Holy Ghost Prep has really let me down.

I'm going to take a break from the absolute garbage that I usually write to get serious.

I was informed, last night, that one of my teachers had been fired from my high school. I only had this teacher once, he taught freshman French, and even though I got  a C+ in his class, he moved me up to the honors track. Though that wasn't the only time that this would happen, he saw in me the ability to do well if I really challenged myself. I'll never forget that.

Mr. Griffin was fired after informing the school of his intention to acquire a marriage license in New Jersey, as Pennsylvania still does not allow for same sex marriages... Oh, did I forget to mention that he was gay, it seems that I did because it should be of no consequence. Unfortunately, for my school, it was of apparently great consequence, so I implore you literally fives of readers, let the school, no, the country know that that is not alright.

It should be noted that this is a Catholic school, so being behind the times in terms of worldview is not completely unexpected, but still.

The news story can be found here.

This is what I wrote to the school. If only I were a better writer.

Mr. Danilak and Fr. McCloskey

Ten years ago, I entered Holy Ghost Prep a wide eyed and mostly innocent boy of fourteen. From the second that I walked into Cornwell Hall, I could feel what had been engrained into my psyche from the moment that I came for a shadow day and continued to be pounded into my head at orientation. I was home. I had found a place that was not a community; it was more than that, a family.

The motto “One heart, one mind” which was repeated incessantly at Ghost helped to shape me into the person I am today. I expanded that axiom to influence every aspect of my life and it has helped me develop extreme empathy for those around me. Never have I looked at the plight of another with jaded malaise because, as my high school taught me, we are all connected. To turn a blind eye to one person who has been wronged is to turn a blind eye to all who have been wronged.

                That is why I greeted the information that you terminated one Michael Griffin for pursuing a marriage with his life partner with a rather heavy heart. Objectively, I can understand where you were coming from with your decision. I mean, you are a Catholic institution, and, as such, you need to follow the Church’s doctrine. As of right now, the Catholic Church only recognizes marriage as valid when it occurs between a consenting man and woman. To encourage or promote a marriage between two men (or women) would go against the Church, and that is something that you can’t do. I get that, I really do.

Regardless,  it seems to me that turning Mr. Griffin away at a time when he was making one of the biggest and hopefully most joy-filled decisions of his life is in the poorest of taste. It is downright abhorrent. Though I may be accused of false equivocation, this is no different than parents disowning their child for the mere fact that they are homosexual. I always thought of Ghost as my family, but how can I associate with a family who treats its members as you have treated one of its own that has given so much, over a decade of his life to further your mission statement.  

                I know that one email from a former student will probably get lost amid the thousands of others containing better worded, more compelling arguments. I just needed you to know how utterly disappointed I am, and I hope that at least one of us gets through to you.

I hope you can join us in the 21^st century,

Sean O’Brien ‘07

This was an affront to decency, and I couldn't sit in silence. Spread the word.


And if you'd like to email the principal Mr. Jeff Danilak or the president Fr. James McCloskey, they can be reached at jdanilak@holyghostprep.org and jmccloskey@holyghostprep.org