Intolerance isn't news in the Denver Archdiocese.
This time, the story's about intimidation.
The church fired Toni Talarico last spring for being a lesbian. Now, in a stunning attempt to strong-arm her, it's suing her for protesting.
"Why would the almighty Catholic Church sue somebody simply for having stood up and said it violated her rights?" asks her lawyer, David Lane. "Does Goliath really need to go out and squish resistance to its homophobia?"
I've written about Talarico, who spent 28 years teaching theology at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in north Denver. She's beloved for her work making Catholic sacraments meaningful to generations of kids and adults.
She kept quiet about her sexual
orientation, although parishioners welcomed her and her longtime partners as part of their community.
Single again last spring, she posted an ad seeking female companionship.
"I am looking for a relationship, but not right away," read her Match.com posting. "There is time to make sure we are right for each other."
The Rev. Lawrence Kaiser confronted her about the posting and fired her without severance or benefits. He told parishioners at Guardian Angels that she had left to pursue other opportunities.
Talarico knew her orientation ran counter to Catholic teachings but had told herself that she was leading a good life and being true to her God.
She also knew the law is
on the church's side. She decided against suing, aware the church has the right to fire theology teachers for religious reasons.
Still, she wanted to speak out. She filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division as her way of criticizing church policies and saying she felt wronged.
The Archdiocese, in response, sued her, charging that she "has involved the Colorado Division of Civil Rights in a matter that exceeds the agency's jurisdiction."
Which begs the
question of why, if it's so afraid the state will interfere, it didn't sue the agency instead.
The lawsuit sends a chilling message: It will cost you loads of money and time in court to stand up against the church.
"While professing its gratitude to priests, religious men and women, and the laity who by their evangelical self-dedication are devoted to the noble work of education and of schools of every type and level, (the Church) exhorts them to persevere generously in the work they have undertaken and, imbuing their students with the spirit of Christ . . . ," it wrote, quoting Vatican II, in its lawsuit.
In other words, Talarico's gayness was like cooties; it could have rubbed off on her students.
No one questions the legal right (if not the moral one) to fire her on free speech grounds. But suing her for protesting is spiteful and hypocritical given that the First Amendment also guarantees a right to petition the government for redress.
"The Catholic Church is trying to use the court system to crush her for exercising her rights under the First Amendment," Lane says.
Talarico has been cleaning houses since she was fired and continues holding Bible study for loyal parishioners at her home each week.
It's a matter of interpretation who picked this fight. Where it's heading is clear:
"A counter-claim for malicious prosecution and abuse of process," says Lane, who relishes the fight.
Susan
Greene writes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach her at 303-954-1989 or greene@denverpost.com. Read more at www.denverpost.com | 
