Homosexualist Play To Be Performed at Four SF Catholic High Schools

Friday is AmP off-beat news day, but I have a feeling today's stories are just going to be plain sad:

Four Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco are scheduled to host a performance of the condom-endorsing sex-education play Secrets. The play was written by openly lesbian playwright Patricia Loughrey. Secrets will be performed on October 14, 2009 at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School in San Francisco; on November 5, 2009 at Sacred Heart High School in Atherton; on January 19, 2010 at Mercy High School in Burlingame, and on February 9, 2010 at St. Ignatius College Preparatory High School in San Francisco.

The play depicts a teenager who is HIV positive. Some content in Secrets was considered, by the Fremont, California Unified School District, to be sufficiently graphic to require that a permission slip be signed by parents before their child would be allowed to see it. The Fremont Unified School District also posts an online flyer (in English and Chinese) for parents, informing them of the performance, and inviting them to watch a video of Secrets before giving their permission. The flyer also describes two of the scenes: “A character dumps dozens of brightly wrapped condoms on the floor with a discussion about which type of condoms are the best to use and how to use them effectively.” Another scene is a “Discussion about contraceptives and a visual display of them.” The production of Secrets in the San Francisco Archdiocese is sponsored by the Educational Theater Programs division of the Kaiser Permanente HMO. (California Catholic Daily)

Nothing like Catholic private education.

LifeSiteNews "attempted to contact both the diocesan department of education and schools showing the play; but no calls or emails have yet been returned."

Nothing like transparent diocesan administrations.

And down south, where the real nuts roll:

The University of San Diego, a Catholic institution of higher education, gave permission to Pride (a campus “alliance” of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered queer and questioning students) to hold a campus dance on Friday, October 9, 2009. According to an e-mail obtained by California Catholic Daily, Pride met with the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Vice President for Mission and Ministry to discuss the dance and other issues regarding the group. The two administrators agreed to permit the event on campus. In the e-mail, a student leader wrote to the members of Pride, “we can have a DANCE, not a social or mixer, a full-on DANCE!!!! The University and administration support us and will continue to support us sponsoring a dance on-campus. This is a great step in the direction that we want to go…”. By providing a venue for students struggling with homosexual tendencies to pursue romantic relationships, such dances may conflict with Catholic teaching on sexual activity outside of marriage. (Cardinal Newman Society)

Sounds like a mixed bag of nuts.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Huh? Notre Dame funds students to attend DC Gay March, hosts "coming out day"

What the heck?

The Cardinal Newman Society points out more craziness at Notre Dame:

A surprise move from the Student Activities Office allowed five students to attend a national gay rights demonstration in Washington D.C. Sunday, sophomore Jackie Emmanuel, president of the Progressive Student Alliance (PSA), said.

The students were granted permission from the Office to use PSA funding to travel to the nation's capital to participate in the National Equality March over the weekend, Emmanuel said.

"The fact that we were University-approved was surprising but it was a wonderful surprise," she said. "The University hasn't always been entirely receptive in the past."

... She said her group hung out in the gay neighborhood of the city and stayed with friends to minimize costs. (ND Observer)

Whose bright idea was this?

A Notre Dame student sent me this photo they snapped on their phone at the student center a few days ago. In case you can't read it, the headline says "Coming Out Day - by signing this pledge:"

I'm guessing this is organized by Notre Dame's "Core Council for Gay and Lesbian Students" as part of their October 11th "National Coming Out Day"

Report: Catholic University's liturgical abuse prompts vandalism, possible hate-crime charges

The University of Detroit Mercy is "a Catholic university in the Jesuit and Mercy traditions."

This is educational institutional code for "Catholic-but-dont-hold-that-against-us-we-really-dont-believe-this-silly-stuff."

In response, one zealous student made a stupid attempt to thwart a case of inevitable (grave) liturgical abuse, and may get charged with a hate crime as a result:

A UDM student reportedly stole four medallions depicting various world religions in an attempt to deny their recognition in the Sept. 24 Celebrate Spirit service, the university's opening {Mass}.

The student, who has not been publicly identified, entered Gesu Church between 7 and 9 a.m., according to the UDM Department of Public Safety.

The suspect stole the medallions representing Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism and disposed of them, officials said.

The medallions have not been recovered. The medallions representing Christianity and Judaism were still in place. (Source - The Varsity News)

The UDM website helpfully explains this "Procession of Medallions of Major World Religions":

* the Star of David (Judaism),
* the cross (Christianity),
* and the Star and Crescent (Islam) represent the three sister-communities who trace the origins of their faith to Abraham.
* The Yin-yang symbol (Confucianism),
* the Dharma Wheel (Buddhism),
* and the Om (Hinduism) represent the great religions of the East.

All faiths recognize the reality of the transcendent and attempt to engage believers with Ultimate Reality. The medallions are a sign of welcome to every expression of Spirit in this celebration as we move together through this coming academic year.

(The UDM website also explains what the "Liturgy of the Eucharist" is, for those of us who need sensitivity training:

The word "eucharist" comes from the Greek word for "thanksgiving." The gathered community first brings forward bread, the staff of life, and wine, a festive drink. We place these symbols of our life and joy into the hands of the priest, a chosen representative of this community and of the larger Church. He calls down the power of the Holy Spirit over the gifts, recalling the story of Jesus' own gift to us and asking that God transform them. Then with Jesus and the community he gives thanks to God. Our great "Amen" at the end is the sign of our acceptance of all that we have said and done together.)

And yes, for attempting to interfere with these great "signs of welcome" and "signs of our acceptance", the student may very well be charged with a hate crime. Too bad this young student isn't eligible for welcoming or acceptance, apparently.
Oh well, I guess he missed his chance.

The local Jesuit campus minister helpfully provides tus with the moral of the story:

"It's a sad thing that happened, and it illustrates how one person's inability to accept others can affect a whole community," said the Rev. Gary Wright, S.J., of Campus Ministry.

That's funny, becuase now I'm confused ... I thought the 2009 theme of the Celebrate Spirit! 2009 opening liturgy was what is written on the UDM website:

"As a result of this year's Celebrate Spirit, we hope that the UDM community will be more aware of the gift of creation, more moved to praise and thank God for it, and more empowered to take action to care for it. In the light of current social awareness and scientific understanding, we hope that all who participate will see environmental concern as more than a political position, more than a practical survival strategy. Rather it is a deep and necessary response flowing from our faith traditions, spiritualities, and ethical principles."

I guess environmentalism also has a vital role to play in UDM's "Catholic Mass."

Which is UDM code for "Interfaith-ecumenical-faith-healing-celebration-event-community-growing-environmentally-sustainable-equality-promoting-difference-negating-positive-thinking-hey-whatever-just-show-up-please-and-bring-a-side-dish-or-something-gathering."

Online: Catholic College Month

This is a great idea, introduced by AmP reader Maureen Wittmann:

October is Catholic College Month at Homeschool Connections. They are sponsoring a series of free webinars for Catholic families. This is a tremendous opportunity to meet first hand (electronically, at least) with key admissions officials at some of the great Catholic universities and colleges in the country, and it's FREE!

To register or learn more, please visit Catholic College Month.

Start planning, kids - and parents!

Baltimore Catholic Schools opting in to Obama schoolchildren address

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore are opting in to Obama's speech intended for public school children, but Archbishop O'Brien is also respecting the decision of some parents to have their kids skip the President's video presentation. This from Abp. O'Brien:

Since news of the address was first reported, the Catholic Center and several Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore have been contacted by parents, teachers and others expressing a desire that parents be given the opportunity to request that their children be excused from viewing the address.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, acknowledges the historic significance of the President’s speech and is fully supportive of the educational messages the White House says the President will deliver. However, he agrees that parents should ultimately have the right to choose whether their child views the address and will ask Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to communicate this to parents.

“We respect the rights of our parents to decide what’s best for their children in this matter and our schools will be asked to make arrangements for children not watching the program in an alternate venue in order to offer an opportunity for discussion about the role and responsibilities of the presidency and the value of education,” the Archbishop said.

Is your Catholic school signing-up to watch Obama's speech? Are you opting your children out of the presentation?

Related: "When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings"

Bishop D'Arcy breaks his silence on Notre Dame

Bishop John M. D'Arcy, who was very involved in the Notre Dame scandal of earlier this year (which AmP covered extensively), breaks his long silence about what the Notre Dame situation was about, and what it wasn't about, in a reflection written for America magazine (odd that he chose to publish for this publication, considering their editorial position on the affair - maybe he considers it mission territory).

For skimmers, I'll excerpt Bishop D'Arcy's concluding questions to Catholic universities:

Do you consider it a responsibility in your public statements, in your life as a university and in your actions, including your public awards, to give witness to the Catholic faith in all its fullness?

What is your relationship to the church and, specifically, to the local bishop and his pastoral authority as defined by the Second Vatican Council?

Finally, a more fundamental question: Where will the great Catholic universities search for a guiding light in the years ahead? Will it be the Land O’Lakes Statement or Ex Corde Ecclesiae?

.... On these three questions, I respectfully submit, rests the future of Catholic higher education in this country and so much else.

I will be eager to see which Catholic universities joyfully respond to the bishop's questions, and with some apprehension, I await the stony silence of many more. I cringe at the possibility that some may even try to wiggle their way out of his challenge.

Belmont Abbey College in hot water for daring not to pay for contraception

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in its great wisdom, has determined that Belmont Abbey College discriminated against women when it changed a policy that had previously allowed women to have oral contraception covered by the College's medical plan.

This is discrimination against women, the EEOC says, because only women take oral contraception. Never mind the fact that Belmont Abbey also doesn't pay for male prophylactics (I presume). I guess a group of men haven't filed that suit yet.

It's interesting that Belmont Abbey College, in the policy change I mention above, also ceased paying for voluntary sterilization and abortion. I wonder if the EEOC will next say that excluding abortion as a medical "benefit" equals discrimination as well?

If Belmont Abbey College doesn't re-instate the oral contraception coverage, they could face further legal action from the EEOC. So they could use some prayers, and some free legal advice.

Just another day in the life of an institution trying to be Catholic in the United States....

update - the Cardinal Newman Society has this on their radar:

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has ruled that a small Catholic college must include coverage for artificial contraceptives in its employee health insurance plan, raising new concerns about the need for conscience protections and religious exemptions in America’s health care policies.

The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) today sent a letter to EEOC acting chairman Stuart Ishimaru, noting that “it is ironic that the federal agency responsible for protecting against discrimination has so blatantly engaged in an inexcusable violation of religious liberty in its Belmont Abbey ruling.”

CNS also is sending a letter to all Catholic bishops in the United States, informing them of the EEOC action against Belmont Abbey College and highlighting the dangerous precedent this ruling sets to force Catholic employers to include contraceptive coverage in employee health plans.

update 2: Patrick Reilly, President of the Cardinal Newman Society, has an op-ed on this ruling against Belmont Abbey College in the Wall Street Journal.

Update: President emails AMU over Fessio firing

As an update to the story I covered on Tuesday, this email was sent by AMU President Nick Healy to current students, staff and faculty of Ave Maria University. It was not sent to alumni.

As previously stated, Ave Maria University (AMU) is grateful to Fr. Fessio, S.J. for his past contributions to the university. We also recognize the strong personal convictions he holds and the respect he has earned in the Church.

Nevertheless, and despite the likely controversy it would occasion, the university administration concluded that Father Fessio should no longer hold a position with the university. This was discussed with the university’s Board of Trustees, which supported the decision. It is the university’s policy to refrain from going into details regarding personnel matters.

That the issues were not related to the university’s commitment to its mission should be obvious from Father Fessio’s own statement that he “will continue to recommend AMU to students and parents”. Furthermore, the already distinguished Board of Trustees was recently strengthened by the addition of the local ordinary, Bishop Frank Dewane, and Cardinal Adam Maida to the three existing clerics on the university’s Board of Trustees: Msgr. Laurence Higgins, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. and Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.

- Ave Maria University

Local newspaper Naples Daily News reports, however, that the AMU board never formally voted Fessio out:

"Ave Maria University’s board of trustees discussed firing the university’s theologian, the Rev. Joseph Fessio, at its June meeting but took no formal vote on the matter, the board’s chairman said Wednesday."

On the campus reaction:

"...with class out of session at the rural campus south of Immokalee, students and alumni are connecting on the social networking Web site Facebook and video sharing site YouTube to discuss Fessio’s fate — and what they should do about it."

On other official reaction:

"Chairman Michael Timmis would not say Wednesday whether the entire board agreed at the June meeting. He said the decision to fire Fessio was not something that required a board vote. Timmis would not cite a reason for Fessio’s firing.

