Indiana archbishop defends firing of teacher in gay marriage

June 27, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis archbishop said Thursday that his orders for two Catholic high schools in the city to fire gay teachers was about upholding church teaching on marriage and not about sexual orientation.

Archbishop Charles Thompson said during a news conference that he didn’t seek out information about the marriages involving the teachers but had to respond to what he called a “public situation” of Catholic school employees not following church doctrine.

Cathedral High School leaders announced Sunday that they were terminating the teacher’s contract to avoid a split with the archdiocese that would cost the school its nonprofit status and its ability to have Mass celebrated on campus. That decision came just days after Thompson issued a decree saying the archdiocese would no longer recognize Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School as Catholic because it insisted on keeping a teacher who’s in a same-sex marriage.

“This is not a witch hunt, we don’t go looking for these situations,” Thompson said. “When they are brought to my attention ... it is my responsibility, my duty, to oversee the living of the faith, especially for our ministerial witnesses.”

The archdiocese requires all teachers, guidance counselors and administrators at Catholic schools to sign employment contracts that acknowledge they are considered ministers who must follow church teaching.

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