I agree that this is a difficult subject. At Mass on Sunday, the homily discussed a similar subject. Fr. made a very good comment IMO. He said "the church of God is not a temple for the righteous but a hospital for the sinner."
As a parishioner our duty is to encourage the less faithful to come to Mass, set an example of being a good Christian, and to keep the door open so that everyone can hear the word of God. God will do the rest.
God gave us free will so that we could come to him williingly. This is only shutting the doors on "sinners" by refusing their children religious instruction and possibly sacraments. I fear for the future of the church, if it becomes ok to withhold religious education to children because their parents are not good Catholics.
This is an only an attempt by a frustrated pastor to get some "Catholics in name only" to get off their dead asses and come to mass with their children as they should.
There may be a better way.
It would be interesting to know if he was besieged with irate parents calling to complain that their children were scared because they were told their parents were living with a mortal sin on their soul.
Or perhaps teachers brought the disconnect to his attention. They may have,or did recognize that teaching the Faith might/did make some children fearful,some parents angry and other children miserable because they were unable to practice what they were being taught.
This may have been the pastor's way of giving the parents a rap upside the head. Who knows,but I would like to know more.