“Personally, as I read the scriptures, good people can disagree,” Timmis said.

... The Diocese of Venice issued a statement this week saying that Bishop Frank Dewane was not consulted on the decision to fire Fessio.

Dewane was named to the university’s board of trustees at the same June meeting where Fessio’s firing was broached but was not a member at the time, Timmis said Wednesday."

On Fessio's plans:

"As for Fessio, he said he doesn’t plan on exiling himself from Ave Maria University.

He said Wednesday that, if administrators want him to, he is willing to continue to oversee the university’s fundraising and planning for a theater building on campus."

So there you have it. Although I'm not sure what we have here.

Exclusive: ND President Jenkins made $432,000 in 2006

Notre Dame President and Trustee Rev. John Jenkins was compensated to the tune of $432,000 in 2006, and had an expense account of over $170,000 that same year (he is 5th from the top):

For full-size click here.

This image was taken from Page 18 of Notre Dame's public IRS 990 form (PDF) as a c-3 organization.

I'm not drawing any conclusions from this information, but it was surprising to me when I found out.

Spiritual Help-Wanted: Wyoming Catholic College Seeks Chaplain

A great Catholic college needs a great chaplain:

Wyoming Catholic College -- a flourishing Great Books liberal arts college with an outdoor adventures component -- seeks a priest of orthodox faith and morals to care for souls. At the center of our campus life stands the worthy celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In keeping with the teaching and example of Pope Benedict XVI, liturgy and devotions are carried out in a manner that stresses continuity with Tradition. Treasures such as the Latin language and Gregorian chant are held in utmost esteem. The chaplain’s duties include offering daily Mass and hearing confessions. As a chaplain in a college setting, he should be energetic in working with young people, ready to preach in a way relevant to students’ needs, and comfortable with offering spiritual direction. For more details, please click here.

Tip: Online summer courses for Catholics

Next tip from AmP reader Maureen:

"Have you been wondering how to get your teens excited about all things Catholic? Homeschool Connections is offering online summer classes for all Catholic high school students (home, public, or private educated) that will keep them engaged and learning over the summer. There are even one or two that will help prepare graduating seniors for college. 

Homeschool Connections uses webinar technology so students can see and hear the professor via a webcam and mic in addition to his Power Point presentation. In turn students can communicate with the class through chat or their own microphone. Teens love the technology, making learning all the more enjoyable. Be

cause this is done over the Internet, participation can take place anyplace -- in the kitchen, at the library, on vacation. Additionally, each class is recorded and accessible to students for 6 months. All courses are taught with a focus on the Catholic perspective. It's a great deal for the dollar. For details, visit http://www.homeschoolconnectionsonline.com (use the scroll bar to see all courses) or email Maureen Wittmann, mwittlans@aol.com.

Some of the courses are taught by Dr. Henry Russell, a former professor of mine. Your children are in the best of care with him. All the teachers are completely loyal to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Oh, and for those of you looking for little Amp tidbits - I'm a proud product of home education.

Archbishop Chaput on Fr. Jenkins, in particular

Light in the darkness:

"There was no excuse – none, except intellectual vanity – for the university to persist in its course. And Father Jenkins compounded a bad original decision with evasive and disingenuous explanations to subsequently justify it.

... Father Jenkins' explanations, and President Obama’s honorary degree, are a fitting national bookend to a quarter century of softening Catholic witness in Catholic higher education. Together, they've given the next generation of Catholic leadership all the excuses they need to baptize their personal conveniences and ignore what it really demands to be "Catholic" in the public square."

Dynamite line:

"We also have the duty to oppose [Obama] when he's wrong on foundational issues like abortion, embryonic stem cell research and similar matters. And we also have the duty to avoid prostituting our Catholic identity by appeals to phony dialogue that mask an abdication of our moral witness."

The entire statement is of this quality and clarity.

Notre Dame: A reality check from Thomas More College

Embroiled in all this Notre Dame controversy, this came as a breath of fresh air:

At Thomas More College, Not Obama But Arinze

MERRIMACK - Some Catholic colleges this year are seeking their commencement speakers from the ranks of men with power in the secular world-regardless of those men's adherence to the fundamental principles of justice and morality.

The Thomas More College of the Liberal Arts turned instead to a man who came from material poverty in a troubled British colony in Africa, a convert from traditional African paganism, who made his name as a pastor of the Christian people in his country, as a peacemaker in its civil war, and a sober guardian of the Church's deposit of Faith.

They're referring to Francis Cardinal Arinze.

USF cancels master's program in theology, and some aren't pleased

An interesting situation in San Francisco about the Catholic identity of their Jesuit university:

The University of San Francisco has canceled its master's in theology program, provoking a bitter disagreement about what it means for the future of the university.

Some faculty, alumni and students connected to the program say the university is losing the graduate degree most closely linked with its Jesuit Catholic mission. They say the closure is the culmination of a series of actions eroding the institution's Catholic identity.

But USF President Stephen Privett, a Jesuit priest for 38 years, said such broad statements misconstrue the nature of the university as it tries to engage with a rapidly changing world.

"It would be simplistic to reduce the Catholic character to any single program," Privett said in an interview. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Deacon Keith Fournier is running an open letter from a graduate student in the program, which begins:

“I am a graduate student in the master’s theology program at the University of San Francisco. Unfortunately, we have been notified by the program director that the program is scheduled to be terminated. Fr. Daniel Kendall, who has been at the University since 1979, was notified of the decision to terminate the program via email. The President and Dean of the University did not have the professional courtesy to meet Fr. Kendall in person to give him the news of the decision”.

Current students have also setup an online petition addressed to the President of USF.

From my brief scan, it appears this program does indeed provide a unique service in the area (evening/weekend classes so working folks can get a degree, etc.) and, well, a Catholic university without even an MA in theology strikes me as a bit incongruous, especially if the program was breaking even.

I post this for those interested in perhaps signing the petition and learning more about the situation, especially if you are local to the area. The argument of the petition is a good place to start I'd suggest.

update: Jack Smith at The Catholic Key has more helpful information on this subject. He attended USF.

Round-up: *77* Bishops have responded to Notre Dame's Obama invitation

Catherine Harmon at Catholic World Report started this list, and I have continued it:

Bishops’ statements on Notre Dame’s invitation to Barack Obama:

1. Bishop John D’Arcy, Fort Wayne-South Bend
2. Cardinal Francis George, Chicago
3. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Galveston-Houston
4. Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Milwaukee (--> NYC)
5. Archbishop John Nienstedt, St. Paul-Minneapolis
6. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran, Oklahoma City
7. Bishop Edward Slattery, Tulsa
8. Archbishop John Myers, Newark
9. Archbishop Alfred Hughs, New Orleans
10. Bishop Joseph Martino, Scranton
11. and Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty, Scranton
12. Bishop Thomas Doran, Rockford, Ill.
13. Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Phoenix
14. Bishop Gregory Aymond, Austin
15. Bishop Robert Lynch, St. Petersburg
16. Bishop R. Walker Nickless, Sioux City
17. Bishop Kevin Rhoades, Harrisburg, Pa.
18. Bishop William E. Lori, Bridgeport, CT
19. Bishop Robert Morlino, Madison WI
20. Bishop George Murry, S.J., Youngstown, OH
21. Bishop William Higi, Lafayette, IN
22. Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, AR
23. Archbishop Jose Gomez, San Antonio, TX
24. and Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantu
25. Bishiop Jerome Listecki, La Crosse, WI
26. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, Baltimore MD
27. Bishop Alex Sample, Marquette MI
28. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, Indianapolis
29. Bishop Robert Baker, Birmingham AL
30. Bishop Samuel Aquila, Fargo ND
31. Bishop Gerald Barbarito, Palm Beach FL
32. Bishop Fabian Brukeswitz, Lincoln NE
33. Bishop Richard Stika, Knoxville TN
34. Bishop Robert Finn, Kansas City
35. Bishop Joseph Latino, Jackson MS
36. Bishop Leonard Blair, Toledo OH
37. Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger, Evansville IN
38. Bishop George Lucas, Springfield IL
39. Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, Cincinnati OH
40. Bishop Thomas Wenski, Orlando FL
41. Bishop Robert Vasa, Baker OR
42. Bishop Paul Coakley, Salina KS
43. Bishop John Le Voir, New Ulm MN
44. Bishop Victor Galeone, St. Augustine FL
45. Bishop David Zubik, Pittsburgh PA
46. Bishop Paul Loverde, Arlington VA
47. Archbishop Joseph Naumann, Kansas City, KS
48. Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte, NC
49. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Center, NY
50. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, CO (as first reported by AmP here).
51. Bishop Glen Provost of Lake Charles LA
52. Bishop Joseph Galante of Camden, NJ
53. Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia, PA
54. Bishop John McCormack of Manchester, NH
55. Archbishop Doland Wuerl of Washington, DC (somewhat)
56. Bishop Bernard Harrington of Winona, MN
57. Bishop Michael Warfel of Great Falls-Billings, MT
58. Bishop Michael Jackels of Wichita, KS
59. Bishop James Johnson of Springfield - Cape Girardeau, MO
60. Bishop Edward Cullen of Allentown, PA (diocesan newspaper)
61. (Aux.) Bishop Roger Gries of Cleveland, OH (highschool address)
62. Bishop Robert Hermann, apostolic administrator of St. Louis, MO
63. Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, WI
64. Bishop Remundo Pena of Brownsville, TX
65. Bishop George Thomas of Helena, MT
66. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, MA at Boston College Law School
67. Bishop John Gaydos of Jefferson City (in the Catholic Missourian)
68. Bishop Lawrence Brandt of Greensburg, PA
69. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, NY
70. Bishop Joseph of Altoona-Johnstown, PA
71. Bishop Frank DeWane of Venice, FL
72. Bishop Frederick Campbell of Columbus, OH
73. Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit, MI
74. Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, MI
75. Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, CO (Catholic Herald)
76. (Auxiliary) Bishop James Conley of Denver, CO (personal letter)
77. Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, PA

Feel free to send me the names of arch/bishops I have missed!

Please send tips by email (I don't always have the time to check the comment box).

Life Site News also has an updating list of bishops (including emeritii).

Today's WSJ: Abp. Dolan on the "genius" of Catholic schools

(funny sketch of his excellency, by the way...)

Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan has an interview with the Wall Street Journal today on Catholic schools and the "challenges facing the Catholic Church."

The title? "Proudly Pro-Choice on Education."

I'm not impressed, but the interview is worthwhile.

OSV has a brief:

"Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York goes to bat for Catholic schools in a wide-ranging article on the topic in today's Wall Street Journal. He extolls the virtues of the "Choice in Education" voucher program that is now helping 20,000 low-income families in Milwaukee choose private schools, saying that the 15-year-old program is applauded by "all sides" except the powerful teacher's lobby organization in Wisconsin."

[photo: Ismael Roldan for the Wall Street Journal.]

Today: Notre Dame Leadership Holds "MayDay" Meeting

Today the Board of Trustees and Fellows of the University of Notre Dame are meeting.

I believe this gathering to be a defining moment for the future of Notre Dame.

Let us pray that they be granted the wisdom and courage to make good decisions in these difficult circumstances.

Mater nostra, ora pro nobis!

Text: CUA President's Homily at the 2009 Cardinal's Dinner

For the last 20 years the Cardinals of the Catholic Church in America have gathered for one evening, to help support the mission of the Catholic University of America.

Today Fr. David O'Connell gave the homily in Houston, Texas, presenting his vision of Catholic education. AmP is privileged to provide the full text:

Homily for the 20th Annual American Cardinals Dinner: Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

This is a great passage in the Gospel of John (John 6: 1-15). It presents one of the “seven signs” found in his Gospel: the wedding feast of Cana; Jesus’ cure of the centurion’s son; his healing of the paralytic; Jesus’ walking on the water; his restoring sight to the man born blind; the raising of Lazarus from the dead and, here, Jesus’ miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes. This particular “sign” is the only miracle story that appears in each of the four gospels and so it is worth our special attention.

The passage opens noting the crowds following Jesus. It is obvious that he had already established a reputation for himself that had captured their attention. The crowds following him, here and elsewhere in the Gospels, were --- more often than not --- merely “sign seekers” not true believers. They were not “convinced;” their hearts were not really touched by the preaching and message of Jesus but, rather, by the delivery and the spectacle. They witnessed these great “signs” along the way and were hoping for more.

