Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell
Bishop of Columbus
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
197 E. Gay Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 228-2457
commailbox@colsdioc.org
Dear Bishop Campbell,
Please pray for me to understand the wisdom and compassion of your decision to fire Carla Hale, who was outed as a lesbian by a parent at Bishop Watterson High School after her partner's name appeared in her mother's obituary. You see, sir, I'm just having a terribly difficult time understanding how terminating a woman as she mourns the loss of her mother is an action befitting a disciple of Christ.
I suppose where I'm really stuck is Romans 12:19.
And 1 Peter 3:8.
And then there's Ephesians 4:32.
Oh, and also Mark 12:31. (And Matthew 22:39, which is really the same story, but I've always liked that version better.)
And, of course, there's John 8:7. (And forgive me, father, for suggesting by offering this verse that you are with sin — I mean, I know you are, because we all are, but I recognize how unseemly it is for me to make mention of it.)
There's also Matthew 5:44 — which I suppose only applies if you consider Ms. Hale to be your enemy. Which I suppose she must have been for you to fire her while she was grieving her mom's death, but then again that would also mean you have been commanded by our Lord and Savior to love her. So, then, I suppose I should conclude that she must not have been your enemy, in which case I am left to wonder why you would have fired her while she was grieving the loss of her mother.
There's also Matthew 21:31. I'm not, of course, suggesting that Ms. Hale is a prostitute or a tax collector, only that she might — as Christ suggested — enter the kingdom of heaven before other people who proclaim to follow God, but do not heed his very clear instructions on how we should treat our brothers and sisters in this life.
Yours in Christ,
matthew
Matthew D. LaPlante
Salt Lake City, Utah
Bishop of Columbus
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
197 E. Gay Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 228-2457
commailbox@colsdioc.org
Dear Bishop Campbell,
Please pray for me to understand the wisdom and compassion of your decision to fire Carla Hale, who was outed as a lesbian by a parent at Bishop Watterson High School after her partner's name appeared in her mother's obituary. You see, sir, I'm just having a terribly difficult time understanding how terminating a woman as she mourns the loss of her mother is an action befitting a disciple of Christ.
I suppose where I'm really stuck is Romans 12:19.
And 1 Peter 3:8.
And then there's Ephesians 4:32.
Oh, and also Mark 12:31. (And Matthew 22:39, which is really the same story, but I've always liked that version better.)
And, of course, there's John 8:7. (And forgive me, father, for suggesting by offering this verse that you are with sin — I mean, I know you are, because we all are, but I recognize how unseemly it is for me to make mention of it.)
There's also Matthew 5:44 — which I suppose only applies if you consider Ms. Hale to be your enemy. Which I suppose she must have been for you to fire her while she was grieving her mom's death, but then again that would also mean you have been commanded by our Lord and Savior to love her. So, then, I suppose I should conclude that she must not have been your enemy, in which case I am left to wonder why you would have fired her while she was grieving the loss of her mother.
There's also Matthew 21:31. I'm not, of course, suggesting that Ms. Hale is a prostitute or a tax collector, only that she might — as Christ suggested — enter the kingdom of heaven before other people who proclaim to follow God, but do not heed his very clear instructions on how we should treat our brothers and sisters in this life.
Yours in Christ,
matthew
Matthew D. LaPlante
Salt Lake City, Utah
