Dear brothers and sisters,
This Sunday marks the beginning of Catholic Schools Week. This is an annual, national celebration when we celebrate the great gift of Catholic education to our communities and country. The work of Catholic schools cooperating with parents in forming the minds, hearts and souls of our children plays a key role in the future of our Church and society.
The surrounding culture has become increasingly challenging for Christians, particularly as Colorado’s legislature looks to pass House Bill 1032, which will require public and charter schools to either use a comprehensive sex-ed curriculum that contradicts human nature and is inconsistent with Christian values, or to provide no instruction on sexuality at all. We know that God made us male and female, in his image and likeness, but the comprehensive curriculum route which most schools will likely adopt teaches innocent children this is not true. Specifically, public schools would have to promote abortion as an equal option to life, and parents wouldn’t be notified before lessons were presented on gender-identity and sexual orientation. Each of us must do our part to fight this legislation.
Today I join our pastors, principals, teachers, staff, parents, students, and benefactors to say that our Catholic schools will stand firmly against all ideologies that defy natural law and contradict the truth that has been revealed to us about the human person through the teachings of Our Lord, Sacred Scripture, and the Church.
Our Catholic schools are more than you realize. They provide a haven amidst our morally confused culture, educate the whole person and assist parents in forming their children in an authentically Catholic worldview, one that recognizes the dignity of the human person created for God. This week many of our schools will host open houses and information nights. I encourage every parent with school-aged children to consider this opportunity to learn about how a Catholic education can greatly benefit their children.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, S.T.L.
Archbishop of Denver
