ONTARIO MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2003

Campaign Life Catholic Questionnaire
for Ontario Catholic School Trustee Candidates

1) Do you believe that in all subject areas the Catholic school curriculum should be explicitly faithful to the teaching of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Catechism? Yes___ No___

(Pope John Paul II wrote that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is “a statement of the Church’s faith and of Catholic doctrine” for the Bishops and the Christian faithful and “is offered to every individual … who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes”.)

2) Should teachers who openly dissent from Catholic Church teachings be restricted from using the classroom to express such beliefs and opinions? Yes___ No___

3) Do you believe that teachers living in open contradiction of Catholic Church teachings on major moral issues do serious harm to the Catholic environment of the school? Yes___ No___

4) Given the Catholic Church’s teaching that “romantic behaviour between homosexual persons is morally unacceptable”* do you agree with the Ontario Catholic Bishop Conference’s statement that “it is not acceptable practice for Catholic schools to teach that certain behaviour is contrary to Catholic teaching, but then to take no action when it is exhibited openly in a school context”?* Yes___ No___

* (Statement by the OCCB Education Commission on Sexual Morality, March 2003)

5) When information on artificial contraception is included as part of a comprehensive sexual education program in Catholic schools, should it be made clear that the use of artificial contraception is immoral, and that the Catholic option is abstinence before marriage and Natural Family Planning within marriage? Yes___ No___

6) Do you believe that all public health nurses working in Catholic schools should be required to follow and teach Catholic family education (for example, with regard to contraception, abortion and homosexual activity) as outlined in the Catechism? Yes___ No___

7) Should Catholic school boards work to exclude materials from Catholic school libraries which fail to respect Catholic Church teachings, even when such resources, as is the case in some school boards, are shared with the public systems? Yes___ No___

8) Do you consider yourself pro-life or pro-choice? (please circle one)

9) Do you believe that human life begins at conception (fertilization)? Yes__ No__

10) Are there any circumstances under which you believe a woman should have access to abortion*? Yes__ No__

If yes, please explain:

*A surgical or medical intervention, designed to prevent the death of the mother but which results in the unintended and undesired death of the pre-born child, is not an abortion.