Not a bad ‘Law and Morality’ Final Exam

Nothing like real life to drive home the importance of all that study demanded by decent Church law and/or Catholic morality classes.

Attorney Thomas Tootle, representing one Carla Hale, a teacher in a Catholic high school who was discharged after she announced, and later confirmed, that she was living in a same-sex relationship, asks “There are many things that the Catholic Church considers immoral, but why is this treated any differently than adultery, divorce or birth control?” Now, maybe Tootle really doesn’t know how to think through these basic issues, or, maybe he is just grandstanding for the public (or maybe both). Either way, his question would make, I think, a good final exam for a course in Catholic law and morality.

I can see it now: Answer Thomas Tootle’s question above. Identity his erroneous implicit assumption(s), provide simple key(s) for distinguishing institutional reactions to each situation, and apply these considerations to a situation wherein one has made a public declaration of living in a same-sex relationship. Write on one-side of a page only and place your name on the last page. You have one hour. Spelling counts.

We are in our own finals week just now, and I’ve a pressing project due next week, but take the Tootle Test on your own, come back in a couple weeks, and I’ll post a sample answer.