Wikipedia defines a Confessor as:

The title confessor is used in the Christian Church in several ways. Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death.

I recently blogged about Nan Gilbert, a member of the PNCC who has been discharged from her job simply for her membership and allegiance to the PNCC. You might think: isn’t that employer horrible, persecuting people for their faith in Jesus Christ and their allegiance to Him.

Funny thing, she worked for a Roman Catholic high school run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Note that the school still lists her as a member of their staff on their website (as of the writing of this post).

I attempted to confirm the events with the Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese, the Rev. Robert C. Schulte and the school’s principal, Mr. Carl Loesch. Fr. Schulte responded but refused to comment on the status of Ms. Gilbert, citing confidentiality. Ms. Gilbert has personally confirmed these events with me.

Ms. Gilbert was told to renounce her affiliation with the PNCC and come back to full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. She was also asked to renounce any relationship with her fiancee, a former cleric of the Roman Catholic Church. Upon refusing she was told that she could either resign or be fired.

From my perspective, there is the potential for further repercussions aimed at Ms. Gilbert based on what she has reported to me. The whole episode is truly insidious, truly sinful.

In the end this is simple coercion and prejudice. While coercion is allowed for by Roman Catholic Canon Law, this would be an area outside Canon Law, because it affects the member of another Church — an area covered in joint agreements and by the Roman Church’s own prohibitions against coercion. So it comes down to bullying.

Here’s an excerpt from Marian’s Mission Statement:

…As a Catholic community, Marian values the sanctity and individuality of each student and strives to live the example of Jesus Christ as teacher and servant.

Is that saying that Jesus as teacher and servant treated His co-workers without sanctity or individuality? Don’t you just love mission statements. So many words, never reflected upon, never considered. Just a decoration on one’s website. If they cannot follow their Mission Statement how can they follow the Popes and the Gospel?

Grant this, O Christ, that we may never let ourselves be broken by threats, persecution and suffering, but always firmly and faithfully profess Thy holy faith. And when false human judgments pursue and wrong us, grant us the faith of the apostles and courage of the martyrs, that we may be capable to suffer and even die for Thee. Amen. — From the Prayer for the First Station. The Stations of the Cross, A Book of Devotions and Prayers According to the Use of the Polish National Catholic Church.

Here’s a better Mission statement:

“Fides suadenda est, non imponenda”
(Faith is a matter of persuasion, not of compulsion)