On Nov. 10, The State Journal-Register in Springfield published a story about Laine Tadlock, former director of the education program at Benedictine University in Springfield. Tadlock claimed she had been unjustly fired from her job because of the announcement July 11 in the newspaper of her marriage in Iowa to another woman, Kae Helstrom.

So-called “gay” marriage has been legal in Iowa since a 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a life-long commitment between one man and one woman.

According to The State Journal-Register report, after the publication of the wedding announcement, the university first placed Tadlock on administrative leave with full salary and benefits. She then was offered an early retirement package, which she refused.

In a Nov. 11 statement, the university said, “It would not be consistent with the university’s mission as a Catholic institution of higher learning for Tadlock to continue in the office of program director of its education program.”

The university offered Tadlock another position for which it said Tadlock is qualified.

“As University officials informed her several times, a refusal to report to work in this new position would be considered a resignation from employment,” the university’s statement continued.

After refusing the university’s offer, she was considered to have resigned on Oct. 28.

The church teaches that people with homosexual orientation “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2358) The catechism goes on to say, “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.” (2359)

The university acknowledged that some officials there knew that Tadlock was a gay woman. However, the statement said, the public announcement of her attempted marriage spurred the university to remove her from her former position.

“It was not Tadlock’s orientation, but rather the public disregard for fundamental Catholic beliefs, which was the basis for the university’s decisions,” the statement said. “These decisions were made only after full discussions with the appropriate diocesan officials.”

In a brief statement in support of the university’s position, Bishop Paprocki said, “The essential reason for the very existence of Catholic institutions of higher learning is to teach the truth. One of these truths is that God intended marriage to be a life-giving and loving commitment between a man and a woman until parted by death. Benedictine University is to be commended for its fidelity to the truth in upholding the faith and morals as taught by the Catholic Church. As bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, I am grateful to officials of Benedictine University for their integrity in addressing the situation at the Springfield campus of Benedictine University … .”

Benedictine University said in its statement that as a religious institution, the university has “statutory and constitutional” rights and that it believes its decision regarding Tadlock were made “for reasons both valid and lawful” and that if the issue goes to court the university “will defend itself vigorously, and believes it will prevail.”