England: The school’s effort is not to the liking of the bishop

For months, Nativity (Nativity School) Catholic School in Worcester (GB) has been displaying Black Lives Matter and rainbow flags next to the famous “stars and lines”. It’s not to everyone’s taste Washington Post. On Thursday, Bishop Robert McManus released Order His “pastoral responsibilities” indicate that this led to the school being barred from identifying itself as an institution. Catholic. As a result, the latter can no longer celebrate Mass or ceremonies or use diocesan institutions to raise funds.

The company explained that it had decided to place these flags in order to make their community more inclusive, following the students’ call that “most of them are colored”. “The flags symbolize how welcome everyone is at Nativity,” school principal Thomas McKennie said Thursday.

“Both flags are now widely seen as celebrating the human dignity of our relatives, friends and neighbors who have faced and continue to face hatred and discrimination,” writes Thomas McKenney. “No matter what symbol or flag is taken over by political groups or organizations, flying our flags is not in favor of any organization or ideology, it is being flown in favor of marginalized people.”

But that is not the view of Bishop Robert McMahon, who said that the rainbow flag represents “support for same-sex marriage” and “an LGBTQ + lifestyle”. In an open letter from May 2022, he wrote that “these symbols contain specific agendas or ideologies that are contrary to Catholic social and moral teachings,” particularly accusing him of defeating the model of the nuclear family. In this regard, according to Bishop, the Black Lives Matter movement is as responsible as LGBTIQ + and seeks to “disrupt the family structure in clear opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

The Washington Post interviewed Guillermo Creamer Jr., an outspoken homosexual at Nativity School, who said the flags signify “Nativity is a facility open to black life,” which is important in a school with mostly black and Latin students.

The school principal reminded parents that Nativity School is funded by individuals and groups – not dioceses – and will continue to operate as usual. He said more flags were flying outside the school.