MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) is working to reinstate “pride” flags in classrooms at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB).
In an October 6 letter shared with LifeSiteNews, OECTA president René Jansen in de Wal appealed to Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra to abolish the DPCDSB policy keeping “pride” flags out of classrooms.
“OECTA strongly believes that displaying the Pride flag is both a reflection of our support for human rights and an expression of our Catholic values of dignity, compassion, and inclusion,” read the letter sent on behalf of 45,000 members of the OECTA.
“It represents our commitment to building a culture in schools and in society that allows individuals and families to live healthy lives free from harassment and discrimination,” it continued.
Currently, the board bans flying any non-governmental or non-church flags outside school buildings, including the “pride” flag. This directive has been attacked numerous times by LGBT activists who want to overturn the policy.
Now, LGBT activists have apparently spotted another opportunity to attack the flag regulations as Calandra recently directed the board to break its policy to fly the Every Child Matters flag in celebration of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
“Minister, we recognize and applaud your recent directive to the DPCDSB to raise the Survivors’ Flag on September 30, which partially rolled back the Board’s controversial policy,” Jansen in de Wal wrote. “This was an important step in the right direction.”
“We now urge you to take the critical step of directing the DPCDSB to overturn its ban on the Pride flag,” he continued.
In an interview with LifeSiteNews, Campaign Life Coalition’s Jack Fonseca condemned the letter, noting that Calandra would not be within his rights as minister of education to overturn the DPCDSB policy.
“Section 93 of the Constitution Act of 1867 provides absolute and inviolable protection from ANY interference by the Ontario government in matters of faith and morals,” Fonseca revealed. “This ‘absolute’ constitutional right has been affirmed not once, but twice, by the Supreme Court of Canada.”
“Minister Calandra has no legal power to force a Catholic school board in Ontario to commit blasphemy by sending the message that God approves of the sinful sexual acts inherently associated with the LGBT Pride flag,” Fonseca continued.
Fonseca warned that if Calandra attempts to direct DPCDSB policy, “he better get ready for a lawsuit on constitutional grounds.”
“In fact, if he attempts to do this, Campaign Life Coalition will immediately mount a campaign to remove him from office, both as an MPP and as Minister of Education,” he continued. “Calandra will leave us no choice if he attempts such an unconstitutional move.”
Jansen in de Wal asserted the flying the pride flag “will affirm the integrity of Catholic education and our shared responsibility to support all students equally and equitably.”
Despite serving as president for a Catholic association, Jansen in de Wal appears ignorant of Catholic teaching that distinctly condemns the LGBT agenda as destructive to the human person and in contradiction with natural law.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states that God created humans “male and female” and “Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” “Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. the harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out,” the Catechism continues.
The Catechism further declares that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and “under no circumstances can they be approved.”
Furthermore, while Jansen in de Wal calls for acceptance, he seems to have forgotten the words of Jesus in the Gospel of St. John, “The truth will set you free.” It is only by realizing one’s actual identity as male or female as designed by God that a person can find true joy and peace.
Furthermore, it is the role of Catholics to direct and guide those who are confused. True love of another leads one to follow Christ’s directions to “admonish the sinner,” not to encourage them in sin.
