Catholic School Teacher — Suspended After Comments Against Gay Lifestyle Raised Furor All the Way to Hollywood — Is Reinstated

SOMERVILLE, N.J. (TheBlaze/AP) — A Catholic school teacher suspended after posting on Facebook that gays "want to reengineer western civ into slow extinction" — which drew criticism from liberal actress Susan Sarandon — has been reinstated.

Patricia Jannuzzi (Image source: Gannett New Jersey)

Patricia Jannuzzi was put on administrative leave last month and asked to disable her Facebook page after her comments drew wide publicity — notably when a school alumnus wrote a critical letter that was shared on Facebook by Sarandon, who's his aunt.

A letter was sent Friday to faculty and staff members at Immaculata High School in Somerville saying Jannuzzi had been reinstated, Gannett New Jersey reported.

Monsignor Seamus Brennan, pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, said in the letter that Catholic teachers should communicate the faith in "a way that is positive and never hurtful."

"Tone and choice of words matter and I trust Mrs. Jannuzzi's stated promise to strive always to teach in a spirit of truth and charity," Brennan wrote.

He cited Jannuzzi's "otherwise good reputation as an educator over 30 years at Immaculata" as a factor in her reinstatement.

Here's an image of what Jannuzzi wrote on Facebook before it was taken down:

Catholic school forces anti-gay teacher to quit Facebook after celeb pressure https://t.co/eRUng1s3jV pic.twitter.com/IGosFM60iJ

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) March 16, 2015

Jannuzzi's lawyer David Oakley said she was "grateful to the school for engaging in the process."

There have been conflicting reports regarding Jannuzzi's employment status after the controversy unfolded in March. It was reported that she was never taken off the payroll; another report indicated that her salary and benefits were taken away.

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