I don’t know what the CCCB directive regarding obliterating the Lahey letter from religious ed texts had to say, but seems that at least two school boards have decided that they know better and ergo, contrary to the wishes of the CCCB, the disgraced bishop’s name and words will retain pride of place in the textbooks.
23 March 2010: Accused bishop’s letter to stay in textbooks
Catholic schools in Cornwall Ontario, are, by the way, part of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
Have Ottawa’s Archbishop Prendergast and Cornwall’s Bishop Durocher approved the decisions of their respective boards?
There must be a little in-house fighting and bickering going on behind closed doors over this one 🙂
So, for now, some school boards have complied with the wishes of the CCCB, others have not. For the latter, children will continue to be reminded by Lahey that when they behold him they see God.
I suggest that parents who do not want their children to equate Lahey with God and/or godliness contact their school board and demand that the textbooks be removed.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
School Board to discuss issue next month
By DOUG HEMPSTEAD, OTTAWA SUN
Last Updated: March 23, 2010 10:21pm
An Ottawa Catholic School Board trustee tried but was unable to get a letter penned by a bishop charged with possession of child pornography removed from an elementary textbook … for now.
The letter, written by bishop Raymond Lahey, who has since retired, introduces students to Catholic teachings contained in a series of books called Believe in Me, part of the We Are Strong Together teaching collection.
The books were published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in 1995 and placed in elementary schools across Canada. The letter contained in the textbooks — which has since been pasted over in books in some Ontario school boards, including Windsor’s — speaks to the importance of believing in God and in oneself.
Trustee Stephen Blais met with board leadership prior to Tuesday night’s regular meeting and managed to get the issue raised in an in-camera session.
He agrees with the CCCB bishops that the letter should be removed and called Tuesday’s meeting a lengthy, but private discussion.
“I do plan to introduce a motion at our next meeting reinforcing my view that the abuse of children in any form is not tolerable,” said Blais.
“Furthermore, the sexual abuse and exploitation of children is not something that can or should be tolerated by the church, our schools or society as a whole. The abuse of children by authority figures in the Catholic Church, and elsewhere, is a cancer and like any cancer, it must be cut out and exposed for the plague that it is.”
The books are aimed at children in Grades 7-9 and were originally published in 1995 when Lahey was the bishop of St. George’s, N.L.
Lahey was charged in September with possession of child pornography and importation of child pornography. Ottawa police said they found images of child pornography on a laptop seized from Lahey at the Ottawa International Airport Sept. 15.
The 69-year-old was later released on bail and is currently living in the city. His trial is expected to begin in April 2011.
The board will discuss the issue of removing Lahey’s letter again late next month.
Good for Stephen Blais!
What I wonder is the problem with the rest of the Board?
And why the need for board members to discuss a matter which is of vital importance to parents and children behind closed doors? what’s the secret? If they think the CCCB is out of line with its request why not say so publicly? and on the record?
And if the majority of Board members think it’s just not fair to take remedial actions which might imply that Lahey is guilty, then let them stand up and be counted, publicly, and on the record.