Every time I read or hear this Gospel, some different part of it, some different phrase stands out. This evening, that phrase might actually have passed us by without much notice like a “throw-away line” in some familiar story. When confronted with the immensity of the crowd, Jesus --- whom John tells us knew exactly what he was about to do --- (Jesus) asks Philip how they were going to provide for the huge crowd. Andrew then jumps in and says we have someone in our midst, “a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish but what good are these for so many?” I can just imagine Jesus smiling at him. Without hesitation, Jesus responds with the phrase that interests me. Jesus says to Philip and Andrew, “Have the people recline.”

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, with all that is going in this Gospel passage, with all the possible things to consider, why is that phrase so particularly interesting? Let me tell you why.

When Jesus asks that crowds recline, to sit down, he is indicating a number of things. First, that despite their great numbers, he is not going to turn them away. Second, that something is going to happen. Finally, that whatever is about to happen will involve them.

Jesus “knew what he was going to do,” he was not going to dismiss them or turn them away. He “went up on the mountain” as he frequently did and sat down himself, taking the posture of a teacher. This story, this miracle, like all the others, was to be a “teachable moment.” And he has them all sit down, taking the posture of disciples, of students, of learners. Something is going to happen, something that involves them.

Jesus’ miracle is not some kind of magic trick. He takes something they already have there with them, in fact he takes all that they have, the only thing they have --- five barley loaves and two fish --- and he feeds them with it, he satisfies them. In fact, although John tells us “they had had their fill,” there was plenty left over. But until the “people reclined,” until they sat down to watch, until they depended upon him for what they truly needed, until they opened themselves to what he had to offer, until they ate as much as they could, until they realized that there was still more --- that nothing should be wasted, this huge and unruly crowd of “sign seekers” could never experience that conversion of that “teachable moment” that enabled them to move beyond the spectacle of it all to say, this Jesus is “truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”

That is what Catholic education --- especially Catholic higher education ---should do, that is the miracle it should work through the education and environment it provides. When the students recline, when they sit before their teachers --- whether they be professors or chaplains or administrators or staff --- they should expect that something is going to happen, something that will involve them: Jesus, truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world, will come into their minds and hearts and lives; Jesus will take what they already have and bring, and through our Catholic universities and colleges, will make it even more. Our students should become the bread that is then multiplied and given away, witnessing to Christ, witnessing to the Church, witnessing to the truth --- because of what we teach, because of what we affirm, because of what we support. If Christ does not “happen” in their lives, if the Church does not inspire them in their lives through our Catholic universities and colleges, Christ hasn’t failed, the Church hasn’t failed --- we have failed. We should not fail, we cannot fail, we must not fail even though many things today tempt us to compromise our identity and mission and purpose.

When Pope Benedict XVI spoke on the campus of The Catholic University of America one year ago last Friday, he called Catholic education “a powerful instrument of hope.” He reminded us that our Catholic educational institutions are “places to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth.”

Our Catholic universities and colleges have much in common with that mountainside scene along the Sea of Galilee in John’s Gospel. The living God whom we --- as they --- encounter in Jesus Christ multiplies what we have and fills us up, transforms us, and makes us overflow with a bread that the world cannot give.

“Have the people recline” in this Easter Season so that we may all realize the miracles that have been given to us and the many more that lie ahead for those who believe. Amen.

Report: ND President Jenkins in DC meeting with Obama (+analysis)

Joseph Lawler writing for AmSpec passes along a fascinating report:

"At Off the Record, Phil Lawler (my dad) is passing along a report that he has from a reliable source: ND President Fr. John Jenkins is in Washington, D.C. today for an unannounced meeting at the White House. This is still merely a rumor, but indeed FlightAware shows the ND jet flying to Dulles this morning."

Joe goes on to note that, despite the criticism of 42 bishops (and counting), Fr. Jenkins is digging in his heels, claiming he and others are "tremendously proud" to honor Obama (source).

As for the backlash to the announcement of Obama's invitation, which has included over 325,000 individuals signing a petition protest, Jenkins says: "it's unfortunate that the great event of President Obama coming to this campus has been a little clouded by that controversy."

... a little clouded?! This is easily the biggest scandal to hit Notre Dame in years, if not in its long history. To say the event has been "a little clouded" is simply a sentence out of la-la land.

Whatever Fr. Jenkins is saying in public, it's clear that internally Notre Dame is in severe conflict - this is quickly becoming an identity crisis for the institution, a struggle for the soul and reputation of the university. And Fr. Jenkin's fiddling isn't helping put out any of the fires.

And, surprise-surprise, I think it's going to get worse. I've been alerted to at least one other significant detail of the visit in particular which, if confirmed, will further strain the situation. Let's call it the "georgetown policy."

So if Fr. Jenkins is in DC to meet with Obama, what are they doing? My guess would be damage control. They are probably putting their heads together and trying to figure out some solution to what is fast becoming a watershed moment in the relations between the Obama administration and Catholic America.

Let's hope, work and pray for a peaceful (and satisfying) abatement to the waters.

Towards that end, we should recall that the top-down decision making pursued so far by Obama/Jenkins simply isn't working. Fr. Jenkins owes Notre Dame - and Obama owes American Catholics - a just solution which respects the contributions and concerns of those 42 bishops and 325,000 signers.

update: Notre Dame's student newspaper is claiming that the University spokesman is denying reports that Fr. Jenkins met Obama in Washington today. Can anyone lend clarity pro/con?

update 2: Why Fr. Jenkins is in DC (according to one source).

"Georgetown Says It Covered Over Name of Jesus to Comply With White House Request"

Revealing on so many levels:

Georgetown University says it covered over the monogram “IHS”--symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ—because it was inscribed on a pediment on the stage where President Obama spoke at the university on Tuesday and the White House had asked Georgetown to cover up all signs and symbols there.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the “IHS” monogram that had previously adorned the stage at Georgetown’s Gaston Hall was still covered up--when the pediment where it had appeared was photographed by CNSNews.com. (CNSNews.com)

Video: Bishop D'Arcy on Notre Dame's Obama invitation

Here it is:

Explained:

When Notre Dame University, an iconic catholic institution, invited President Barack Obama to be the commencement speaker and to receive an honorary law degree on May 17, it was news to Bishop John D'Arcy, whose diocese includes Notre Dame.

The presidential invite and the bishop's subsequent decision not to attend the graduation ceremony has generated an overwhelming response from all over the world.

The bishop issued a statement, but has refused all interviews, until now.

Bishop Aymond on ND award: "does not live up to its Catholic identity"

Bishop Aymond of Austin, TX has added his episcopal voice to the debate over Notre Dame's invitation:

Statement regarding the University of Notre Dame

As was announced recently, the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., is presenting President Barack Obama with an honorary degree and have asked him to give the commencement address.

I, along with many other Catholics, express great disappointment and sadness that a Catholic university would honor someone who is pro-choice and who holds many values contrary to our Catholic belief.

In the midst of such a sad situation, as Catholics we must continue to be pro-life and to proclaim with even greater strength the values of Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

In my opinion, it is very clear that in this case the University of Notre Dame does not live up to its Catholic identity in giving this award and their leadership needs our prayerful support.

Ph/t: Aggie Catholics.

AmP Poll: What do you think of Notre Dame's invitation to Obama?

For the latest posts, scroll down or click here and scroll down. Notre Dame scandal updates here.

As always, please feel free to explain your vote in the comment box and spread the word.

(if you can't see the poll - click here.)

Day 4: MSM takes note of Notre Dame scandal (finally)

It took awhile, but the mainstream media is finally taking note of the Notre Dame scandal, aided no doubt by the tends of thousands of signatures gathered by the Cardinal Newman Society (and more by the minute).

Drudge recently posted this story with the headline: "Obama faces Notre Dame Catholic backlash..." and once Drudge picks it up, it's news. Numerous media outlets are posting their own coverage of the controversy.

{update - the story has also made the front page of FoxNews.com...

... told you the story would be big.}

This means we can now expect such enlightened commentary as this from the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder:

"Life, Taken For Granted: Given that President Obama went out of his way to give pro-life pastors a prominent place at his inauguration, aren't the demands of those who want Notre Dame to rescind its commencement invitation to Obama a little.... well... of course they're predictable...but mostly... uncivil? Also: aren't both side of the abortion debate more mature than this now? Shouldn't pro-lifers want as much contact with Obama as possible?"

First of all, that's a very ironic title, because most people who have life do in fact take it for granted. Second - let me get this straight: Obama invites a few folks who happen to be pro-life to his inauguration and that means the debate about life issues is over?! Third, isn't it a problem in the first place that pro-lifers have had so little involvement in Obama's administration? Pro-life Catholics shouldn't have to pander for face time.

Also: you will see this insinuation of Ambinder's repeated by others which basically goes "isn't it time to move on?" It's an extremely patronizing misdirection which dismisses debate without even attempting a response ... because they'd much sooner have us stay quiet. Consider for a moment: how much attention do you think the media would be paying to Obama's position on life issues right now if this protest wasn't taking place?

Weigel, Schall, Garnett, others weigh-in on Obama invitation

National Review Online is hosting a symposium today entitled "A Moral Exemplar? Should the University of Notre Dame honor our most anti-life president?" with contributions from the likes of George Weigel, James Schall, S.J., Candace de Russy, Pia De Soenni, Richard Garnett, etc. Many notable quotes.

It's a mega-read.

ND to also give Mary Ann Glendon Laetare Medal

Take with one hand, wink with the other (underlining mine):

Mary Ann Glendon, former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, will receive the University of Notre Dame’s 2009 Laetare Medal. She will receive the medal, the oldest and most prestigious honor given to American Catholics, during the University’s 164th University Commencement ceremony May 17 (Sunday).

“Both as a public intellectual and as a diplomat, Mary Ann Glendon has impressively served our Church and our country,” said Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “She is an articulate and compelling expositor of Catholic social teaching who exemplifies our University’s most cherished values and deserves its highest praise.” (ND Press Release)

It's going to be an interesting stage up there with Obama. Having served on the President's Council for Bioethics, Glendon probably won't claim abortion is above her pay grade. Ironic of Fr. Jenkin's to say that Catholic social teaching is Notre Dame's "most cherished value."

ND students submit letter asking Fr. Jenkins to challenge Obama

Notre Dame student Patrick Brown, from the AmP comment threads:

As a current student at the Our Lady's University, I can honestly say that many of us here are genuinely conflicted about Fr. Jenkins' decision to invite President Obama to speak at commencement this year.

On the one hand, we must respect the office of President of the United States, and it is an honor for our beloved campus to host the leader of the free world.

Of course, there is a substantial population, like myself, who can not and will not tolerate the Notre Dame imprimatur being given to someone whose views on the sanctity of life are so dramatically at odds with the position of the Church and the university.

Myself and eight other students, with more co-signing literally by the hour, have submitted a letter to Fr. Jenkins, asking to make a public, vocal statement that the university strongly disapproves with the President's actions. I invite you to read it on our Web site here.

God bless all of you who still wish the best for a university that was and hopefully will still remain one of the premier Catholic institutions in America.

On Facebook, I have found three active groups reacting to the news of Obama's invitation, at 9PM EST:

• Against: Protest Obama as Notre Dame's 2009 Commencement Speaker (418 members)
• For: We Will Be Honored to Have President Obama at Notre Dame (327 members)
• Against: Tell Notre Dame to Un-Invite President Obama (190 members)

update: David Gibson makes that case that Notre Dame students follow the national voting trends:

In a mock election before last year's real election, the Democratic ticket won 52.6 percent of the vote followed by the Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, which won 41.1 percent of the vote. A total of 2,692 undergraduates and graduate students voted.

Only 7.7% of them chose abortion as their most important issue (41.5% chose the economy).

So much for a discernibly distinctive Catholic character.

My full coverage of this developing story is being compiled here.

Omnicoverage: President Obama invited to give Notre Dame Commencement

As is already well-known, Notre Dame University has announced that President Barack Obama will be its 164th commencement speaker on May 17th. He will at the same time receive an honorary degree in doctor of laws.

This news has sparked a wave of protest, starting with graduates of the institution, one of whom immediately wrote an open letter to their President Fr. John Jenkins.

The Cardinal Newman Society has also been a catalyst for protest, setting up an entire website (http://www.notredamescandal.com/) with an online petition and contact information for the university, to rescind the invitation. They also faxed a letter to local Bishop John D'Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend, notifying him of the scandal.

Now, for the record, I'm extremely pessimistic about Notre Dame rescinding the invitation. You simply can't deny a sitting President from speaking once you have invited him. The cat is already out of the bag.

