Scottish Priest Endorses Anti-Bullying Programs for Nation’s Schools
A Catholic priest in Scotland has come out in support of LGBT education programs in the nation’s schools, a step in which other church officials will hopefully join him to help support and protect LGBTQ youth.
Fr. Paul Morton is joining other religious leaders in a call for schools to have LGBT-related curricula that seek to end bullying. Morton, who is pastor at St. Bride’s Church in Cambuslang, said bullying must be “a thing of the past.” The Scotsman reported:
“[Morton] has endorsed the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign, which is working with the Scottish Government to introduce a programme of LGBT inclusive education into all Scottish schools as part of a new national approach to tackle high rates of homophobic and transphobic bullying. . .
“‘As a Catholic priest I have met many people who struggle with their sexuality, and I know the great harm that this has done in the lives of many men and women. I want this to be a thing of the past and I believe that this is the intention behind the TIE Campaign,’ Father Mason said.
“‘It is clear the TIE campaign is on the front-line of reaching out to young people in Scotland who are trying to understand both their sexuality and their identity. I cannot help but be impressed by both the clarity and vision that they have for their work. Most of all I want to give my unequivocal support to those who will benefit from it – a huge number of young people across the length and breadth of Scotland.
“‘In times gone by the Church was always a building which people went to for sanctuary – it is my hope that the Church can be that once again for LGBTI people.'”
Let’s hope he becomes a Bishop…then an Archbishop…then a Cardinal…and then maybe, finally, at long last, we’ll start to see a glimmer of pastoral illumination, and an outreach of Christian kindness in this vexed and troubled Church. Pope Francis is doing his best to help…more or less. But he needs all the assistance he can get from his ground troops in the global Diocesan administrations. At the moment, he certainly isn’t getting very much. And it shows, in the massive attrition of young Catholics of high school and college age — who want nothing to do with the social directives issued by our current crop of mostly far-right-wing bishops.