BISHOP ON PROM CASE

OTTAWA, April 9, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Meagher  has written a response to Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty regarding  McGuinty's communication to a Catholic school insisting the school allow a  male student to bring his homosexual date to the school prom. Meanwhile,  Federal Industry Minister Allan Rock has written the Catholic school board  also urging them to give in to the student's demand.

In the first known public statement by a member of the Canadian Catholic  hierarchy on the matter, Bishop Meagher wrote: "There is also no doubt in  my mind that if permission by a principal in our Catholic school system is  given for any 17 year-old boy to take another male as his 'date' for the  prom this will be a clear and positive approval not just of the boy's  'orientation', but of his adopting a homosexual lifestyle." In the April 4  letter obtained by LifeSite, the Bishop noted that "a concerted effort is  being made here to get the Catholic school system to approve a homosexual  lifestyle and our 17 year-old is being manipulated in this effort." The  letter, addressed to McGuinty who claims to be 'Catholic', concludes: "Do  we want to abandon our right to stand up for the teaching of Christ in  serious moral issues?"

The organized intimidation of the Catholic board by gay activists and  their prominent supporters has been extraordinary and unprecedented. A  letter issued by Liberal Industry Minister Allan Rock marks the weighing  in of politicians at all three levels of government. Toronto City  Councillors Kyle Rae (openly homosexual), Olivia Chow and Joe Mihevic,  Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty and Liberal MPP George Smitherman  (also openly gay), and now Federal Liberal MP Allan Rock have all lobbied  the Catholic school board to allow the homosexual prom date. The Toronto  Star reports that in an open letter to Durham Region Catholic School  trustees Rock wrote: "I encourage you to set an example, for all  Canadians, of social justice in action by not discriminating against a  student based on sexual orientation.. It is our responsibility to  encourage and assist young Canadians to reach their full potential rather  than placing roadblocks along their journey."