The Tom Collins Effect?
Looks like the Ontario Catholic bishops grew some new spines recently:
The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario have rejected a “Gender Studies” course that is being promoted by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
The grade 11 course aims to help students “understand the meaning of gender identity and norms of femininity and masculinity,” according to the draft document, which is available on a Ministry website.
The bishops’ education commission decided to reject the course at a December 7th meeting, after which they sent a letter to all of the Catholic chairs and directors of education in the province.
“The fundamental thrust of this proposed optional course reflects an ideology which is at variance with Catholic anthropology and moral teaching,” wrote Bishop Paul-André Durocher, chair of the education commission and Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall.
“Consequently, we would recommend that Catholic secondary schools NOT include the proposed Gender Studies course in their syllabus of course offerings,” he continued, in bold print.
Among many expectations, the course plans to inculcate an appreciation for “the struggle for women’s rights,” including “access to birth control information” and “reproductive rights.” Additionally, students will analyze the “struggle for the recognition of rights for sexual minorities,” dealing with such issues as same-sex “marriage” and homosexual adoption.
One section of the expectations seeks to have students evaluate individuals or groups who have promoted “equality between men and women and changing gender roles in society.” According to the course draft, one such model of “equality” is the infamous Canadian abortionist Henry Morgentaler. Another is Egale, one of Canada’s leading homosexualist organizations.
This is an excellent move by the bishops; it’s nice to see Catholic hierarchy in Canada acting to preserve the state of Catholic education and ensure that course content is in line with the teachings of Rome.
It’s also (at least for me) a somewhat unexpected move. I wouldn’t have assumed that the bishops had the spine to reject the course.
Then again, Thomas Collins was sent out that way a few years ago to serve as the archbishop of Toronto. He was known, out here in Alberta, for holding to the Church’s teachings even in matters like education; he did a lot of house-cleaning while here, and excised a bunch of liberal crap (and a bunch of liberals) from the various Catholic offices and ministries.
And I can’t help but think he might have had a hand in this development in Ontario, as well.
