God Bless the Child.

Unless of course her parents are lesbian.

The Boulder Daily Camera reports today that a preschool student at a Catholic school in Boulder, Colorado “will not be allowed to re-enroll next year because the student’s parents are a lesbian couple.”

Teachers at Sacred Heart of Jesus School received word at a staff meeting earlier this week that the student would not be allowed to return to school next year because of the student’s “home situation.” The teachers also were told not to talk to the media.

Of course.

In a statement to 9News of Boulder, the Archdiocese of Denver said the parents disqualified their child from enrollment by their actions.

“Homosexual couples living together as a couple are in disaccord with Catholic teaching,” the statement said.

The Daily Camera states that “according to the archdiocese, parents who enroll their kids at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School are expected to follow the Catholic Church’s beliefs.”

“No person shall be admitted as a student in any Catholic school unless that person and his/her parent(s) subscribe to the school’s philosophy and agree to abide by the educational policies and regulations of the school and Archdiocese,” the statement said.

But, you know, if it were me, I might actually be confused as to what the church’s teachings are.  Because, you see, as we reported earlier today, apparently practicing homosexual men living within the household of the pope get a free ride. 

As noted earlier today, one of Pope Benedict’s papal gentlemen-in-waiting was procuring young gents for his own sexual escapades right there in the papal closet.  Yet despite the fact that this gentleman was–at least if I understand the concept–living in “disaccord with the Church’s teaching,” sources told the Guardian that “there was no provision for the dismissal of a Gentleman of His Holiness.”

Another said: “We shall wait for the judiciary’s definitive verdict.”

The short version?  The Papal gentleman will not be “schooled.”  At least not any time soon.  He gets to stay pending a “definitive verdict.” 

Of what? I don’t know. In theory this papal gentleman was doing nothing wrong; he obviously is gay or bisexual, and is someone who is living in shame and stigma within a church that considers homosexuality “disordered.” He could not possibly live a normal, happy life as an openly gay man, unless of course he left the papal household.  But it is troubling that he is being protected because he is part of the papal entourage, especially given the Church’s prior laxity on the issue of pedophilia and sexual abuse within churches and Catholic schools.  This sort of double standards is characteristic of that most ancient of institutions: the old boys’ club. 

The pre-schooler, on the other hand, will not be educated at the School of the Sacred Heart because of some perceived sin of the child’s parents, as determined by an institution so rife with hypocrisy and discrimination it’s a wonder the leadership can sleep at night.

The Camera stated that the Sacred Heart of Jesus School could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

Neither, of course, could the Vatican.

Even they haven’t figured out how to spin this one.  Or are they all just too busy trying to figure out how to screw women?  (Out of health care that is.)