Notre Dame's ACE program announces a new joint venture with the Diocese of Orlando, turning four schools in that diocese into ACE Academies. If I lived in Orlando, I would send my kids to one of those four schools. Bishops take note: Before you even think of closing a school, call ACE and see if they can be saved, and not just saved, but flourish.
Before people start piling on against Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines over a decision in that diocese not to offer a full-time contract to an openly gay part-time employee after it was disclosed that the teacher is very openly gay, people should admit that there is a lot we don't know about this situation. I can imagine a situation in which a gay teacher did not let his or her sexual orientation interfere with his work at a Catholic school. And I can also imagine a situation in which an openly gay teacher - or a straight teacher who abandoned his family and took up with a trophy wife - was provocative about their life choices in a way that it was disruptive to the school community. So long as the officials at the school look at the whole person and their demonstrated willingness to model Christian discipleship to their students, I do not want to rush to second guess their judgment.
Market Watch predicts a real showdown over the Holy Father's forthcoming encyclical on the environment. You heard it here months ago.
