School Bows to Pressure, Fires Teacher in Same-Sex Marriage

A Catholic high school has made the "agonizing decision" to fire a teacher in a same-sex marriage, days after the Archdiocese of Indianapolis punished another school for refusing to do so. Saying that homosexual relationships are in opposition to the church's teachings, Archbishop Charles Thompson has been pressuring schools to remove teachers involved in them, ABC reports. Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School refused last week, and was told it will no longer be recognized as a Catholic institution by the archdiocese.

But Cathedral High School said in a posting on its website Sunday that it will cut ties with the teacher instead of the church. If it had refused to dismiss the teacher, the school said it would not be able to celebrate the sacraments and would lose its federal tax designation as a nonprofit institution. "Therefore, in order to remain a Catholic Holy Cross School," the post said, "Cathedral must follow the direct guidance given to us by Archbishop Thompson and separate from the teacher." The school noted that Brebeuf, being a Jesuit school, is less dependent on the archdiocese. (More Catholic Church stories.)