But at any rate it’s tempting, for me as an American anyway, to agree with Kate Ward’s opinion above. America has been an expressly secular nation since its founding and in many way that’s a very good thing — one that Pope Benedict often lauds, in fact. Crucifixes in public schools would be a scandal here in the States, and I don’t think that any Catholic would be off-base in opposing that sort of thing, here in the US. It’s just not how we do church & state.

But Europe is different. Most European nations were once officially Catholic, and I think some still are. For better or worse — and I’m sure it’s better in some ways and worse in others — that’s their cultural heritage. So it’s not such a slam-dunk to say, in Europe, that crucifixes should be removed from public schoolrooms. And for the European Union to force a member nation to remove its schoolroom crucifixes — that has a cultural significance that’s probably unimaginable for Americans.

Jesus did not worry about the removal of holy symbols, correct liturgical procedures, and one’s personal sex life.

I’ve always had the sense that Jesus is very concerned about the quality of our love for God and one another. Holy symbols and our approach to the public prayer of the Church have a lot to do with our love of God — and sex has a lot to do with our love for one another. So I’m not sure how to understand your statement.

The social teaching of the Church is enormously important. So is the Church’s sexual morality, and her liturgical theology. We need all of it, and my sense is that if we neglect /any/ part of the fullness of our faith, the rest suffers.