What can and will happen, I hope, is a frank discussion in the public spotlight about a) the mission and identity of Catholic universities and b) a greater awareness of the anti-Catholic policies and legislation that Obama is currently pursuing. {update: Michael Paulson at his Boston Globe blog has picked this up.}

Simply put, Catholics and Notre Dame graduates are not going to take this one lying down: If Notre Dame does not dis-invite Obama, [ND graduate Joe] Scheidler says "the Notre Dame campus can expect a massive pro-life protest on graduation day." (source.)

This invitation comes at an ironic time for Notre Dame, as Kathleen Gilbert of LifeSiteNews notes that "The school's Center for Ethics and Culture recently established a pro-life fund in an effort to bolster Notre Dame's pro-life identity." Kathryn Jean Lopez says Notre Dame "... would rather be of this world than the one they supposedly exist to bring people toward."

I am one of the first public signers of the petition and invite you to join the list.

David Gibson at Commonweal thinks it's a "fine choice," but I strongly disagree. First of all, the comparison with Bush is a false one for many reasons, chief of which is that Bush, certainly prior to the Iraq War (when he was invited), was not repugnant to fundamental Catholic values and was not actively pursuing legislation which hurts Catholic institutions (for instance: repealing of conscience clauses, repealing the Mexico City policy, nominating Kathleen Sebellius). Granted, being President may entitle you to many things, but it does not mean that you are necessarily a model servant of the public trust, in Catholic eyes.

Second of all, if Notre Dame wanted a debate, they chose the wrong way to go about it (honoring the President and giving him a degree). If one must have a substantive debate with someone, you should have it before you roll out the red carpet for them. Notre Dame has vitiated its ability to have this debate by inviting Obama as their commencement speaker. Here I note my agreement with Ed Morrissey at Hot Air.

On a related note, lest we have a short memory of these debates, it should be remembered that in May of 2006 Boston College managed to get 100 of its faculty members to sign a protest letter - originating from its theology department - upon the occasion of Condoleezza Rice's invitation as a commencement speaker, because, the letter claimed, her activity in the Iraq War supposedly conflicted with Catholic and Jesuit principles.

I'll be very interested to see if the same phenomenon of Catholic academic protest (and wider media interest) takes place in the coming days and weeks.

But I won't be holding my breath. In the meantime, sign the petition. And say a Hail Mary to Notre Dame.

[photo #1 credit: thegabester; photo #2 credit: slherbst01]

Breaking: Obama to give commencement at Notre Dame!

new post alert: President Obama invited to give Notre Dame Commencement (omnicoverage)

original post....

This is a shocker.

The nation's premier Catholic institution of higher learning is bestowing an honorary degree, and allowing to give the commencement address, a president who is actively pursuing policies and legislation that threaten Catholic institutions and offend Catholic values:

"President Barack Obama will give the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame on May 17, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said this afternoon.
The address in South Bend was one of three Gibbs mentioned in a briefing to reporters this afternoon. Obama also plans to speak to graduates at Arizona State University on May 13 and at U.S. Naval Academy on May 22.
Obama would be the sixth U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower to speak at a Notre Dame commencement, according to an article on past commencement speakers on the university's Web site." (Chicago Breaking News)

update: an open letter from one very displeased ND graduate which sums up the situation nicely.

update 2: people are asking for appropriate contact information - here it is:

To contact Notre Dame:
Phone: (574) 631-5000
email form: http://president.nd.edu/contact-us

To contact the USCCB:
Phone: (202) 541-3000
email: catholiceducation@usccb.org

Facebook finally gets a targeted advertisment right

Facebook loves placing targeted advertisements on your sidebar when you use their website. It bases these ads on the information you've made available on your profile. This time it finally got one right:

In any case, if not for me personally - perhaps for people who share my interest in things Catholic.

Georgetown U.'s Mary statue defaced, students respond with prayer vigil

This happened in my "neighborhood" last week.

Before:

After:
A report by the Cardinal Newman Society.

Excerpts from an email sent out by Georgetown's Office of Mission & Ministry:

"Late last week, the Office of Campus Ministry became aware that the statue of the Blessed Mother on Copley Lawn had been vandalized: the face of the statue was painted black. We immediately contacted the Department of Public Safety, which is investigating the incident. We also made arrangements for the prompt renovation of the statue, which is currently underway.

...While we do not know the motivation of the person or persons who painted the face, nor whether they are members of the University community or not, all of the chaplaincies of Campus Ministry -- Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim -- recognize that the statue's alteration caused great pain to students, faculty and staff who hold particular devotion to the Blessed Mother.

For many people of faith on campus, the statue is a daily reminder of the University's religious identity. As a Catholic and Jesuit university committed to interreligious understanding, we hope that all religious symbols and sacred spaces on campus are respected.

...When the renovation of the statue is completed, the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy of Campus Ministry will rededicate the statue in a public ritual."

An appropriate response, I think.

Boston Globe mentions AmP

In the February 12th edition:

"A variety of conservative Catholic bloggers are suddenly thrilled with an institution they often deride. "Hope for Boston College," was the headline used by Kelly Clark, who blogs under the name "The Lady in the Pew." And Thomas Peters, who blogs as "the American Papist," wrote "Catholic stuff in a Catholic school?! What a radical concept . . . Now wait for the protest." - Michael Paulson, "Catholic symbols stir diverse feelings at BC" (Paulson explores the topic further on his blog, Articles of Faith.)

There has been a protest, in fact. Has anyone heard more?

update: "Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston is praising Boston College's president, the Rev. William P. Leahy, for the installation of crucifixes and Christian icons in all of the Jesuit university's classrooms." [More.]

Priest/Catholic Univ. President: "Abortion is Not an Infallible Teaching"

Kathleen Gilbert of LifeSiteNews got more than she bargained for in this interview, I bet:

The President of the Catholic Assumption University of Windsor told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) in an interview today that the Catholic Church's position on abortion "is not an infallible teaching."

oh, please.

Still, this priest is in agreement with "Catholics" for Choice and ... well, "Catholics" for Choice.

Some company.

CNS: Boston College Places Crucifixes and Icons in Classrooms

Catholic stuff in a Catholic school?! What a radical concept:

Students and faculty returned to Boston College (BC), a Jesuit Catholic institution, for the Spring 2009 semester to find that crucifixes and icons had been placed in many classrooms that had been long bereft of sacred art. This move, which helps strengthen the university’s Catholic identity, came by direct request of President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., according to a campus newspaper editor.

“Bravo for Boston College!” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. “For Catholics, outward signs, symbols and practices of our faith are an important part of relating to God in a material world.” (Cardinal Newman Society)

... now wait for the protest. :-/

update: I hate being right: "BC Professors Protest Crucifixes: Professors Threaten Resignation Over the Placement of Crucifixes in Classrooms." Page 2 is available online here (PDF format).

Ph/t: AmP reader M.P.

Thomas More College launches Sacred Art Program

I'm always happy to see new innitiatives like this one:

The Thomas More College officially launched its Way of Beauty Art Program with the arrival of its new Artist-in-Residence last week. David Clayton, a leading artist from Great Britain, is trained as both an iconographer and in the Western naturalistic tradition. He will spearhead the program, which will include on-campus lectures and mentorships, and may ultimately evolve into a fine arts major being offered at the College. [More from their website.]

Scroll down the bottom to see a interview he gave on YouTube recently.

Urban Catholic School enrollment down 27 percent in 20 years

Worse than even the national trend:

Nationwide, the number of students enrolled in urban religious schools declined by 18 percent to about 1.8 million between 1989 and 2006, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the Department of Education.

Urban Catholic schools were hardest hit, losing 27 percent of their students since 1989, dropping to an enrollment of just over 1 million overall. The Archdiocese of Washington bowed to that trend last spring with the closure of seven of its schools. (DC Examiner)

The cause?

“Unlike 100 years ago, the [Catholic] Church has not made [schools] a top priority,” he added.

100 years ago, Catholic parents weren't contracepting the way they do now (so they had more kids to put through school), the number of religious sisters teaching in schools was dramatically higher, and parish schools never had to be sold off to pay for clergy abuse settlements .... so excuse me if I don't think this is simply a case of misplaced "priorities."

Whose numbers are up, you may wonder?

Of religious institutions, only Islamic and Jewish urban schools saw an increase in enrollment and total number of schools. More than 115,000 students are enrolled in urban Jewish schools, and more than 13,000 students in Islamic schools.

Trends.

Update: SF Jesuit U. *drops* abortion coverage for students

Ignatius Insight Scoop:

The Our Sunday Visitor blog reported on it yesterday, and now has posted a response from Gary McDonald, AVP, Communications and Public Affairs at the University, stating:

It was not the University's intention to offer this coverage. USF supports the Catholic Church's views on the sanctity of life, at all stages, and we will remove this provision from our student healthplan. We regret this mistake, and we take full responsibility for not adequately reviewing the contract. We are grateful to those who brought this issue to our attention.

LifeNews.com has a bit more on the story.

Catholic Key has been covering the story closely.

See also: University apologizes for student health plan abortion coverage, but questions remain (CNA) and University of San Francisco Drops Abortion Insurance Coverage from Student Plan (CNS).

SF Jesuit U. requires *abortion* coverage for students

update, 4:30pm: SF Jesuit U. *drops* abortion coverage for students

From an AmP reader:

It has recently come to light that the Jesuit University of San Francisco requires all students to buy health insurance that provides coverage for abortion. This means that a Catholic institution is directly funding the killing of children with tuition, and even worse, with our tithes and offerings.

I will link to the University's Web site which details the plan (Scroll down to page 15, and at the very top, under Maternity Expenses, you will see the following):

"Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy Covered Medical Expenses are payable as follows: Preferred Care: 90% of the Negotiated Charge. Non-Preferred Care: 70% of the Reasonable Charge."

Also see the press release from the Cardinal Newman Society, original reporting from the Catholic Key blog, as well as this article by LifeSiteNews, which gives us the email address of the USF President, Fr. Stephen Privett: "privett@usfca.edu".

Drop him a line and tell him (with charity) of your disapproval.

Angelicum invites Cherie Blair to speak in Rome

Troubling news from the Social Sciences Faculty at the Angelicum in Rome. It seems we have new stories like this all the time:

"Pro-life Catholics around the world are responding with outrage that the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome (the “Angelicum”), one of the premier Catholic institutions of higher education, has invited Cherie Blair, the pro-abortion wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, to speak at a conference on women’s rights on December 12th." (LifeSiteNews)

Cherie Blair is simply very bad news when it comes to sexual ethics, as the LifeSiteNews article details at length. She's also made the AmP pages on occassion.

Fr. Philip Powell has obtained a copy of the reply written by Sr. Helen Alford, OP, the dean of the Angelicum social sciences school, who claims that because the Pontifical Academy invited her, so can they.

Her response doesn't satisfy John Smeaton who writes: "it was not justified of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to have invited Mrs Blair to speak in 2006, nor is it justified of the Angelicum today."

I have to say inviting Cherie Blair on the topic of women and human rights is a paradoxical choice because it is in this area where she most directly opposes Catholic doctrine and practice, energetically and continually.

Ph/t: Dawn.

update: Hilary White, LSN's Rome correspondent, posts an update.

What's going on with UD?

Read the speaker description below and then ask yourself what University you'd think would issue her an invitation to speak:

A self-described "Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt," [the professor] combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating anti-Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies.

I bet one of the universities you didn't consider is the Catholic University of Dallas, which is quite excited to have her.

("Her" being Dr. Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt U.)

This isn't the first head-scratching speaker move made by UD in recent memory, either. Last year they invited radical anti-war activist Cindy Seehan (to speak to their economics department?!).

UD also apparently wasted a bundle of money in an ill-conceived plan to compete with SMU for the George W. Bush Library (why would a Catholic school want that?) and now the UD student newspaper details how the UD faculty have been taking "pay cuts and reduced contributions to their retirement fund" since 2003-04, which as one might imagine is causing significant stress:

.... Dr. Richard Dougherty of the politics department went into detail about the strain faculty members are under without adequate compensation. Older faculty can't afford to retire, younger faculty are working two jobs to make ends meet, and some professors have been forced to buy clothing for their children at thrift stores, Dougherty said.

Another person interviewed described faculty morale as being "at a breaking point."

With problems like this on campus, one would hope UD might take some time off from eliminating anti-Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies and instead try eliminating the poverty of its professors.

Visit your Jesuit U. Spirit Shop ... at Victoria's Secret

*cringe*

Boston College in flap over lingerie ... Critics: Biz deal with Victoria’s Secret ‘disgraceful’:

BC spokesman Jack Dunn said the school was “very selective” when it agreed to let Victoria’s Secret sell BC sweatshirts, sweatpants, T-shirts and flip-flops as part of the racy chain’s youth-oriented Pink line.

