sentences tells us nothing but in the most general terms of what is right behavior. Wikipedia more aptly describes the mindset of the world’s perversion of righteousness in a universal platitude claiming   many ways can be regarded as righteous, offering nothing in true understanding, so we must look elsewhere to find the answer.

America was founded on a narrow set of principles expressed both in the Declaration of Independence and in the bible from which the principles of Liberty, prosperity and safety were expounded. America did not worship a universal god or a deity that expects nothing of his creation but a real benefactor God who chose his people based on Abraham's obedience out of which blessings would continue to flow to his descendants if they met His conditions.

The bible gives a thorough view of righteous behavior. It's enlightenment depicts a way of life devoid of political correctness, popular convention, myths and false assertions.

In Romans 10 verse 3 we learn that ”For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. “

After all government and social conventions typically interject their mindset defintions of what is righteous most often under the force of law. Certainly obeying the civil authorities defines a type of rightness but like social convention both have done much to redefine what behaviors are ‘righteous’. For example, same sex lifestyles are now regarded as acceptable along with cross dressing which infers a kind of rightness.  Even child murder is accepted under a personal ‘choice’ umbrella.

But Proverbs 30 verse 12 reveals what the world mindset is “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”

Reverend Raphael Warnock, the newly elected candidate for the Georgia Senate, has publicly expressed the view that abortion is fully consistent with his role as a shepherd of God’s people which infers righteousness. However Mr. Warnock’s statement is just the world’s definition of righteousness repackaged and is the cause of the moral confusion and decay observed in today’s culture.

In Psalm 119, verse 172 we read “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. "

And in Leviticus 19, verse 15: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand how badly the American legal system has abused this passage. Mr. Warnock’s judgment is critically flawed and in conflict with the bible’s definition of righteousness.

Righteousness is conferred to us when we obey His laws as stated in Deuteronomy 6:25: ”And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.”

What Commandments? Christ outlines them in Matthew 19, verses 18 and 19. The sixth commandment expressly forbids murder, so again Mr. Warnock’s position on abortion as being consistent with his role as a Sheppard of God is no example of righteousness.  His views are clearly outside the laws of God and scripture warns that such shall be in danger of the judgment.

The bible speaks of a world empire that will be assembled (Dan 2: 31, 44) at the end of this age consisting of 10 subdivisions (horns). America, Canada, and Mexico make up one of these horns. America will be absorbed by this beast power arising out of Europe. This may be considered America's final warning because it's transgressions have reached its High Benefactor who will not continue to turn a blind eye to its child sacrifice and abominable social practices before destroying the nation.

"As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways..."

Leviticus 26:15, 16 & 25 chronicles the punishment that has already begun " And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: .. I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart....: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you.."

Terror came to America in Sept 2001 (911) and the pestilence began in 2020. These judgments will only get worse until America either turns back to righteousness or is destroyed with the remainder going into captivity.

If we are to survive then we must return to keeping God's laws to retain the manifold blessings since the nation's founding.
















An ABSOLUTE MUST WATCH. The Homily That Should Be Preached in Every Church in America. PLEASE share!! PRAY

Religious or not, this is impressive. Know any Catholics? I don’t think he is a Biden Fan.
 
An ABSOLUTE MUST WATCH. The Homily That Should Be Preached in Every Church in America. PLEASE share!! PRAY
 

The Homily That Should Be Preached From Every Pulpit in America


This homily given by Fr. Edward Meeks of Christ the King Parish in Towson, MD should be preached from every pulpit in the United States. Our nation is at a tipping-point and Catholics can make a difference if they vote with a well formed conscience.

WATCH NOW


Please share with other Catholics!
 
 

 
 


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