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)
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.