“We thought it was a tasteful line of clothing that college students wear,” he said.

“We never authorized undergarments,” he said.

Yeah! Victoria's Secret wanting to sell undergarments? I'm sure that threw everyone for a loop.

Ph/t: Diogenes.

Cardinal Egan Objects to Award for Breyer

He's making a habit of being a good bishop:

Fordham University's plan to give an award to Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer has drawn criticism from alumni and the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in New York over Breyer's support for abortion rights.

Cardinal Edward M. Egan has spoken to leaders of the Catholic university in New York City to ensure that "a mistake of this sort will not happen again," said New York Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling.

... Egan has previously criticized Catholic elected officials and candidates who support abortion rights. Zwilling said this is the first instance he is aware of in which Egan has spoken out against giving an award to someone over the issue of abortion. (AP)

National Catholic Register did a story on a few weeks ago. So did I.

Just where does McBrien get off?

Arch-dissentor Fr. Richard McBrien has published an article - surprise, surprise - in the National Catholic Reporter in which - surprise, surprise - he claims that "one-issue bishops violate their own teaching".

Carl Olson patiently points out that this is a straw man argument. And that's just a start.

The Cardinal Newman Society, meanwhile, takes a bit more umbrage at McBrien:

“Father McBrien’s blatant disregard and contempt for the leadership of the Catholic Church is nothing new,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. “Until Notre Dame and other Catholic colleges are rid of such jaded liberal theologians, the renewal of Catholic higher education can never be complete.”

Boy, they're really coming out of the woodwork these days.

Obama supporter resigns for Franciscan University Board

I mentioned the case of Nicholas Cafardi briefly when he published an article in the National Catholic Reporter. Here's what I identified at the time as objectionable in his article:

• Selective reading of Faithful Citizenship which ignored key passages
• Despair at ever overturning Roe and exhortation that we should get over it
• False claim that McCain and Obama are identical on ESCR
• Gross overstatements about the new DNC platform's language regarding abortion
• False claim that reducing poverty outweighs the DNC plan to liberalize abortion legally
• False claim that republicans have more total moral baggage than Democrats

50+ comments later, today's headline rolled into my inbox: "Obama Supporter Dr. Cafardi Resigns from Franciscan University Board." Before this happened, Franciscan University of Steubenville issued a press release saying Cafardi's views did not reflect those of the University.

The University also quickly moved to distance itself and its president "stressed that Dr. Cafardi's resignation from the board of Franciscan University was voluntary and had in no way been requested by the University" and added that he was "grateful" for Cafardi's letter, as Deal Hudson chronicles. In fact, a group of University students protested a schedule lecture by Cafardi at Carlow College in Pittsburg.

Cafardi is the former dean of the Duquesne University Law School. He was quickly criticized for his public position, and you can bet Steubenville received plenty of complaints as well.

My take: I think Steubenville handled this situation very well, and Cafardi's (publicly) voluntary resignation was probably the best way to handle it.

I wonder what would happen if Doug Kmiec was still at Catholic University as he energetically seeks to convert Catholics into Obama supporters. I have noted that recent press releases for his Pro-Life Pro-Obama media center now include an asterisked line stating clearly that his views are his own and do not represent Pepperdine University.

And, as an aside, it's also fairly evident to me that Kmiec has given up his attempts to have an intellectual debate about his position - he's just part of the Obama faith outreach machine at this point.

More on former ND president Fr. Hesburgh

Diogenes was not impressed with Hesburgh's flippant remarks about Church teaching. Neither is Ed Peters:

Fr. Theodore Hesburgh's recent interview with the Wall Street Journal is getting some attention in the Catholic blogosphere, and it should: the WSJ article presents a casus classicus of how priestly ministry disappeared under the allure of social activism for the last 50 years or so. In any case, it is Hesburgh's assertion that "I have no problem with females . . . as priests, but I realize that the majority of the leadership in the Church would" that deserves a canonical comment. [Read it here.]

Sisters of Mercy host Catholics for Obama event

Deal Hudson has a report from the event, passed along by Fransiscan U. of Stuebenville students:

Last evening at Carlow University in Pittsburg, the Sisters of Mercy hosted a Catholics for Obama event. I received a call from someone who attended the event who told me the “high point was when a Catholic priest urged everyone in the crowd to report any priest to the IRS and to the diocese of Pittsburgh who preaches from the pulpit that you must vote based on one issue.”

There were about 15 sisters present and three priests. Here is the description of the event sent to me by those who attended.

I hope things don't get any more nasty before the election.

Action Point: Today's Petition

The background to the petition.

The petition explained here.

Signing the petition takes 5 seconds.

Catholic Students v. Honoring Pro-Aborts

Cardinal Newman Society:

Less than two weeks after The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) broke the story that pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is the intended recipient of the Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize, Fordham University students are working feverishly to collect signatures petitioning President Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J. to rescind the honor. The Fordham Respect for Life club penned an open letter to Father McShane, and is now asking the general public to join them in their petition.

At the request of Respect for Life, an electronic petition has been added to The Cardinal Newman Society website. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to add their support. All names and emails submitted will be presented to Fordham President, Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J. by Respect for Life.

Good for them!

See also: "Sup. Court Justice behind partial-birth abortion to be honored by Fordham Law"

Vatican v. Catholic Higher Education

Cardinal Newman Society:

Last week the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education reformed its guidelines governing certain Vatican-approved institutes of “religious sciences.” The document, titled “Reform of the Higher Institutes of Religious Sciences,” was approved by Pope Benedict XVI last June.

..."This latest promotion of ecclesiastical institutes, and especially their rigorous standards for both faculty and students, may appeal to U.S. bishops seeking alternatives to dissenting theology faculty at many Catholic colleges," said Patrick J. Reilly, President of the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS).

Obama v. Catholics

Obama's Catholic Outreach is coming ... to Saint Joseph's Catholic University.

Alert: Sup. Court Justice behind partial-birth abortion to be honored by Fordham Law

An alert from the Cardinal Newman Society (underlining mine):

"In a brash move defying the U.S Bishops’ speakers policy, Fordham University’s Stein Center for Law and Ethics announced that proabortion Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer is the 2008 recipient of the Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize. Breyer infamously wrote the majority opinion in Stenberg v. Carhart, which struck down state laws banning the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion.

The Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize is scheduled to be bestowed upon Justice Breyer at a dinner in New York on October 29, 2008.

... Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in his dissenting opinion in Stenberg, wrote: “I am optimistic enough to believe that, one day, Stenberg v. Carhart will be assigned its rightful place in the history of this Court’s jurisprudence beside Korematsu and Dred Scott. The method of killing a human child . . . proscribed by this statute is so horrible that the most clinical description of it evokes a shudder of revulsion.”

... “If Fordham truly aspires to follow its own mission statement and be ‘Guided by its Catholic and Jesuit traditions,’ then it must rescind the offer of this award to Justice Breyer,” said Reilly."

Sure enough, on the Fordham website - their official notice. A quotation from the dean of Fordham Law:

"Justice Breyer has devoted his life to the public good,” said William Michael Treanor.

Francis Cardinal George, President of the USCCB, has recently stated (underlining mine):

"Our present laws permit unborn children to be privately killed. Laws that place unborn children outside the protection of law destroy both the children killed and the common good, which is the controlling principle of Catholic social teaching. One cannot favor the legal status quo on abortion and also be working for the common good." (source)

Sorry, but Dean Treanor is simply wrong that Justice Breyer has "devoted his life to the public good."

I would recommend that concerned parties email Paul W. Brennan who is named as the contact in the press release and ask him to forward your comments on to the appropriate individuals.

His email is "paulbrennan [at] law.fordham.edu".

Thank you!

Noted: Howard Dean, Obama Campaign at (Catholic) Saint Louis University

CNS alert:

Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will bring presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s Register for Change tour to Saint Louis University tomorrow. It is only the latest incident of a Catholic college hosting a campaign event for the pro-abortion presidential candidate

Howard Dean, who is also the former Governor of Vermont, is notorious in American politics for his support of legalized abortion. In addition to campaigning for pro-abortion Obama, in 2002 Dean defended the legality of the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion, in which a third trimester half-delivered baby’s skull is evacuated. “The notion of ‘partial birth abortion’ is nonsense,” said Dean. “This is a rare procedure used only to save the life or health of the mother.”

“The Bishops have been very clear,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS). “Catholic institutions must not give a public platform to politicians who are publicly opposed to Catholic teaching. The Obama Campaign should not be welcome at Saint Louis University.”

SLU, sadly, is not generally known for its joyfully fidelity.

Picture: Thomas Aquinas College's beautiful chapel

Can you believe a church this beautiful is currently under construction in the United States?

We have Thomas Aquinas College to thank. More photos here.

Update: pro-USD Petition surpasses anti-USD numbers

In the words of Brian McDaniel "Catholics Lead Feminists 2,159 to 2,158!"

Actually, make that 2,750+.

Released: Names of the 61 "dissenting" USD faculty & staff

Amidst all the headlines about House Speaker Pelosi, I don't want an important, developing story to get lost in the mix...

Brian McDaniel recently undertook the herculean effort of examining, line-by-line, the 2,158 signers of the pro-Rosemary Radford Reuther petition.

Some of his ensuing observations:

• The petition supporting Dr. Ruether contained about 100 duplicates and 50 anonymous signatures. The vast majority of signatures (75%) were female.
• Even with tenure, the faculty was smart enough to keep their mouths shut and not fill in comments. A few did, but didn’t say anything that others already said.So many members of the Theology and Religious Studies Department signed the petition that we decided that their unofficial motto would be “Where Academic Freedom is God.” Read through the petition comments and you’ll understand.
• There are no priests or Catholic religious in the USD Theology and Religious Studies Department. They have a few adjunct professors, but no faculty.
• We encountered a sad number of religious among the pro-Ruether signatures—Franciscans, Benedictines, Piarists, Dominicans, Jesuits, and other Orders. The number probably is between 75-100.
• Somewhere, there has to be an indulgence for checking 2,158 signatures in one weekend.

I'm sure of it.

Remember, our counter-petition is going strong at almost 1,500 signatures. Let's break 2,000!

Weekend project: Sign the USD Petition

If you haven't yet signed the petition to support USD's correct decision, please consider doing so. If you have, tell a friend. It only takes a few seconds and requires an email address (no spam I promise).

I promote this not only because it's a good cause in itself, but also because I'd like to see the online Catholic community become better organized when it comes to petitions like these. They do make a difference.

Today, LifeSiteNews joined the news organizations which have mentioned our efforts:

Although the Catholic University of San Diego (USD) came under fire for reversing their decision to appoint a radical feminist to an honorary chair in Theology, it has stood firm, and now two opposing petitions either supporting or attacking the decision are gathering support.

Thomas Peters of American Papist, with fellow blogger Brian McDaniel of the Ora et Labora blog, has organized a petition to support the University in its decision.

Previous AmP coverage of this story here.

Update: More coverage of USD's decision to reject pro-abortion professor

The Associated Press has picked up on it (update: and CNA), making the story national:

The Catholic school withdrew its appointment of Rosemary Radford Ruether in July because she serves on the board of Catholics for Choice.

Administrators reaffirmed that decision Thursday despite a petition with more than 2,000 signatures, including 54 faculty members, organizers said. The petition asked the school to restore the offer or allow Ruether to visit campus for a week and give a lecture on academic freedom.

Remember, you can sign the counter-petition we've organized here. All it takes is a few seconds of your time and an email address (no spam we promise).

And I've got an inside tip that our counter-petition might be mentioned in future coverage of this story - so please, go sign it and help us reach 4,000 signatures - double what they collected.

update: From today's news briefs in the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Two Catholic bloggers out of Washington, D.C., and Chicago recently started a petition in support of USD. Thomas Peters' blog is called American Papist and Brian McDaniel's blog is Ora et Labora. –S.S.

I'm targeting for 300 signatures a day.

Please Sign the Petition to Support USD!

Brian McDaniel took up my challenge to collect 4,000 signatures supporting the University of San Diego's recent decision to rescind a prestigious position to heretical theologian Rosemary Radford Reuther.

If ever there was someone who clearly deserves no place of honor in a Catholic school of Theology - she's it. Beyond her long membership in the offensive "Catholics for Choice" organization, she also advocates women priests, homosexual marriage, and a litany of positions not in harmony with Church teaching.

