... in the Catholic school... in a Catholic district. The Catholic Administrator...

Creating a Culture of Belonging. (excerpts taken from:) Pastoral Guidelines to Assist Student of Same-Sex Orientation. Presented by: Father Gilles Mongeau, Regis College, Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (May 29 th /2013)

Administrators’ purpose... The administrator promotes an environment that reflects the reality of the Church as a community of reconciliation: Recognition of the Gospel definition of human dignity as it applies to all teachers, staff and students, Creating the conditions of possibility for spiritual and human development,

Administrators’ purpose... Establishing protocols that prevent various forms of unjust or intimidating behaviours from spreading, Developing mechanisms for reconciliation and restoration of justice when breakdown occurs.

Who can assist?: The need for well-formed confessors... The pastoral guidelines encourage frequent recourse to reconciliation... But, this requires well-formed confessors, as the CCCB recognized in its 2011 letter in the section addressed to pastoral workers...

The need for well-formed confessors... - who can welcome homosexual Catholic warmly, - who can accompany on-going moral and spiritual discernment with patience and moral support, - Who understand the teaching of the Church in its entirety and can locate the Church’s teaching on homosexuality within the larger framework.

Pastoral Care... In offering quality pastoral care, always consider the dignity of the person, group, and school community.

Taken from: Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-Sex Attraction Remain faithful to the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding sexuality particularly: same-sex attractions, behaviours and homosexual orientation. How?

Human Dignity of All Persons The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) affirms that persons with homosexual inclinations must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.

Human Sexuality in God’s Plan While always insisting on respect and compassion for young people with same-sex attraction, the Church also reaffirms God’s plan for human sexuality.

Distinguishing Inclinations from Actions In her teaching, however, the Church never condemns persons with same-sex attraction. She carefully distinguishes between and individual’s inclination or feelings – some of which are transitory and/or situational and others which are deep-seated or permanent – and one’s actions; same-sex inclinations are not in themselves sinful or a moral failing

Fostering Chastity Becoming a chaste person follows the laws of growth and development and therefore requires not only self-control but also perseverance. Adolescents and young adults need to be taught by work and example that the virtue of chastity means “the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being” (CCC.n 2337).

“All young people, whether or not they experience an inclination to same-sex attraction, strive to understand and appropriate their sexual identity” (Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-sex Attraction, p. 4).

“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” Mother Teresa

Important Links: Pastoral Guidelines to Assist Student of Same-sex Orientation (2004) Pastoral Guidelines to Assist Student of Same-sex Orientation Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-sex Attraction (2011) Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-sex Attraction Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association: Respecting Difference: A Resource for Catholic Schools in the Province of Ontario (2012) Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association: Respecting Difference: A Resource for Catholic Schools in the Province of Ontario