Q. 1. I am a licensed teacher and a practicing Catholic. The opportunity has arisen where I can get a teaching job in a public school. What does the Catholic Church say about Catholics teaching in public schools?

A. 1. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 1285, states that "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed."

Catholics have a free will and must decide for themselves where they want to work. While the Church does not dictate to Catholics where they should work, Catholics have an obligation to work in an environment that will permit them "to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." Such cannot be achieved in a teaching position with the public schools system where evil and falsehoods are taught. Such an environment will slowly destroy your Catholic faith.

The choice is yours!