College persecutes priest for wearing his clericals?

Thirty-seven-year college professor Father Jim Crowley says a "division director" at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, New Hampshire, has passed him over for a promotion because "He felt that my collar was intimidating to students, that I shouldn't be dressed as a priest. He found it offensive to use the word 'Father.'" The "director" also claimed Father Crowley was teaching Catholic doctrine in his business courses.

Not only that, but Father Crowley's immediate superior, Dr. Dennis Spector, says the college has persecuted him ever since he refused to change his positive evaluation ofFather Crowley to a negative one.

Father Crowley and Dr. Spector won a "cease and desist" order against the college, but things did not improve, so now they are suing the college for discrimination.

So reported WTNH News Channel 8's Annie Rourke in Waterbury on July 5. (Click on this post's title.) (Thanks to today's LifeSiteNews.com for providing this link.)

It would be wonderful if every priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and all across the USA, for that matter, wore his clericals every day and everywhere. Yes, the Roman collar is "a sign of contradiction" -- but that is the point. By standing up for Christ, the Church and the priesthood, priests win more respect, make more friends and win more converts than they lose.

So let us root for Father Crowley and his friend Dennis Spector, and let us keep them in our prayers. One other thing: Our U.S. bishops ought to make a statement of support for Father Crowley's right to wear his clericals!