March 1, 2019
Archbishop Naumann, Superintendent O'Hara and to whom it may concern,
On behalf of members of St. Ann Parish and School, we respectfully ask that you prayerfully
reconsider the policy to deny admission to students on the basis of his or her parent's same sex
union. Recently, a Kindergarten student was denied admission to our School on this basis. It is
our belief that Christ's message of inclusion, acceptance, mercy, and love should first and
foremost guide such decisions. Please consider Ephesians 4:2-3 "with all humility and
gentleness, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace."
One of the many reasons that we choose to send our children to St. Ann is the welcoming culture,
which is central to the original ministry of Jesus Christ. We are proud to be a part of a
community that readily supports our neighbors and friends when they are in need. If someone
has a new baby, a sick child, is caring for a sick parent or battling illness we send meals to them,
help with monetary needs, childcare, rides, prayers and much more. We do not stop to find out in
what specific ways their union is or is not in conformance with the Church's teaching or ask what
sins they may have committed. We do as Jesus would have done and welcome our friends and
neighbors when they knock. We treat others as we would like to be treated. We are inclusive and
try to refrain from judgment. We are proud of the community that we have built. We are proud of
these values that we share with our children.
Respectfully, we believe that the decision to deny a child of God access to such a wonderful
community and education, based on the notion that his or her parent's union is not in accordance
with the Church's teaching in Sacramental marriage, lacks the compassion and mercy of Christ's
message. We ask you to consider the many ways that other modern marriages may be
inconsistent with the Church's teaching on Sacramental marriage (i.e. vasectomy, IVF, divorce,
and remarriage without approved annulment). Further, St. Ann does accept non-Catholic children
and families into our school. Presumably, these families are not in marriages that are conformant
to the teachings of the Church. We respectfully, ask you to consider why non-conformity to some
of the Church's teachings rise to the level of refusing admission to children, while others do
not. As you are aware, there is not a uniform agreement among each diocese in the Kansas City
area regarding admission of students on the basis of his or her parent's same sex union.
We recognize the complexities of morality, politics and theology in modern times. We hope that
you can recognize what may seem to be the shifting of values as actually the welcoming of
tolerance, love, understanding and mercy. We write motivated by and in full belief in our
School’s motto:
“Let everything you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14
Thank you for your consideration,