To those who throw stones

We don’t claim to be religious scholars or experts in theology.

But we do know, in one of the fundamental pieces of Roman Catholic

teaching, Jesus says: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be

the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

It is a lesson -- given to a group of teachers of the law and

Pharisees who have accused a woman of adultery -- that, sadly, it

appears a group of Costa Mesa parents has forgotten.

These 18 parents last month signed a letter protesting the

enrollment of two adopted, kindergarten-age boys at their children’s

Costa Mesa Catholic school, St. John the Baptist. In it they demand

the school accept only families that sign a pledge to live by

Catholic doctrine. The boys’ adopted parents are a male couple, and

marriage and adoption by same-sex couples were outlawed by Catholic

doctrine in 2003.

To his great credit, the church’s pastor, Father Martin Benzoni,

is not budging on providing these boys with the education that, as

baptized Catholics, they are -- by the same church’s doctrine --

supposed to receive.

He did so while not backing down on church law regarding

homosexuality. In finding such a balance in a difficult situation,

Benzoni managed to adhere to this core church principle others have

lost.

Benzoni also adhered to another fundamental, humane principle:

treating children with love, kindness and care.

These two boys have done nothing to deserve the treatment these

parents would have them receive, and it simply is unconscionable that

they would even conceive an idea that would deprive these boys a

Catholic education. As Jesus tells his disciples: “Let the little

children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of

heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

In handling this situation so well, Benzoni has shown his fine

quality. But he is not the sole one deserving of respect. The boys’

fathers, too, are taking the honorable road by wanting to give their

Catholic sons an education that, at some point, may very well force

the boys to question their fathers’ relationship -- a possible crisis

of faith that these other parents are not willing to risk. That

cannot have been the easiest decision. We applaud and respect them

for making it.

Finally, we would remind everyone of one final piece of Jesus’

teachings: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same

way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you

use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of

sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in

your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck

out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you

will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

(Matthew 7:1-5)