School President Thomas McKenney declined to elaborate what the bishop's threat could mean for the school. School administrators said they’ve been flying the Black Lives Matter and gay pride flags since January 2021. The Nativity School is an accredited tuition-free, all-boys school mainly serving students of color from low-income communities. In response, the Nativity School said the flags are meant to show that all students “do matter and deserve to be respected as Christian values teach us.” Although the school said it operates within the diocese, officials made the distinction that it’s not a diocesan school.
McManus said the flags symbolize messages that conflict with Catholic teaching, and suggested the Nativity School of Worcester could risk losing its Catholic identity if administrators don’t take the flags down.
A Worcester Jesuit middle school and the Diocese of Worcester are at odds over Black Lives Matter and gay pride flags flying on the school’s campus.ĭiocese Bishop Robert J.
