Thank the Sisters and Archbishop for Protecting the Job of Transgender Teacher

San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has issued a statement which indicates that he will not oppose the Sisters of Mercy’s decision to continue to employ a transgender teacher at Mercy H.S. in that city.

The National Catholic Reporter said they received a statement from the archdiocese which said Cordileone sees that the decision is within the “legitimate range of prudential judgment.”

The newspaper quoted other sections from the archbishop’s statement:

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone

“In his May 12 statement, Cordileone said he was ‘grateful that leadership of the Mercy Sisters spoke to me in advance and explained their reasoning and their plan on how to address the situation. In so doing the sisters strongly affirmed our Catholic beliefs and values and that they and the school do not advocate for policies or causes that contradict these values and beliefs.’

“Cordileone continued, ‘Often in such situations a balance must be struck in a way that distinct values are upheld, such as mercy and truth, or institutional integrity and respect for personal decisions affecting one’s life. In this particular personnel matter I am thankful to the sisters for seeking a response consistent with mercy and Gospel values and the corporate identity of the school as a Catholic institution of secondary education.’ “

Yesterday, New Ways Ministry congratulated and thanked the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy H.S., and Gabriel Stein-Bodenheimer (the transgender teacher) for their courage in handling this situation so justly and faithfully.  You can read New Ways Ministry’s statement here.

Today, we invite Bondings 2.0 readers and all New Ways Ministry supporters to send letters of support to the Sisters, the high school, and the teacher, so that they know Catholics appreciate what they have done not only for their school, but for the entire Church.  Send a copy of your letter(s) to Archbishop Cordileone so that he knows that Catholics are glad that he has not intervened in the Sisters’ faith-based decision-making process. (All addresses are listed below.)  Please consider sharing parts of your letters with other Bondings 2.0 readers by posting excerpts from what you write in the “Comments” section of this post.

In writing your letter, you may use some of the ideas from New Ways Ministry’s statement and make them your own. Write from your heart, and tell your personal reaction to this decision.  Your heart-felt and faith-filled message will be very powerful.  Short letters are very effective.  Honest, plain language will be most powerful.  Thank you!

Addresses:

Sister Laura Reicks, RSM, President
Sisters of Mercy, West-Midwest Region
7262 Mercy Road
Omaha, NE 68124
Email: [email protected] (assistant)

Diane Lawrence, Board Chair
Mercy High School
3250 Nineteenth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
Email: [email protected] (office manager)

Gabriel Stein-Bodenheimer
Mercy High School English Department
3250 Nineteenth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
Email: [email protected]
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone
Archdiocese of San Francisco
One Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco, CA 94109
Email: [email protected]
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry
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