Case Dropped Against Canadian Priest
Accused of Exposing Homosexuals to Hatred
By Pete Vere
TORONTO, JULY 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The Canadian Human Rights Commission has closed its case against Father Alphonse de Valk, the editor and publisher of Catholic Insight magazine.
The monthly magazine drew the ire of homosexual activists after publishing several articles defending marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The articles quoted extensively from the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and various papal documents. A complaint was filed with the government commission claiming the articles exposed homosexuals to discrimination, bigotry and hatred.
In dropping the complaint against the 76-year-old Basilian priest, the commission stated: “After examining this information, the commission decided [...] to dismiss the complaint because the material is not likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt based on sexual orientation.”
Despite the July 4 decision, Father de Valk is still responsible for $20,000 in legal expenses, and concerned for recent decisions affecting Protestants.
Overturn
“The [homosexual activists] have given up on us because the Catholic Church is powerful,” Father de Valk told ZENIT, but added that there are still a number decisions against Protestants who agree with the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage.
“Now we have to turn back the cases that were already decided,” he said.
The priest cited the "most notorious" of these decisions as the one of the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal against Stephen Boissoin.
Boissoin is a Protestant youth minister who wrote a letter to the editor of his local newspaper critiquing same-sex marriage and the introduction of homosexual activism in public schools among students as young as six.
The Alberta Human Rights Tribunal ordered Boissoin to pay $7,000 in fines and court costs, and write and publish an apology for his statements.
Accused of Exposing Homosexuals to Hatred
By Pete Vere
TORONTO, JULY 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The Canadian Human Rights Commission has closed its case against Father Alphonse de Valk, the editor and publisher of Catholic Insight magazine.
The monthly magazine drew the ire of homosexual activists after publishing several articles defending marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The articles quoted extensively from the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and various papal documents. A complaint was filed with the government commission claiming the articles exposed homosexuals to discrimination, bigotry and hatred.
In dropping the complaint against the 76-year-old Basilian priest, the commission stated: “After examining this information, the commission decided [...] to dismiss the complaint because the material is not likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt based on sexual orientation.”
Despite the July 4 decision, Father de Valk is still responsible for $20,000 in legal expenses, and concerned for recent decisions affecting Protestants.
Overturn
“The [homosexual activists] have given up on us because the Catholic Church is powerful,” Father de Valk told ZENIT, but added that there are still a number decisions against Protestants who agree with the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage.
“Now we have to turn back the cases that were already decided,” he said.
The priest cited the "most notorious" of these decisions as the one of the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal against Stephen Boissoin.
Boissoin is a Protestant youth minister who wrote a letter to the editor of his local newspaper critiquing same-sex marriage and the introduction of homosexual activism in public schools among students as young as six.
The Alberta Human Rights Tribunal ordered Boissoin to pay $7,000 in fines and court costs, and write and publish an apology for his statements.
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