Discrete Acts
I’m a big fan of “morals clauses” in contracts for Catholic school teachers and I certainly hold for the principle that Pacta sunt servanda (agreements once made should be kept), but I am having a hard time seeing my way clear to the firing of a Catholic school teacher for being pregnant outside of wedlock.
I agree with Dr. Peters that the grounds for dismissing this teacher as it's being reported is pretty tenuous. However, I would argue that the reason for the morality clause is that teachers are not actually private persons. It's because they are public persons (or at least quasi-public persons) that private sins that manifest in the external forum can be grounds for dismissal. Sadly, this means that women will be disproportionately affected when it comes to the sin of fornication.
Fact Checking
Dr. Ed Peters writes:
Warning: It always takes longer, sometimes much longer, to correct mistakes than it takes to make them.
Have I ever mentioned that Dr. Ed Peters is my hero?
Medjugorje
“The commission, which has been working in strict secrecy, is studying the shrine and in particular reports of Marian apparitions at Medjugorje which began in 1981.”
Some people know that I am very skeptical of this event being a true apparitions. I will neither support it or deny it until the investigation is complete. My largest concern, however, is that if the events at Medjugorje are deemed inauthentic there will be a lot of disillusioned people.