The original San Diego Union Tribune article claimed that "Two national women's religious groups have sponsored a petition with more than 2,000 signatures demanding that she be allowed to assume the post."

I'd like to demonstrate to the University of San Diego that there are even more faithful Catholics who support them, and are with them attempting to live up to the challenge Pope Benedict has given to Catholic academe.

Please, go sign the petition and spread the word!

update: UPI has picked up on the story.

Developing: USD revokes invitation to feminist theologian

Biased reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune, but enough to go on:

A University of San Diego decision rescinding a prestigious position to a Catholic feminist theologian has thrust it smack in the middle of a national debate over academic freedom versus adherence to church teachings.

Faculty and Roman Catholics are divided over USD's decision to withdraw the appointment of Rosemary Radford Ruether to an endowed chair. At issue is Ruether's position on the board of directors for Catholics for Choice, an abortion rights organization.

Two national women's religious groups have sponsored a petition with more than 2,000 signatures demanding that she be allowed to assume the post.

USD is standing by its decision.

GOOD FOR USD!

I really want to get a counter-petition started, supporting USD's decision. Anyone know how? I'll link to it.

update: Brian McDaniel has risen to the challenge and has given us our online petition. Go sign it!

Cardinal Pell undescores the importance of campus ministry

From a Cardinal Newman Society exclusive:

George Cardinal Pell of Sydney encourages college students attending World Youth Day and emphasizes the importance of campus ministry work in an article prepared for the flagship publication of The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, a division of The Cardinal Newman Society.

“I am deeply committed to what universities can do, and in particular to what Catholic universities can do,” writes Cardinal Pell. “I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of university education and the role of the Church in helping to form the next generation of leaders. For secular universities, this means a serious commitment by the Church to chaplaincy services.”

Speaking of college students at World Youth Day, Cardinal Pell writes, “I hope many of these pilgrims will come back to their universities and studies with a renewed commitment and energy to spreading the word on campus. Pope Benedict XVI is not only a wonderful pastor, but an intellectual in the best traditions of Catholic Europe and European university life. University students in particular will find much to inspire them and to pray about in the Pope’s teaching during World Youth Day.”

Cardinal Pell’s article, “World Youth Day and Catholic University Students,” will appear in the September issue of The Center’s Bulletin of Catholic Higher Education. An advance copy of the article is now available at http://www.catholichighered.org/.

It's an excellent point, considering that the vast majority of Catholic youth do not attend Catholic colleges, even "in name only" ones.

Pictures: Franciscan Univ. of Steuenville hosts Latin Mass

From Fr. Z:

He has more pictures and first-hand comments.

Charge: CNS behaves more like "LPNS" when choosing interview subjects

In other words, not "Catholic News Service", but "Liberal Protestant News Service" says Carl Olson over at the Ignatius Press blog.

Christopher Blosser at the Benedict in America Blog explains the cause for Carl Olson's charge - it's the inexplicable fact that CNS writer Chris Herlinger chose to interview students at a "nondenominational graduate school of theology with Protestant roots and a home for Catholic academics who have run afoul of the Vatican" to get a reaction to the pope's visit.

It shouldn't surprising the resulting article came up with quotes like this:

"For her part, [Union doctoral student Kim] Harris -- a Catholic who used to be Presbyterian -- said her concern about church reform, specifically the need to expand the eligibility for clergy to include noncelibate men and women, is coming out of real and "lived experience.""

Christopher Blosser asks in response:

Does this subjective feeling of resentment invalidate the argued position of the Church?

Catholic News Service identifies itself as "the primary source of national and world news that appears in the U.S. Catholic press," however with the disclaimer that "while created in 1920 by the bishops of the United States, is editorially independent and a financially self-sustaining division of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."

I wonder if "editorially and financially independent" is to the USCCB what "plausible deniability" is for the President, when the CIA does a black operation? Honestly, I would have normally expected this backstabbing tripe from the likes of the National Catholic Reporter.

Diogenes at Catholic World News' Off the Record blog doesn't have much patience for this sort of thing either.

Quotable Benedict: On Academic Freedom, and Heterodox Teaching

In Pope Benedict's address to Catholic educators delivered yesterday, he succintly framed the questions about (and implied the answers to) some basic issues which seem to continually escape the erudite academic community here in the United States:

In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges universities, I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church’s munus docendi and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.

In the grand spirit of recent academic scholarship, let me provide some Cliffs Notes:

• Academic freedom is a good, as long as it honestly examines the evidence at hand
• Academic freedom is not a free "get out of jail" card, in fact it can put you in the doghouse of relativism and "novelty for novelty's sake" when it becomes the sole measure of academic merit
• To falsely justify "positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church" is in fact a betrayal of a Catholic university's fundamental identity and mission.

For anyone cramming for the future final exam, I hope they put these bullet points on their quicksheet.

And if you're wondering about the duty of Catholic educators to provide a faithful witness to the world, try counting the number of times the pope uses the word "witness" in this address.

I'll give you a hint - the answer is eleven.

PA bishop cancels appearance after Catholic college announces Clinton rally

Another day, another Catholic college invites Hillary Clinton:

Hillary Clinton is going to hold a campaign rally at Mercyhurst College tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The Catholic College boasts of the pro-abortion Senator and Presidential candidate's appearance on its web page. LifeSiteNews.com has also learned that Erie Bishop Donald W. Trautman has cancelled his scheduled appearance at the upcoming Mercyhurst graduation ceremony in protest. (LifeSiteNews)

Here is the event page on the Mercyhurst College website.

What locals can do:

Tim Broderick of the pro-life group People for Life is urging "all pro-life people to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to be at Mercyhurst for a pro-life informational demonstration from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM, Tuesday -- rain or shine." Broderick is urging pro-life individuals who are unable to attend to contact the university with their concerns.

Demonstrators are being asked to meet at the Parade Blvd. entrance to the Mercyhurst Campus. Broderick will be on hand with picket signs from 4 PM.

What we can do: LSN also provides the President's contact information "to politely express concerns".

Related: "Catholic Mercyhurst College Jeered for Hosting Pro-Abortion Hillary Clinton Rally"

Mercyhurst? More like "unmerciful hearse" if they let a pro-abortion politician campaign there.

Okay, that's histrionic of me to say, I realize, but why is it that the Catholic colleges with the best namesakes end up making some of the worst decisions, it always seems?

Action: 96 Catholic Colleges have pro-homosexual clubs or activities

Sounds like a poor joke, right? Well, it's true.

From the TFP Student Action center:

... TFP volunteers examined the official web sites of 211 Catholic universities and colleges listed by Granley’s Catholic Schools in America. Their research discovered that 45% have pro-homosexual clubs. Many of these clubs share in the movement’s radical goal – to force social acceptance of unnatural vice on Christian America, and gag expressions of free speech that oppose the movement’s ideological agenda.

... However, the number of pro-homosexual clubs on Catholic campuses may exceed 45% because not all clubs are listed on university web sites.

Action points:

1. Read the full report of the TFP.
2. See the list of Catholic colleges with pro-homosexual clubs
3. Send a pre-written (but customizable) letter to your school, if it applies.

Here in Washington, DC, Georgetown is the most blatant offender:

"... Georgetown University, the nation’s oldest Catholic university, recently agreed to open and fully fund a new center for homosexual students in addition to the already existing pro-homosexual club on campus."

Georgetown hosts mock same-sex “wedding”, grants health benefits to the partners of homosexual employees, and provides services for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth and their Families.

On the GU Pride University website, photos from their "Coming OUT Day 2006" include shots of gay and lesbian students kissing at the public event, and other untoward images. A sample caption? "There's nothing strange about people in bright orange shirts kissing each other in a public forum with hundreds of people walking by and staring, right?"

Instead of directly answering that question, let me be very clear: the reason to decry "pro-homosexual" clubs is not because the Catholic Church is "anti-homosexual." It is because (for example) the Church cannot endorse or promote behaviors that hurt the human person, like these clubs do.

And there's nothing strange about that.

[photo: GUPride]

Christendom College gets a special shout-out from Pope Benedict

Christendom College press release:

At Wednesday’s Papal audience on March 5, Pope Benedict XVI personally acknowledged Christendom College in his address and then blessed a marble cornerstone for the planned addition to Christendom’s Christ the King Chapel. Later that evening the College celebrated its thirtieth anniversary with a reception for its many friends in Rome.

“I extend particular greetings to the visitors from Christendom College,” Pope Benedict XVI said at the close of his address. “May this Lenten season purify your hearts and renew your faith and your hope in the mystery of Christ our Redeemer. God bless you all!”

Following the address the Holy Father came down to greet the many pilgrims. “Ah, Christendom College!” the Pope said as Christendom College Chairman of the Board Donna Bethell [edited] and President Timothy O’Donnell introduced themselves.

O’Donnell then presented an artist’s rendition of the planned chapel renovation. “It’s very beautiful,” the Pope said. He blessed the drawing and then blessed the cornerstone.

Christendom has the full press release available here on their website. Further Zenit coverage here.

Christendom is hosting a fundraising gala here in Washington DC on April 19th. More information here.

I was able to visit the Christendom campus for the first time last fall. It's a very beautiful setting, and they have a wonderful library! I also enjoyed the student art exhibit they had running. I met several students earlier this year at the March for Life when they bussed their entire student body out to participate.

Outrageous: Jesuit U. pays $85,000 to have rapper Ludacris perform on Friday

How do you normally spend your Fridays in Lent?

Fasting? Penance? Maybe a rosary or two?

Well, if you work at a Jesuit institution by the name of Fairfield University, you pay a rapper $85k to give a blowout concert:

On Friday, February 15, the annual Fairfield University Student Association (FUSA) concert will feature Ludacris, the Grammy Award-winning, platinum-selling performer who is at the top of his game these days in the world of rap music. Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges will perform at Alumni Hall on the Fairfield campus as part of his national tour, according to FUSA. [Source: Fairfield University's Press Release]

As CNS notes, Fairfield U. has managed to find and invite someone even the mainstream finds offensive:

In 2002, following criticism by Fox News Channel host Bill O’Reilly, Pepsi dropped Ludacris from its advertisements with an apology noting that “not all [artists] are compatible with our brands and what consumers have come to expect from us.” In 2006, talk show host Oprah Winfrey joined in the criticism of Ludacris for rap lyrics that “marginalize women.”

“If Ludacris is not compatible with Pepsi’s values and corporate image, why is he performing at a Catholic university?” Reilly asked. CNS has called upon Father von Arx to immediately cancel the production.

More drivel from the Fairfield U. press release, which presents Ludacris in his own words. Check it:

The Illinois native tells fans on his web site that he has evolved into a "more three-dimensional storyteller" on "Release Therapy." "Maturity is a beautiful thing. Going into the studio to make 'Release Therapy,' I felt like a wiser, more intelligent person. That was part of the vibe I wanted to bring across on the record, a more personal side that many have not seen. I know this is my fifth album, but I feel as though this is the first time I've ever exposed this much of myself. Like the film Crash, people can either love me or hate me, but they'll always respect me."

Sure, what's not to respect about a man who markets his music with album covers like this?

The name of this album is "Chicken-n-beer", which features track 13: "Hoes in my Room." Just a sample. I wonder if I should be relieved or concerned that he has since become more "three-dimensional in his storytelling"?

LifeSiteNews has coverage here, and calls on local Archbishop Lori of Bridgeport to do something. LSN has also provided contact information both for the Archbishop's office and Fairfield University.

I'm struggling to find the perfect adjective to describe all this.... oh yeah, this is the one:

Ludicrous.

("Meriting derisive laughter or scorn as absurdly inept, false, or foolish." - MW)

Catholic University nixes lectures at last minute due to charges of antisemitim

Forwarded to me by a CUA student, a bit of a situation is developing, and the WaTi has the scoop:

Catholic University abruptly canceled an 11-part lecture series, "Building Catholic Communities," on Monday, after the Southern Poverty Law Center complained that two of the scheduled lecturers are anti-Semites.

But look who was found to be offensive:

Mark Potok, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, called the school to complain about the participation of E. Michael Jones, editor of the South Bend, Ind.-based Culture Wars magazine, and John Sharpe, founder of the Norfolk-based IHS Press and the Legion of St. Louis, an Internet-based forum.

E. Michael Jones isn't happy:

Mr. Jones, who was to speak today on the nature of community, called the cancellation "outrageous."

"We were Catholics talking to other Catholics about community. The SPLC has veto power over what Catholics say to each other, all because of the cowards at Catholic University. Don't you think they owed me the courtesy of at least calling me up? Wasn't there any due process here?"

