Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary, Canada, recently voiced his discontentment with local Catholic schools that use bingo and other casino games in order to raise money for different school programs. Henry was reported as saying that he would use all available means to prevent these"immoral" fundraisers from taking place even if it forces some parents to pull their children out of Catholic schools.

According to Henry, it is morally incorrect for Catholic institutions to get involved in an industry that exploits individuals who are economically vulnerable and weak. Several days ago, Henry wrote schools a letter notifying that he would "blacklist" any school that holds fundraisers, such as bingo and other gambling options.

Nevertheless, officials with the Calgary Catholic School District responded that the cessation of bingo fundraising activities is unlikely to have any impact on the prevention of problem gambling and on the rehabilitation of addicted gamblers. Moreover, the officials reportedly said that a 'no gambling' policy would have a negative impact on students coming from low-income families and those attending schools in lower-socio-economic neighborhoods.