The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings responded to the Facebook post by a Great Falls priest who wrote about the annual Mayfair fundraiser leadership, involving a couple which he says engages in homosexual behavior.
Mayfair is the biggest fund raiser for the Billings Catholic Schools.
Father Ryan Erlenbush, who grew up in Billings, posted on his Facebook page earlier this week.
"You know a Catholic School has lost its way when a prominent homosexual couple is advertised as the chairs for the annual fundraiser,” Erlenbush wrote. “Why would any Catholic (indeed, any Christian) attend or donate to Mayfair 2018? What does a Catholic School have to do before people say ‘enough’ and take their kids (and their money) elsewhere? I’m an alumnus of the Billings Catholic Schools, and I say enough.’"
Bishop Michael Warfel wrote a letter that will be in church bulletins on Sunday.
It states: "In a nut shell I support Billings Catholic Schools and value the contribution they make toward the education and formation of children and youth,” Warfel wrote. “I also remind all that Catholic teaching is clear regarding homosexuality, distinguishing between the inclination and behavior that is contrary to the moral teaching of the Church."
(APRIL 17, 2018) Father Ryan Erlenbush, a priest at the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, has condemned Billings Catholic Schools for allowing a gay couple to serve as event chairs for an upcoming fundraiser.
Erlenbush, who lives in Great Falls and is a graduate of the Billings Catholic Schools, posted on his personal Facebook page that the schools "have really let us down with the Mayfair invitation this year."
Here is the full text of his post:
You know a Catholic School has lost its way when a prominent homosexual couple is advertised as the chairs for the annual fundraiser. Billings Catholic Schools have really let us down with the Mayfair invitation this year. Why would any Catholic (indeed, any Christian) attend or donate to Mayfair 2018? What does a Catholic School have to do before people say "enough" and take their kids (and their money) elsewhere? I’m an alumnus of the Billings Catholic Schools, and I say, "enough."
Erlenbush’s post received a majority of responses critical of his view. Some supported his stance.
The Billings Catholic School Foundation declined an interview but stated "we have six wonderful chairs working to make this event happen."
It went on to state it didn’t consider this situation to be an issue or newsworthy.According to the foundation, a number of donations have come in since the priest’s post went viral in spite of his comments.
Pope Francis has reaffirmed in the past the Roman Catholic Church’s position that homosexual acts are sinful, but homosexual orientation is not.He also has called for transsexuals and homosexuals to be accepted and embraced by the Catholic Church, but said he was staunchly opposed to schools promoting or endorsing such “tendencies."
div[data-mml-type=”relatedcategory”]{border: thin solid #e7e7e7;} .categories-right-icon{display: none;} .stories-area > hr{margin: 0px;} .stories-area > iframe {border: white;} div[data-mml-type]{ overflow: hidden; } div[data-mml-status=”draft”] {display: none !important;} div.fb-post span, div.fb-post span iframe{max-width: 100%;} div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].left, div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].left, div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].left{ float: left; position: relative; overflow:hidden; max-width:100%;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].right,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].right,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].right{ float: right; position: relative; overflow:hidden; max-width:100%;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].center,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center{ width: 100% !important; overflow:hidden; text-align: center;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center iframe,div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center twitterwidget,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].center iframe,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center iframe{ margin: auto !important;}div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center > span{ margin: auto !important; display: block !important;} .mml-display-none{display: none !important;} div[data-mml-type=”gmaps”], div[data-mml-type=”youtube”] {position:relative; width:100%; padding-bottom:56.25%;} div[data-mml-type=”gmaps”] iframe, div[data-mml-type=”youtube”] iframe {position:absolute; left:0; top:0;} div[data-embed-type=”clip”],div[data-mml-type=”clip”]{position: relative;padding-bottom: 56.25%;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box;} div[data-embed-type=”clip”] iframe { position: absolute;}}div[data-embed-type=”social”], {position: relative;padding-bottom: 56.25%;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box;} div[data-embed-type=”social”] iframe,div[data-mml-type=”clip”] iframe { position: absolute;}}.frankly-img{max-width:100%;}
