[NYer]

"Advances in technology have now made it possible to procreate apart from sexual relations through the meeting in vitro of the germ-cells previously taken from the man and the woman. But what is technically possible is not for that very reason morally admissible. Rational reflection on the fundamental values of life and of human procreation is therefore indispensable for formulating a moral evaluation of such technological interventions on a human being from the first stages of his development."

DONUM VITAE Vatican document - Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation.

[Notwithstanding]

This is what comes to mind:

"My religion is so important to me that (a) I had no idea about one of its most controverisal but definitive doctrines, and (b) when I discovered that I had inadvertantly violated that doctrine I decided it was best to leave the Church."

[Always Right]

What are the going to teach??? Pocahontas was really an Indian boy? How Ru Paul broke sterotypes? The importance of Mr. Brady.

[silverleaf]

"I did not know what the Catholic doctrine stated against in vitro fertilization. Yes, I signed a contract, but the contract was vague in my opinion. I didn't know what I was doing as far as in vitro goes that that went against doctrine. My understanding was it was the Ten Commandments."

Whether I personally believe in this aspect of Catholic Doctrine or not...What a stupid defensive comment!!!! And from a teacher? Whaaaa!

People who choose Catholic schools are choosing - and deserve- Catholic doctrine in all aspects of their children's educational exposure. Including open personal behaviors by their teachers.

Buh Bye. Lots of openings in the public schools.

[Sterm26]

You'd think that the "bosses" would be happy to have a new member for the collection plate. Note to the teacher: Don't tell anyone at work about your procreation habits.

[Mercat]

So let me get this straight, she didn't know Catholic doctrine but asked for and got a job teaching in a Catholic school so should there be a test, a Catechism test? YES And, having been fired for violating Church doctrine, she up and dumps her faith? Guess it wasn't that important to her. A humble and contrite heart with Confession would be good... and then, having been forgiven, she and her husband devote themselves to raising their children.

[Yo-Yo]

Coke Employee Fired for Drinking Pepsi

[schaketo]

Sometime in the future …

Kelly and Eric Romenesko conceive twins. Their two 6 year old boys were attending religious school and giving the teachers problems. The teachers had tried everything to make them behave - time outs, notes home, missed recesses - but could do nothing with them. Finally the boys were sent to see the priest.

The first boy went in and sat in a chair across the desk from the priest. The priest asked, "Do you know where God is?" The little boy just sat there.

The priest stood up and asked again, "Son, do you know where God is?" The little boy trembled but said nothing.

The priest leaned across the desk and again asked, "Do you know where God is?"

The little boy bolted out of the chair ran past his twin brother in the waiting room, all the way home. He got in bed and pulled the covers up over his head. His brother had followed him home asked, "what happened in there?"

The boy replied, "God is missing and they think we did it!"

[rogator]

I thought that the newer in vitro techniques were possible to effect without killing embryos?
If so, what is the problem?

[markomalley]

In vitro: I wonder how many babies were sacrified in the petrie dish to produce those twins???

[cardinal4]

Im a Catholic, and I understand Church Doctrine. But this case stinks. In a day and age where people are fighting for the right to abort babies, a couple who is unable to conceive, shouldnt be punished for their inability to do so. The Church should quietly re-instate her. All to often, the Church will take a step forward and then two back..

[Xenalyte]

"I did not know what the Catholic doctrine stated against in vitro fertilization. Yes, I signed a contract, but the contract was vague in my opinion. I didn't know what I was doing as far as in vitro goes that that went against doctrine. My understanding was it was the Ten Commandments."

Ignorance of the rules is no excuse.

[verity]

There must be some tort lawyers salivating to be hired for this one.

[lastchance]

I wonder that this woman and her husband never bothered to find out what the Church taught on in vitro fertilization.
I have a feeling they were Catholics of convenience. What the Church taught was fine as long as it did not mean any change in their lives or behaviors.

The real pity is that there are so many children out there who need good, loving homes which I am sure this couple would have provided. I don't understand the atitude that thinks the pregnancy is the essential part of parenthood. It's not. If it is the joy of rearing and loving a child that a couple wants they should seriously consider adoption.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Only on FR would there be exactly zero compassion for a couple that tried for five years to achieve pregnancy but couldn't; finally achieved it through IV; and gave birth to two healthy children. These people wanted to become parents so badly that they went through all this trouble, and everyone sneers and says the woman got what was coming to her because she got canned from her job at a Catholic school.

There but for the grace of God . . .

[Ainast]

What about the lesbian priest? what happens when she and her lover want to have a kid? I bet they will allow that. funny huh.

[petitfour]

If I had $1.00 for every Catholic we know who is on birth control or was on birth control and has now been snip-snipped or tied, then we would be rich indeed. And I cannot imagine that they do not know the teachings of the Catholic Church on the subject. Their children go through all the rituals of confirmation and what-not while the parents live the way they want.

[swmobuffalo]

This is just dumb.

[steadfastconservative]

How could this teacher not know that in vitro fertilization is against Church teaching? If she was that ignorant of Church teaching, she never should have been teaching in a Catholic school in the first place. If she's lying about not knowing, then she deserves to be fired.

At any rate, it's refreshing to see a Catholic school actually enforce the morality clause in a teacher's contract.

[maine-iac7]

Wow, this thread posts are dripping in judgments - and here I though to judge another was breaking one of the Ten Commandments, which would seem to be far worse than this teachers "crime"

On the other hand - it's all her fault for wanting children