It's a homily that raised many eyebrows, but up until today, only those who attended the Guadalupe procession on May 16, know what Bishop Dorick Wright said about the church state education system. We say "up until today" because his homily was printed as a full-page ad in today's Amandala, sponsored by parishioners. And it's a good thing, because Bishop Wright had a whole lot to say. Bishop Wright places the church in what he calls an age of persecution with the church being, as he describes it, "dragged into court." We've tracked down a tape of the homily from the Catholic TV Apostolate, and here are some of his plainspoken remarks which though a month old are still indendiary.
Bishop Dorick Wright, Catholic Church [May 16, 2004)
"But as we look at the Church today we wonder if we are entering into an age of persecution, and in the same way that the apostles were dragged before magistrates we find that the church is being dragged in court. We are dragged into court not for the wrong things we have done, but because we have stood up for what is right, for what is decency, for what is morality. I guess it will be a very high cost we will have to pay for standing up for what is right. What concerns me is that it is not the enemies of the Church who are doing this, but so-called Catholics, people who would tell you that they are baptized Catholics, people who tell you, "I listen to Bishop Martin and Bishop Wright whenever they speak," and then they turn around and do just what they think is right."
"…People think that it is alright to do what is wrong. The constitution protects you. Well the day will come when you will stand in front of someone who is higher than the constitution. There will come a day when you will have to give an account of yourselves. It just bothers me that people who have not been elected have become voice of the government, voice for women, and voice for the whole Church."
"What concerns me about fighting and winning on the grounds of constitutional rights is that anything can happen. A teacher can have an abortion and you can't do anything because you're interfering in her constitutional rights. What if I were by accident to employ a homosexual to teach and then some weekend he goes across the border and enters in a same-sex marriage? When he comes back, I won't be able to say anything to him because I am discriminating against him; I am interfering with his constitutional rights. So where does this constitutional rights end? It is a frightening thing and it is something I think church and state should get together and talk about, and if they continue pulling us through the courts then I am afraid that the day will come when we will just say "take it, it is all yours." That day is fast approaching."
"There is absolutely no way we can be running schools and we cannot tell our teachers what to do and how to behave. There is no way we can run schools and cannot have control over our children. If these schools are going to run correctly, we have to have the right to discipline teachers and students."
As we noted the homily is reprinted in its entirety in this week's paper.