Catholic Civil Rights League issues statement: Peterborough case not an ORHC matter, says League
TORONTO, July 10, 2009 - The Catholic Civil Rights League commented today on the filing of a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission against the Bishop of Peterborough for discontinuing the service of two homosexual men as altar servers at a parish church in the diocese.
According to a report published in the Catholic Register, Jim Corcoran brought the complaint after he was asked to give up his position as an altar server at Sunday Masses. Mr. Corcoran, who has acknowledged that he is homosexual, was relieved from those duties at St. Michael’s parish in Cobourg, Ontario.
Without commenting on any individual personnel situation or personalities that are involved in this case, the relationship between the Church and altar servers, in the League's opinion, has none of the attributes that would make it a subject for a complaint to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. No one serves on the altar as a right; it is at the discretion of the pastor, who in turn is at the service of his bishop. Mr. Corcoran’s role was not unlike that of other liturgical servers, who are part of the overall presentation of the Mass.
The decision about who can serve on the altar is a matter of Church governance. While the Church is subject to human rights law when it employs people in a commercial relationship, the same cannot be said about decisions involving who is a member, or how they can best serve.
The League hopes the Human Rights Tribunal will avoid an interference with the Church's governance in this matter. It should not place itself as an arbiter of canonical precepts.
About CCRL
Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) assists in creating conditions within which Catholic teachings can be better understood, cooperates with other organizations in defending civil rights in Canada, and opposes defamation and discrimination against Catholics on the basis of their beliefs. CCRL was founded in 1985 as an independent lay organization and has chapters across Canada. The Catholic Civil Rights League is a Canadian non-profit organization entirely supported by the generosity of its members.
For further information:
Joanne McGarry
Executive Director
Catholic Civil Rights League
http://www.ccrl.ca/
416-466-8244
joanne.mcgarry@ccrl.ca
"The League hopes the Human Rights Tribunal will avoid an interference with the Church's governance in this matter. It should not place itself as an arbiter of canonical precepts."
They're kidding, right? This is the entire point of HRCs. They exist to punish targeted groups/orgs which refuse to bend the knee to the PC overlords.
Catholics don't have the right to decide their own rules. I mean, they could decide any kind of crazy thing! The properly authorized officials of the government shall decide what the rules of the Catholic church shall be. In the interests of The Children (TM), y'unnerstand.
Welcome to Canada.
I have to admit I am hoping that Beelzebub Barb decides to stick her nose into this.
This will be thrown out because the OHRC has no jurisdiction outside of employment and housing related issues.
If Mr. Corcoran was employed in a commercial transaction, that would be a different story. As it stands now, he needs to complain to the CHRC for their to be a kangaroo trial.
Forgot to mention that important point.
I hope you are right Lifer.
Be interesting to see if Bab's & Coy get the drift of that letter.
If Baba even reads it, if she does I'm sure she will think it an affront to her authority.
The CCRL statement makes entirely too much sense. I was sort of hoping they'd just thumb their noses at the HRC and possibly force the issue. With a picaroon like Lynch at the helm, the HRC might just take it on anyways.
If you can imagine any form of perfidious, purple perversion, you can imagine the fumes are the incense of that shrine where the icons are mirrors.
The Colonies of Human Rats will find any excuse to mess in the mess.
Nothing like forcing the seed of life to embrace its garbage chute. Fart and farcel of what is uplifting and clean and pure and decent in the generation of defiance.
I'm wit' the Fiery Feline. Let's start a pool. I've got five bucks says she is too chicken to take on the Catholic Church
JAW - I have another fiver that says they cannot back off.
The previous Muslim cases Iman in Montreal, Hossain and "F**K Canada Day" dude show they need to be decisive against their protegonists and GET someone.
Amazing though - as so many of the same names keep resurfacing. It is almost like there is a human rights industry reserved for special people with a "Get out of Jail Free" card:)
The bigger question is whether the Catholic Church will fold their tent on this and quietly arrive at a settlement on this, thereby compromising their faith and inviting repeat attacks on freedom of their religious beliefs.
Or, will they rally around their tent pole, refusing to let the HRC take it down. It would make for a great Supreme Court case, and either way it turned out, the HRCs would lose further public support.
I'd love to see this go the distance, however I think that the OHRT like the BCHRT has a survivsl instinct, assuming mediation fails, assuming a request for dismissal fails, they may simply rule against the plaintiff. To fight this could well put their survival on the line, to rule in favour of this nut will result in a night of Pitchforks and Bonfires.
I'm wit' the Fiery Feline. Let's start a pool. I've got five bucks says she is too chicken to take on the Catholic Church
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