Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Pay Big Settlement

Religious order pays $24.8 million to settle Delaware priest abuse lawsuits

Our two sons attended an Oblate high school in Virginia in the late 80s and early 90s, Bishop Ireton (BI)  in Alexandria. What a waste of money for parents whose primary concern was learning the faith! I used to fight with the principal over goings on like inviting pro-abortion speakers to the school and indoctrinating the kids in liberal politics during government class. The government teacher worked in the Carter administration and made no bones about his support for a local pol, Jim Moran, a pro-abortion Catholic. I'm not sure if Moran still attends a Catholic parish or switched to a Protestant church. In any case his beliefs have nothing to do with those of Jesus no matter what he calls himself and he continues to advance the liberal pro-abort, pro-homosexual agenda in Congress. Unfortunately, BI was more interested in hob-nobbing with power than teaching the faith.
A rumor going round at the time was that the order was riddled with homosexuals and it was certainly plausible in view of the constant talk about "tolerance" while brainwashing the kids about the homosexual lifestyle. One transitional deacon we knew rather well was a flaming gay working on a masters in, what else, sexual studies. Thank God he left before ordination. In moral theology a teacher showed the R-rated gay propaganda film Philadelphia to his classes without parental permission. I'd like to be able to say he used it to show the kids how films can be used to change attitudes on moral issues. He didn't. When I exposed him in the Les Femmes newsletter he called and threatened to sue me if I ever mentioned him again so I described our conversation in the next issue.

I have no idea how Ireton is today. The Oblates pulled out several years ago, but at the time our sons were there the school was Catholic in name only. After spending tens of thousands of dollars we felt defrauded. The only good thing about the experience was the opportunity to teach our kids that the enemy within is more dangerous than the enemy without. They learned that just because a man is wearing a roman collar doesn't mean he's telling you the truth. The Bible says to test the spirits, and that is wise advice indeed.

I can't close without saying that I know some wonderful oblates. I ran into one recently after twenty-five years and still remember his kindness with appreciation. No matter how rotten a religious order a few good apples still manage to make it to harvest. Let's pray that the next generation, if there is one, brings holy men in the model of St. Bernard, St. Benedict, and St. Francis de Sales himself.