Agony in Albany - The Roman Catholic Faithful

Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc. / AMDG May 2004 Albany newslettertion program, and after I’ve done this, you will neverbe able to do this (come to me) again.’“Well,” Mrs. Vicinanzo recalled, “I thoughthe would take care of it. What did I know? And thenext year I found nothing had changed.”The year 1980 was a nightmare for the Vicinanzos.They found themselves embroiled in a lawsuitwith the Diocese of Albany after the Diocese refusedto allow their daughter Marie to graduate fromthe school because they had withheld her from theschool’s religious education program.The Vicinanzos claimed that the religion programsoffered at Scully (banned by bishops in twoother dioceses) distorted Catholic teaching, and theyhad the right to exercise their consciences with regardto the religious education of their children. The Dioceseargued that Marie Vicinanzo could only be exemptedfrom the religion program if she were registeredas a non-Catholic.The case went to civil court, and was tried onthe grounds of breach of contract and discrimination.The Vicinanzos lost, and the Diocese refused to allowMarie to graduate with her class. “It was an extremelytraumatic incident for Marie,” said Mrs. Vicinanzo.Marie, however, went on to Cornell University.Scully closed in 1990; eight high schools and 27elementary schools have closed during the reign ofBishop Howard Hubbard.What made the Scully closing a traumaticexperience for the local community was that Catholicsthere had raised over $500,000 in pledges, couldraise an additional $500,000, and increase enrollmentto keep the school open.Strong In Her FaithDuring the Vicinanzos’ trial, there were fewsupporters in the courtroom.“Many parents agreed with us, and offeredtheir private sympathy,” recalled Mrs. Vicinanzo,“but they were so afraid to be seen supporting us.They feared their children would lose their scholarshipsor would not be allowed to graduate.”One person from Scully High School did attendthe court proceedings, and that was Scully’sLatin teacher, Sr. Anna Roberta Benson. A Sister ofSt. Joseph of Carondolet, Sr. Anna Roberta is ateacher recognized on many occasions by the NewYork State Education Department as one of the mostoutstanding educators in New York.Sr. Anna Roberta had three brothers whowere priests; one was a member of the Pontifical BiblicalCommission and a close friend of Pope Pius XII.She was recognized as one of the most superb Latinteachers in the state, and was frequently sought out byAlbany priests who needed translations of Romandocuments which had not yet been translated intoEnglish.“Sr. Anna Roberta was a super, superteacher,” said Al Geraghty, a lawyer who knew herwell, and tried to interest the Vatican in her case.“She had a very keen mind, she was verystrong in her faith.“People would come to her and ask her aboutabuses at Mass or about what their children were beingtaught, and she’d tell them if their Masses werevalid, or what the Church taught. That’s what startedit. A priest went to the Bishop and complained aboutwhat Sr. Anna Roberta was telling people. . . .Theterrible thing is that priest went off with another man,a hairdresser, and it was a scandal all over Amsterdam.“Anyway, it was horrible what they did. Shewas a brilliant Latin teacher, and they gave her a detailcleaning toilets.”“The Diocese and the Sisters of St. Josephput Sr. Anna Roberta through hell,” said Mrs. Vicinanzo.“After the trial, Sr. Anna Roberta was soafraid they’d never let her teach again, and in July,after negotiating with the Diocese, she was asked tosign a list of conditions that would enable her to continueteaching for one more year.”Pure VenomThe superintendent of diocesan schools,Jerome Porath, in a letter dated July 30th, 1980, informedher of the conditions she must agree to forcontinued employment at Bishop Scully. He told Sistershe had ten days to sign and return the document.Condition number one: “There shall be nodiscussions with students at the school and their familieson topics dealing with the teaching of the CatholicChurch. If an occasion arises in which students orparents present information which appears to be inerror to Church teaching, Sr. Anna Roberta may callthis to the attention of the theology faculty, principal,or diocesan school office, but shall not correct theerror itself.”Condition number 2: “No provision. shall be48