Worcester’s Nativity School, which says the management and control of school operations are completely independent of the diocese and does not receive funding from them, has vowed to appeal the bishop’s decision.
Bishop Robert J. McManus cited an open letter to the school in early May on Thursday as part of the reason for his decision.
“I have publicly stated in an open letter … that these symbols (flags) embody specific goals or ideologies (which) contradict Catholic social and moral teaching,” McManus said. “My claim is that the ‘Gay Pride’ flag supports gay marriage and the active lifestyle of LGBTQ +.”
“That goes for the lives of blacks, too,” McManus said. “The Catholic Church teaches that all life is sacred, and the Church certainly stands unequivocally behind the expression ‘the lives of blacks matter’ and strongly affirms that all lives matter.”
After the current school year, the school cannot be identified and described as Catholic, McManus said. The Catholic liturgy is banned on the school grounds, along with any school-sponsored liturgy in every church or chapel in the diocese of Worcester, among other consequences, McManus said.
The school cites a call from students, most of whom are colored people, as one of the reasons for waving flags from January 2021.
“As a multicultural school, flags represent the inclusion and respect of all people,” said school president Thomas McKenney in a statement in response to the bishop’s decision. “These flags simply say that everyone is welcome at Christmas, and this value of inclusion is rooted in Catholic teaching.”
“It is now understood that both flags celebrate the human dignity of our relatives, friends and neighbors who have faced and continue to face hatred and discrimination,” McKenney said. “Although any symbol or flag can be co-opted by political groups or organizations, waving our flags is not an endorsement of any organization or ideology. They are flying in support of marginalized people. “
The school said it would continue to fly the flags “to give visible evidence of the school’s solidarity with our students, families and their communities,” McKenney said. “The commitment to our mission, founded and enlivened by evangelical values, Catholic social teaching and our Jesuit heritage, forces us to do so.”
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