Mr. Jones also denied the SPLC's accusations against him.

"Everything I have said is totally consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church," he said. "There is nothing anti-Semitic about anything I have ever said. And I reject racism."

The topics appeared harmless enough:

The lecture series, described at www.building catholiccommunities.org, covered topics such as Catholic doctrine and co-housing, a form of clustered housing that originated several decades ago in Sweden. Mr. Jones was to speak today on the nature of community; Mr. Sharpe was scheduled to speak April 23 on property ownership. [update: more information on the lectures and presenters here.]

Action by CUA was swift:

The SPLC contacted the university at about 3:30 p.m., he said, right in the middle of the first lecture of the series, featuring Alan C. Carlson, president of the Howard Center in Rockford, Ill. By 5 p.m., the series was canceled.

The Washington Times article concludes:

The university's sudden cancellation Monday afternoon left organizers scrambling yesterday for a venue. Today's lecture will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Catholic Information Center, downtown at 1501 K St. NW.

In other words, this radical and rapid change of venue at a Catholic institution was brought about by the sole protest of SPLC (see SPLC in the news). Can you imagine any other complaint receiving such prompt attention?

And what abou the SPLC? Their wikipedia entry, for instance, does not paint a glowing picture of the organization, most notably, the center has often been characterized as "controversial, liberal", and often sides with the state against the church. It has also "been criticized for its tactics financial practices."

On the SPLC blog today ("HateWatch"), they give their version of the lecture cancellation:

A lecture series featuring presentations by two virulently anti-Semitic “radical traditionalist Catholics” was cancelled by The Catholic University of America on Monday after Hatewatch contacted the university to ask about the events. Radical traditionalist Catholics (read a major investigation of this theology here) deny certain Vatican teachings, particularly the Second Vatican Council’s reforms of the 1960s, and most hold anti-Semitic views that are rejected by the Roman Catholic Church. Many radical traditionalists have been excommunicated by the church.

... According to Victor Nakas, associate vice president of public affairs, the university was unaware of Jones’ anti-Semitic views. Shortly after Hatewatch contacted him to inquire about the lecture series’ sponsorship, [VP of CUA public affairs] Nakas sent an E-mail saying, “The individuals you reference below will not be speaking on our campus.”

Heidi Beirich, who authored the above post, also wrote "The New Crusaders: The radical traditionalist Catholics, who reject the teachings of the modern papacy, may form America's largest group of anti-Semites" (warning, harsh quoted language).

In the article she identifies SSPX as a "font of anti-Semitic propaganda" which (she elsewhere says) has "little in common with the modern Roman Catholic Church and its universalistic theology." For the record, the Catholic Church is not "universalistic."

She also claims that some radical traditionalists are "movers and shakers in important right-wing Republican circles". An example of this? "[T]he lawyer for Terri Schiavo's family, Christopher Ferrara."

Anyway, you get the picture, and are more than welcome to read the rest, I only had time to skim.

My concluding thoughts:

• Antisemitism, it goes without saying, is wrong, and a Catholic university should not countenance it.
• It is not clear to me, however, that the charge of antisemitism leveled against these two men has been validated. On this point, I call into question the objectivity of SPLC (watch me get on their list).
• At any rate, this situation seems to have been handled hastily, poorly, and lacked transparency.
• Furthermore, if the CIC did pick up the program, it seems they disagree with CUA's assesment.

Now here's how you can help: do you have independent experience of E. Michael Jones (and Culture Wars) or John Sharpe (and IHS Press)? I have heard of Culture Wars before, and have heard that E. Michael Jones certainly has his quirks, but nothing so damning as him being a raging anti-semite. I seem to remember hearing some decent things about IHS Press, but have never heard of John Sharpe personally.

I'd like a second take on these men (or several).

L’Osservatore Romano nails La Sapienza profs for Wikipedia misuse

How. Embarassing.

The Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano is reporting that 67 professors from La Sapienza University in Rome who wrote a letter opposing a visit by Pope Benedict XVI based their opposition on a quote taken out of context from Wikipedia.org.

The professors portrayed themselves as defenders “of freedom of research and of knowledge.” “In the name of ‘freedom of research and of knowledge,’ they have taken false information to be true, accepting an assertion without checking whether it is factual,” the Vatican newspaper reported. - CWNews

Icing on the proverbial cake:

“That Wikipedia in all likelihood is the source of the quote is evident by the fact that the letter from the 67 professors makes reference to a speech by Cardinal Ratzinger on March 15, 1990 in Parma. The speech was given, but it took place in Rome, at La Sapienza University on exactly that day,” L’ Osservatore continued. “The surprising thing is that whoever took the quote from Feyerabend could not have read the rest of the entry in Wikipedia, as he would have realized that the meaning of Ratzinger’s statement is exactly the opposite of what the 67 claimed the Pope was saying.”

“Each person is free to judge if this way of using reason is correct or if it is an act of disloyalty. The risk of reason folding to the pressure of interests and to the attractiveness of utility is exactly the risk which the Pope would have warned the staff of La Sapienza about had he been able to speak there,” the Vatican newspaper stated in conclusion.

I don't think this discovery can be overplayed as it brings out several important points: 1) This is a scandal to the protesting La Sapienza professors. 2) This ellucidates the anti-catholic and anti-papal bigotry in play here. 3) L'Osservatore Romano should be praised for its original journalism and forthright presentation of the facts.

Public reading of Pope's lecture at La Sapienza results in standing ovation

Zenit reports:

The rector of Rome's Sapienza University announced that he will re-invite Benedict XVI to visit the institution.

Renato Guarini affirmed this after the inauguration ceremony today that was supposed to have included a lecture given by the Pope. The Vatican announced Tuesday that the visit would be postponed, due to what the Pope's secretary of state called a lack of the "prerequisites for a dignified and tranquil welcome."

A small protest that eventually reached the point of several students occupying the rector's offices motivated the Holy See to cancel the visit. The protestors called the Pope "hostile" to science and took issue with a 1990 speech by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on the Galileo case.

The 1990 speech in its entirety showed the protestors to have taken Cardinal Ratzinger's words out of context.

Guarini said, "I will offer a new invitation to the Pope, Benedict XVI." He said the invitation would "be in accord with the desire of the majority of Sapienza's academic community."

During the inauguration ceremony, a professor read the discourse the Holy Father had prepared for the occasion. A standing ovation and students' shouts of "Long live the Pope" followed the reading.

Sen. Obama and New Jersey Jesuits collaborate

Two forces meet and do the expected (not to mention, dissapointing):

Catholic College in New Jersey is coming under fire from a pro-life group for allowing pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to hold a rally there last week. On Wednesday, St. Peter’s College, a Jesuit Catholic institution, allowed Obama to address a large crowd there.

Media estimates indicated Obama greeted more than 4,500 people at the rally, but Patrick Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society, said the college was irresponsible for giving a pro-abortion politician a forum there.

“It’s irresponsible for a Catholic college and its leadership to host a political rally for an aggressively pro-abortion candidate,” he told LifeNews.com in a statement Monday.

[More from LifeNews.com]

Update: "Obama appearance at Catholic college sparks protest" (CNA).

"Phan-atic" Georgetown Prof. corrected by USCCB doctrine committee

Since I'm crunched for time today, just the links:

• CNA: Bishops’ Doctrine Committee corrects theologian for relativistic book
• CNS: Theologian's book could mislead faithful, bishops' committee says
• Zenit: U.S. Bishops' Statement on Book of Father Peter Phan [of Georgetown.]
• John Allen: U.S. bishops fault Phan for 'considerable confusion' on Christ, non-Christian religions

Previously reported back in early September, when he was being investigated by CDF.

Mass at the Shrine and meeting Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Today was a good day.

During my lunch break I attended Mass for Festum Omnium Sanctorum at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I guess it was broadcast on EWTN. If you saw a gangly youth in the back with a red tie, that was me.

Later in the day I was privledged to attend a lecture and Mass celebrated by Fr. Benedict Groeschel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at the Catholic Information Center here in DC.

Fr. Groeschel was in town for an event hosted by the Cardinal Newman Society promoting their recently-published guide to choosing a Catholic College. I received a complimentary copy of the excellent resource (now available on Amazon.com), and plan on reading through it this weekend, time permitting.

Fr. Groeschel's best one-liner (of which there were many) went something like this: "You know, if people try Catholicism - they'll discover that it works!" He had some acerbic (and truthful) things to say, but I'll keep those to myself.

Comments were also made during the night's discussion about the conspicuous absence of Jesuit institutions in the list compiled by the Newman Society. I have to say, after blogging for the last two years, it's really a small wonder with all the negative stories that regularly crop-up on Jesuit campuses these days. So. Many. Stories.

In fairness, good news has a hard time making it into my inbox, so if I'm missing anything important, let me know.

I'd like to spread the good word, if it's out there.

Georgetown funds center for gays / opposes Tridentine Mass

LSN:

The president of prestigious Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States, has promised homosexual activists that the school will fully fund a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and “questioning” (LGBTQ) students by next fall. The pro-homosexual nature of the center is [a] rejection of what is considered serious Catholic moral teaching.

President John DeGioia told media, “How do we respond to legitimate requests for a more supportive environment? We can continue to do this in a somewhat informal manner … or we can move forward in a more organized way, through more formal and institutional structures and processes. In this case, it is time for the latter.”

On Wednesday October 24, DeGioia spoke to an audience of students and faculty expressing his “sadness” that Georgetown has too often been “hostile” toward the homosexual community. The campus newspaper, The Hoya, confirmed in an editorial that DeGioia “repeatedly committed himself” to each of the demands made by the campus homosexual activist group GU Pride.

DeGioia said, “At a Catholic and Jesuit university, [we] cannot advocate for policies or practices that are counter to Catholic teaching. Part of my responsibility as an administrator … is to ensure that nothing can compromise the integrity of our mission and identity.”

The co-president of GU Pride, Scott Chessare, responded by exclaiming “We won!”

Wait a second. Play that back: "At a Catholic and Jesuit university, [we] cannot advocate for policies or practices that are counter to Catholic teaching. Part of my responsibility as an administrator … is to ensure that nothing can compromise the integrity of our mission and identity."

... call me obtuse, but how is funding a campus center for gays (in other words, a univerity-sponsored place where gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered and "questioning" individuals will celebrate their harmful lifestyle instead of receiving the help they need) ... how is that not compromising the integrity of a Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity? Are we reading the same stuff?

Meanwhile, a student at Georgetown writes:

There is a student-led movement for the establishment of a Tridentine Mass at Georgetown. This has been met with stiff opposition by Campus Ministry, who are not exactly amenable to the traditional Mass. The school newspaper The Hoya has just written a story about it, and Fr. Z has picked it up.

If you are involved with Georgetown, it sounds like you have two worthy tasks to choose from.

Lemme know if I can help.

Pro-Life counter-gathering for Holy Cross a success!

Dawn Eden, the featured speaker of the evening, reports that things went wonderfully well.

Previous AmP coverage here: "Emptying the power of Holy Cross College."

Emptying the power of Holy Cross College

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - 1 Cor 1:17.

Apologies for not reporting about this story sooner. It's important.

The fight to promote the culture of life in America - and specifically in colleges and universities which respresent the bastions of liberal influence - is upon us once again.

The backstory:

• Jesuit-run College of the Holy Cross is renting meeting space for a conference entitled "Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy's Teen Pregnancy Institute" that includes workshops conducted by Planned Parenthood and NARAL.
• Hunreds of complaints were sent in to the competant authorities from around the country.
• Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, MA appealed to the President of Holy Cross College, Fr. Michael McFarland, to revoke the invitation. Good for him.
• And here's the rub: Fr. McFarland has refused to do so.
• In response, Bp. McManus issued a firm statement (which you should read), in which he warned that Holy Cross Catholic may lose its ability to call itself Catholic for its refusal. Double good for him!
• Even better: The Cardinal Newman Society is hosting a counter-conference entitled "Preventing Teen Pregnancy: The Catholic Approach" featuring chastity speaker, blogger and writer Dawn Eden.

Please collaborate with the Cardinal Newman Society event. They are asking for there to be "strong showing of support for Bishop McManus’s principled stand" by attending if you are able:

• CNS website with more information including a flyer in PDF format.
• Visit Dawn Eden's blog to get more information. She is the keynote speaker.

Prominant contributs to the blogosphere have lauded the Bishop's actions and that of CNS. Diogenes says he is acting like a bishop. RC proclaims "Ad multos annos!" (and mentions that the previous ordinary of Worcester, has acted in a similar vein in regards to HC). AMDG lets us know that Fr. Euteneuer of Human Life International whole-heartedly applauds the Bishop's actions. Amy Welborn says about CNS that this is "exactly the kind of response of which we need much, much more." I would humbly like to add my praise to theirs.

