TORONTO – Cynics may say there is no peace or goodness, just eternal vigilance so that the dissemblers do not steal what is rightfully ours through dishonest means.

Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis, in Catholic circles and elsewhere, and known for his unselfish, altruistic dedication to the betterment of his society, taught by example. That was nine hundred years ago. Today, our saints are those who occupy elected office, but we know not why. Or to paraphrase the co-leader of Azione Italia, Carlo Calenda: the public just doesn’t get it.

In the last several weeks North American society has seen more than its fair share of elected officials who disdain social mores and morality by soiling the [good] name of democracy with displays of arrogant disdain for the public trust.

Arguably among the best [?] example, or highest profile, is the recently elected Congressman George Santos (no saint, he) in the USA. When asked on CNN why he spread so many untruths, why he lied and continues to lie, he responded that he did in the past and it worked for him, so…

His honesty is shocking. People across the entire spectrum of American society are calling on him to resign. In a perverse sort of way, that is encouraging.

In Canada, Toronto, to be specific, former mayor Tory – the apex finger pointer, Mr. woke in some circles – could no longer bear the burden of living the vida loca while in office. Except that after his very public act of contrition, sincere or not, he quit. Observes were unhappy with the adulterous (wait, is that vocabulary still in the dictionary or permissible?) behaviour of their first citizen. It remains to be seen how long his retirement will last. He was not elected to be a follower of St. Francis nor of Mosaic Law.

The Director and Trustees of the Renfrew Catholic District School Board, on the other hand, were.

They exist because the Law of the Land, the Constitution, guarantees them the right and obligation to defend and promote Catholic values. Not to interpret them, like them or not. Those who object to Catholicism can practice their beliefs in other private or publicly funded venues.

These Catholics chose to “expel/exclude” a young lad for his role in protesting the declared “right” of two other biologically male students to use washrooms previously designated exclusively for biological female students. The girls in the Catholic high school, which hosts 550 students, were demanding their “safe spaces”.

In Oakville, Ontario, the now world-wide infamous attention-getting case of Kayla Lemieux has people scratching their heads: his/her “rights” to self-expression can offend students, parents and community, provoke police lockdown of the school (12 times since September) but students must adhere to a dress code and their parents have no rights to object. Trustees pass the buck. But they are “inclusive” and respectful of the Human Rights Code.

In Toronto Catholic District School Board, a cabal of anti Catholic trustees (now led by a certain Markus De Domenico) capable of elevating Congressman George Santos to sainthood, has decided that an event endorsed by the diocese, “Lift Jesus Higher” should be boycotted. The event proposes to raise the Christian purpose of the Catholic schools is not worth supporting… because it is also backed by the Pro-Life and Pro-Family movement. De Domenico is also leading a visceral character assassination on his trustee colleague, Michael del Grande, at the College of Teachers.

Pax et Bonum.

In the pics above, San Francesco and the Basilica in Assisi (photos by Jeroným Pelikovský and Wojtek Hintzke from Pixabay)