Cardinal: Catholic schools welcome all

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston welcome all children, even as they work to make sure the church’s teachings aren’t compromised, Cardinal Sean O’Malley said.

O’Malley’s comments were his first public remarks about a decision by St. Paul Elementary School in Hingham, Mass., to rescind a boy’s acceptance because his parents are gay.

The archdiocese’s head of education later called one of the boy’s parents, apologized and offered to help the 8-year-old enroll in another Catholic school. The archdiocese said it is creating a policy to clarify its schools don’t bar children with same-sex parents.

“It is true that we welcome people from all walks of life,” O’Malley wrote. “But we recognize that, regardless of the circumstances involved, we maintain our responsibility to teach the truths of our faith, including those concerning sexual morality and marriage.”

O’Malley defended the Rev. James Rafferty, the parish priest at St. Paul’s, who he said had come under “undue criticism” for the decision. One of the boy’s parents said Rafferty said her relationship was “in discord” with church teachings, which sees marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Southern California transgender woman sues Macy’s

A transgender woman has filed a lawsuit against a Macy’s store in Torrance, Calif., alleging that managers and co-workers treated her unfairly and humiliated her.

Jazz Araquel sued Macy’s for gender discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination in Superior Court.

Her attorney Eric Castelblanco says Macy’s fired Araquel for alleged insubordination and using foul language in 2009.

Araquel says her co-workers harassed her and physically threw her out of the women’s rest room.

A call for comment to Macy’s was not returned.

Kansas Attorney General readies brief in funeral protest case

Kansas Attorney General Steve Six is asking attorneys general from across the country to join him in a brief he will file in a U.S. Supreme Court case involving funeral protests.

Six intends to file a friend of the court brief in an appeal by the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder. The family sued the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka after members picketed Snyder’s 2006 funeral. The church, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, contends U.S. military deaths are God’s punishment for tolerating homosexuality.

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the protesters’ actions, no matter how provocative and upsetting, are protected by the U.S. Constitution’s free speech amendment.

Six says that other states need to stand up for the families’ right to mourn their loved ones in dignity. So far, eight states have joined

Supremacists get permit for rally

The National Park Service has approved a permit for a white supremacist group to hold a rally at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania this month.

The Aryan Nations group plans a rally June 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. near the old Cyclorama Center.

Park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said the park is obligated to make the land available to the public to exercise their free speech rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

The group has said it plans speeches and discussions of current issues, such as immigration and homosexuality.

Some other Adams County groups have announced plans for a “celebration of diversity” the same day. In 2006, a “Community Unity Day” was held to counter a rally by the World Knights of the Ku Klux Klan at the battlefield.