In Brief

Staff Reports

Colorado High School Students Fired From Yearbook Staff Over Lesbians Holding Hands In Photo

William J. Palmer High School - Colorado Springs, CO

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO -- Former Palmer High School yearbook staffer Rudolpho "Coco" Tribulio and Anna Carmicheal told a local television station that they were fired, and two other students quit in protest, after the yearbook's faculty adviser instructed them to cut a photo of a lesbian couple holding hands.

"She told me to in these exact words, you either cut the gay couple or I cut the page." said Tribulio.

According to Tribulio and Anna Carmicheal,they were creating about high school relationships in which one picture depicted a lesbian couple at the school holding hands at which point the faculty adviser told them the picture could not be on the page.

Colorado Springs School District 11 spokesperson Devra Ashby however, said that there was an entirely different reason telling KRDO 13 News, "When the photos came back from that page there was too much PDA and that is against Palmer policy. Regardless of any sort of situation inside the photograph. If theres too much PDA, it's against policy. It's going to get cut," said Ashby.

Tribulio disagreed countering; "If you look at pictures from last year's yearbook,however, you can see several forms of public displays of affection."

KRDO 13 News reports:

At that point, the relationship page was cut and replaced by a page called diversity. "I think it was a vision of the class to do a page that was focused on diversity and do a a collage of all the diverse cultures backgrounds," said Ashby.

But Carmichael says the yearbook advisor came up with a new restriction. "No names, only the labels. So for a picture of a muslim, she wanted to label them as a muslim," said former Palmer High School yearbook editor Anna Carmichael.

District 11 Devra Ashby says the diversity page was supposed to be more of a collage, and would not have encouraged segregation. "We don't discriminate in any way or form, so we wouldn't discriminate or find that appropriate, said Ashby.

Ashby says the diversity page in this year's edition will have the collage, but there will be no labeling.

Pennsylvania State House Committee To Hold Hearing On Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA -- The House State Government Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday morning vote on House Bill 1434, introduced by Representative Daryl Metcalfe,(R) in May of last year. The measure would “define” marriage as a union between one man and one woman and outlaw any other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent (i.e. civil unions or domestic partnerships).

“The institution of traditional marriage has never been under greater attack,” Metcalfe said when he introduced the bill. “This not only includes the special interests who want to permanently redefine marriage, but unfortunately the executive branch and the federal Department of Justice who have blatantly and recklessly refused to uphold and defend its constitutionality. Once again, it falls to the responsibility of state lawmakers to restore the rule of law and carry out the will of the people.”

The House State Government Committee is chaired by Metcalfe and the panel is expected to pass the bill sending it on to the full house. If the House and then the Senate approve the measure in two consecutive sessions of the state's legislature, then the amendment could appear on the 2013 ballot.

The LGBTQ Equality Rights organisation, Equality Pennsylvania, has been circulating a petition calling on the state's lawmakers to drop the amendment and focus on economic issues instead. EQPA reported that nearly 3,000 people have signed it so far.

In 2010, three Republican state senators crossed the aisle to help defeat a similar measure sponsored by Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr.

Currently, Pennsylvania bans same-sex marriage by law. Opponents of same-sex marriage say the institution remains vulnerable to a legal challenge without a constitutional amendment.

Voters in North Carolina and Minnesota, will consider similar amendments this year during the general elections.

Maryland Priest Who Denied Communion To Lesbian Mourner Suspended

Apology to Barbara Johnson from Catholic Bishop Knestout 

GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND -- The archdiocese of Washington D.C. and its Maryland suburbs has confirmed a letter sent out to all of its parishes last Friday that announced that Rev. Marcel Guarnizo has been barred from celebrating mass and other priestly duties. Guarnizo triggered outrage last month after he barred a lesbian woman from receiving communion at the funeral of her mother and later refused to attend and officiate at the graveside ceremonies.

The Washington Post reported that the letter from Bishop Barry Knestout, a top administrator in the archdiocese, which covers Washington and the Maryland suburbs, says the punishment was for “engaging in intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others that is incompatible with proper priestly ministry.”

A spokesman for the archdiocese of Washington would not comment on the reasons for Guarnizo's suspension other than to reconfirm what Bishop Knestout's letter stated. He refused to clarify remark's made by the Reverend Thomas LaHood, Guarnizo's superior at the St. John Neumann parish. La Hood had told the Post that the removal was not related to the Communion standoff, but "pertains to actions over the past week or two."

In announcing the penalty on Sunday, LaHood spoke at some length about the disagreements that have unfolded in the parish because of the funeral Mass scene.

"As we know there’s been disagreement within the parish over how and to whom Communion is distributed. From my perspective this disagreement and related emotions flow from love. Love for Christ, really and truly present in the Eucharist. However, how we live out this love is important. The Scriptures tell us that we are known above all by how we love," he said before reading the letter. After, he said "I realize this letter is hard to hear. Please keep mind that this is a first personnel issue, dealing with issues of ministry in the church. Father Guarnizo will have every opportunity to present his position."

The archdiocesan spokeswoman also would not clarify if LaHood's comments meant that Guarnizo would not be penalized for his handling of Barbara Johnson at the funeral.

While it was not clear what transpired within the parish in the past week or so that triggered the penalty, several bloggers have defended Guarnizo and claimed, citing anonymous witnesses, that Johnson's version of the story is inaccurate.

Bishop Knestout had formally apologised to Barbara Johnson after she was denied Communion at her mother's funeral. Johnson declined to comment to the Post Sunday beyond this statement:

“The Johnson family continues to pray for the Archdiocese of Washington, Father Guarnizo, and all Catholics during this time of upheaval. While we understand this letter does not pertain to the events that occurred at our mother's funeral, we are hopeful that Bishop Knestout's decision will ensure that no others will have to undergo the traumatic experiences brought upon our family. We urge all Catholics to put aside political points of view, and pray that our Church will remain in Christ's love."

According to the Post:

Guarnizo’s refusal of Communion to her was against the policy of Archbishop Donald Wuerl, who has said it is not the right time or place for a spiritual standoff. But in a public statement published by the Post, the archdiocese seemed to imply that both sides were at fault:

“We believe that to receive Communion, a person should be in the state of grace, which means that they are not conscious of having committed a sin serious enough that it ruptures their relationship with God. As with any relationship, it is not just a one-sided judgment that determines what hurts the relationship with God. This determination is based on what the Church teaches objectively from sacred Scripture and tradition of Christian experience. If a person is conscious of having committed a grave sin, he or she may not receive Communion until they have received absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A person who is conscious of grave sin but has no opportunity to go to Confession may receive Communion for a serious reason, but first that person must pray to Christ expressing their sorrow, also known as a perfect act of contrition, and have the intention of going to Confession as soon as possible.”