Crossing the line

Richard A. Sokerka

Two anti-Catholic incidents before and after a high school football game in Arizona last week point out once again how deeply religious intolerance has pervaded our secular society.

Prior to a football game between Notre Dame Prep and Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, a white statue of the Virgin Mary that sits on a lit pillar at the entrance of Notre Dame Prep campus was desecrated. Vandals placed a mask of Hillary Clinton over Mary’s face, an attached a sex toy lower down on the statue. During the game, a student dressed as Jesus danced up and down the sidelines with another student dressed like the devil as they mocked Catholics. Parents complained to a security guard to no avail.

Incidents like this simply cannot be passed off as high school hijinks between rival schools. They were sure signs of bigotry and religious intolerance — and were offensive to every Catholic in the country.

Upon learning of the incidents, the Catholic League called for an investigation by the Scottsdale public school system.

Thankfully, Dr. A. Denise Birdwell, the Scottsdale Unified School District Interim Superintendent, acted quickly. In a letter to the Catholic League, she wrote. “I want to apologize to you and the entire Catholic community,” emphasizing that she found the behavior “disgraceful, disrespectful and unacceptable,” and that an investigation would commence immediately.

It is our hope that the students who perpetrated these offensive acts will also be taught how to be tolerant of all religious faiths and come to realize how hurtful their actions were.