As the world continues to evolve on human rights and discrimination, there are bound to be organizations that have trouble catching up. The past 30 years have brought a lot of social change, but the Catholic Church, for example, has been around for two thousand years, which means…well. They don’t really do change super well.
Naiad Reich was a high school teacher who, unfortunately, got caught up in the long-held doctrine of her employer, the Catholic church.
Photo Credit: Good.is
Reich was fired from her job, but not due to her performance or low test scores of her students. She was fired because she was pregnant and unmarried (though she is in a committed relationship with her boyfriend).
Photo Credit: Good.is
Catholic Church for centuries has been against unwed motherhood – back to the days of the bible. It explicitly states that it is a sin to have s^x before marriage. So of course her employer would be against Reich’s pregnancy.
“This is their beliefs and their moral code and what they live by and I understand that. Though I don’t agree with it, I understand,” Reich told WNEP. “If there’s no eventual plan in the near future to get married, it was either that or I had to be let go.”
Big of her to understand, but is it right? Here is a statement by the Diocese of Harrisburg (in Pennsylvania):
“The Diocese of Harrisburg is unable to comment on personnel matters. However, as outlined in our policies, every professional employee agrees to follow the teachings, doctrine, and laws of the Catholic Church as part of the hiring process.”
Photo Credit: Good.is
Doesn’t a religion, especially Catholicism also believe in forgiveness? I mean, they would rather fire her, leaving her without a job with which to provide for her child, than reevaluate their ancient policies?
It’s like a modern day story of Mary…almost.