Panel OKs Wine at School for Religious Services

A Wake County Board of Education committee on Monday approved a policy change that would allow a Catholic church to bring wine into a school to celebrate Mass.

Posted 5:05 p.m. Jun 18, 2007 — Updated 5:05 p.m. Jun 18, 2007

RALEIGH, N.C. — A Wake County Board of Education committee on Monday approved a policy change that would allow a Catholic church to bring wine into a school to celebrate Mass.

Area churches pressed for space have rented schools for years to hold Sunday services. But when St. Bernadette Catholic Church asked to rent Holly Springs Elementary School for weekend Mass, school administrators said using wine during Mass would violate the school district's policy against alcohol on school campuses.

School board member Ron Margiotta asked for the policy change to allow the wine, noting Catholic canon insists on having wine to celebrate Mass.

The amended policy will be presented to the school board at its Tuesday meeting. A final vote on the new rule is expected at the board's July 17 meeting.

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