See? We're not out to get bishops. We're out for the truth.

Catholic news coverage:

• CNA: College's Catholic status threatened for hosting pro-abortion groups at conference
• CWNews: Massachusetts bishop issues warning to Jesuit college
• LSN: Bishop Warns College May Lose Catholic Name for Not Cancelling Pro-Abortion Groups in Conference

For more information on the conference you can look at it's brocure here (PDF file).

Update: Via a reader and alumnus of Holy Cross, a website has been setup to address this situation: http://www.holycrossalumni.org/.

Update 2: In fairness, Fr. McFarland is responding to criticism here at the HC website.

It's "National Coming Out Week", and Boston College is very prepared

Dawn Eden, who works at the Cardinal Newman Society as director of their Love & Responsibility program, notified me about this story (she's flying off to Dublin today and beginning a speaking tour that will also take her to London).

The focus of Dawn's work at CNS involves programs of campus outreach geared to promote Catholic teachings on "sexual ethics, human life, marriage, love, and personal responsibility."

Sadly, there are significant forces at work against this noble project. A case in point?

Boston College's Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Leadership Council is organizing and hosting events campus-wide as part of "National Coming Out Week" as the independent BCHeights reports.

Planned activities include:

• Tuesday night features a panel discussion lead by five professors and staff titled "How to be straight." Perez said, "This event really deals with how to get the community involved. People often support GLBT issues but don't know how to fit it into their day-to-day lives. We want to emphasize how to provide support to the GLBT community even though they might not identify themselves as GLBT."
• An open-mic discussion called "Opening Boston's Closets" takes place on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Chocolate Bar, with students expressing themselves through discussions and performances about issues of sexuality.
• "Guess who's gay," a game-show-themed event aimed at breaking down stereotypes, will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gasson 305. Students will ask non-sexuality-based questions to a panel of participants to try to discern their sexuality.
• The week concludes with a fashion show titled "I feel pretty," to be held in the Cabaret Room at 7 p.m., at which models will each wear an outfit they feel uncomfortable in and one in which they feel like themselves. (Kandrach is also planning on participating in the fashion show as a model. "I'll probably wear the typical BC attire of cargo pants and a polo shirt for my outfit representing the closeted me," he said. "For my other outfit, I'm wearing a crazy rainbow shirt and white denim pants. I do dress flamboyantly normally, but I don't care - that's one of the great aspects of gay men. They just do what they want.")

With a events like this being promoted and hosted throughout BC, it's not hard to see why the services of organizations like the Cardinal Newman Society are so desparately needed.

Here is Boston College's resource page for LGBT Students & Alumni.

From Boston College's "Jesuit, Catholic Tradition: Encountering the World" page:

Boston College is committed to maintaining and strengthening the Jesuit, Catholic mission of the University, and especially its commitment to integrating intellectual, personal, ethical, and religious formation; and to uniting high academic achievement with service to others.

... keep this in mind as you formulate your questions for this week's "Guess Who's Gay" gameshow!

(For a bit more context, blogged in May of last year, it should be remembered that BC is the same university that managed to get 100 of its faculty members to sign a protest letter - originating from its theology department - upon the occasion of Condoleezza Rice's invitation as a commencement speaker, because, the letter claimed, her activity in the Iraq War supposedly conflicted with Catholic and Jesuit principles. If this isn't a clear example of selective concern with Church teaching and Jesuit tradition then I don't know what is.)

Exclusive: the backstory to CUA's "invitation" of John Kerry

Heard this evening from CUA president David M. O'Connell, C.M. (I am paraphrasing):

John Kerry was never invited. What happened was that a student member of the College Democrats at CUA knew someone who worked for John Kerry and thought it would be a good idea to invite him to speak at one of their meetings. The CUA newspaper (The Tower) extrapolated on this word-of-mouth and published (on the opening weekend before classes with the campus chock-full of visiting parents) a frontpage story claiming that he had in fact been invited. He was never invited. I wouldn't have allowed that to happen.

Normally I keep news like this to myself, but President O'Connell said this publically and also asked that the news be spread. So ... consider it hereby spread. Take it as you will, and that's all I'm offering.

Georgetown: this. just. stinks.

Georgetown U. to fund abortion advocacy:

According to stories by Lifesitenews.com and the Georgetown University student newspaper The Hoya, the Georgetown law school has adopted a policy that will provide funding to law students to intern with public interest organizations regardless of their mission. [More from the Cardinal Newman Society.]

CNA coverage here.

AmP "For Shame!" List to be revised in the next website update....

Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Convention this weekend

I'll be attending this year's Fellowship of Catholic Scholars convention here in DC this weekend. I'm really looking forward to the scheduled topics as they touch upon several issues that are treated regularly at AmP, including the identity of Catholic schools and the relationship between that identy and the exercise of academic freedom.

Here is a PDF with extracts of the presentations. Here is a PDF with the schedule. The theme this year is "The Idea of the Catholic University for the Twenty-First Century."

For those of you who are in the area, you can still register online or drop a line to "jrook [at] catholicscholars.org" for more information. I hope to see you there! If you spot me, please don't hesitate to introduce yourself.

Ahmadinejad and the limits of free speech in academe

The president of Columbia University Lee Bollinger has invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak today [AP report]. Ahmadinejad had also planned to visit Ground Zero during this trip until his request was denied using the excuse of security concerns [Reuters].

Surveying the situation, it's ironic how categorical the condemnation of this invitation has been, while the (I would argue, parallel) situation of inviting pro-choice politicians to speak at Catholic universities is considered legitimate.

Columbia President Bollinger didn't help matters any when he stated publically that he wouldn't have a problem inviting Adolf Hiltler to speak (video).

Of course, when secular society is faced with this kind of attitude, it's quick to threaten financial penalties: and sure enough, state and city lawmakers are contemplating witholding public funds in protest of Columbia's invitation.

I haven't had the chance yet to really think through this whole question, but in these events I'm trying to imagine, for a second, what the world would look like if it universally admitted that pro-choice politicians are proponents of infanticide and treated them as such when they were given pulpits by universities.

I think it would look much like the resistance we are seeing to Ahmadinejad's invitation at Columbia.

Update: Diogenes, with his characteristic brevity and wit, co-posts on this topic.

Update 2: To give credit where credit is due, President Bollinger evidently excoriated Ahmadinejad (and rightly so) on his human rights track record, as the AFP and Reuters reports. And 25,000 people protested Ahmadinejad's UN appearance. I'm happy to see that America still has enough moral integrity to call some forms of evil, well, evil.

Also, via commentor John V, via the Dawn Patrol, a clip from an upcoming documentary that looks at "tolerance, Columbia-style":

Trouble on the homefront: CUA & Georgetown

Two stories, sadly, taking place in my backyard.

First, John Kerry has been invited to speak at the Catholic University of America:

LifeSiteNews:

Pro-Abortion John Kerry to Speak at Catholic University of America: Invitation violates principle unanimously agreed upon by US Bishops in 2004

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Catholic University of America (CUA) has invited former presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry to speak on environmentalism and the Iraq war this semester, despite initial opposition by the office of University Center, Student Programs and Events (UCSPE).

The Tower, the campus paper of Catholic University, said the UCSPE had initially objected to Kerry's appearance, saying there is an "unwritten" campus rule banning political candidates during an election year.

Kerry, who still receives Communion regularly, has a 100 per cent pro-abortion voting record according to NARAL Pro-Choice America. During the 2004 presidential debates, Kerry claimed that he was "personally against abortion", but would not "take what is an article of faith for me and legislate it for someone who doesn't share that article of faith."

[Related: U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference Says Pro-Abortion Politicians Should be Shunned - LSN]

Carl Olson has commentary at InsightScoop.

TheTower (CUA's newspaper) reports:

Former presidential candidate John Kerry will speak on campus this semester despite initial opposition by the office of University Center, Student Programs and Events (UCSPE).

The College Democrats will host the Massachusetts senator, who has been approved to speak specifically on environmental concerns and the Iraq war.

UCSPE initially rejected the College Democrats' request in early August, according to junior Mark Arnone, chairman of the College Democrats. Bill Jonas, the director of UCSPE, sent an e-mail to Arnone as well as Michael Nardi, chairman of the College Republicans, highlighting an unwritten University policy banning candidates from campus during an election year.

... Patrick Reilly, the founder of the Cardinal Newman Society which is dedicated to the renewal of Catholic identity in Catholic higher education in the United States, learned about Kerry's scheduled appearance in a phone call with a reporter yesterday.

"This is wrong on so many levels," said Reilly. "For a Catholic university that accepts Catholic moral teachings as truth to invite or to host an active political candidate who intends to uphold and possibly expand the incidents of abortion in the United States is entirely contrary to its Catholic morals."

... When contacted yesterday, Kerry's senate office said that his speech had not been finalized and an exact date for his appearance had not been set, and deferred comment to a later date.

TheTower article, laudably, is very critical of Kerry and disapproves of his invitation. You have to think that Kerry is accepting the invitation out of spite. The College Democrats at CUA, I believe, are a small segment of the campus. Is he rubbing his status in our face? It seems so.

Second, across town, news that the Vatican & U.S Bishops are investigating a Georgetown professor:

John Allen:

Both the Vatican and the U.S. bishops are investigating a book by a prominent American Catholic theologian, Vietnam-born Fr. Peter Phan of Georgetown University.

The book raises issues about the uniqueness of Christ and the church, issues that were also behind recent censures of other high-profile theologians, as well as a recent Vatican declaration that the fullness of the Christian church resides in Catholicism alone.

The case confirms that no subject is of greater doctrinal concern for church authorities, including Pope Benedict XVI, than what they see as “religious relativism,” meaning the impression that Christ is analogous to other religious figures such as the Buddha, or that Christianity is one valid spiritual path among others.

Critics of writers such as Phan, who offer a positive theological evaluation of non-Christian religions, assert that their work courts confusion on these points, while others believe church authorities are drawing the borders of theological discussion too narrowly.

Phan, a priest of the Dallas diocese, is a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. The book in question is Phan’s 2004 Being Religious Interreligiously, published by Orbis.

This should all sound oddly-familiar to CUA. (*cough* Charlie Curran *cough.*)

Sherry W at Intentional Disciples reacts:

My initial concern with Phan's work was staggeringly bad history and worse statistics. Phan's ahistorical reading of contemporary Christian missions systemically ignored massively documented realities like the explosive growth of Christianity in the third world which a casual reader could uncover with a 60 second Google search.

I knew that it was almost certainly theology that was driving this strange obtuseness on Phan's part because "missionary failure" would enable him to portray his theological positions as "realism" - the stoic acceptance of the fact that Asians had voted with their feet and rejected Christianity en masse - rather than an ideology that he was asserting in the teeth of overwhelming evidence that Asia (especially China) is on the verge of becoming one of the evangelizing dynamos of the Christian world.

So I'm relieved that serious questions are being raised at the highest level about the theological issues behind the lousy missiology.

The mainstream media is hot on the story. Associated Press:

The U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine has traded correspondence with Phan since July 2005 seeking clarification on his writings, said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"There was not complete satisfaction with his response, which is why the dialogue continues," Walsh said. She did not go into further detail.
Phan declined comment Wednesday.

Mind-bogglingly stupid quotation:

The issues underpinning Phan’s case are causing great debate among Catholic theologians grappling with how Catholicism relates to other faiths outside a European context, said Terrence Tilley, chairman of the theology department at Fordham University and president-elect of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

"To come to judgment as the Vatican seems to be doing so quickly, before theologians have had time to work out and critique the positions ... it’s just premature," Tilley said. "It’s in a sense cutting off debate before the debate’s started."

You have to be kidding me. The debate concerning the nature of the Church has been going strong for, oh, about 1,900 years. Easy. How can Terrence Tilley expect to get away with such a claim?

Hmm, let's think about this. Terrency Tilley, "president-elect of the Catholic Theological Society of America" ... Peter Phan former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

There, now it's beginning to make sense.

More news from the front as it emerges....

Creighton U.'s Unfortunate History of Dissent

As attentive readers well know, Creighton U. recently invited the pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia writer Anne Lamott to speak on the topic of "Women & Health." The same university then chose to "mutually agree upon cancellation" of her appearance, albeit in rather overly-apologetic and hesitant language.

As background, this is not the first time Creighton U. has run afoul of conservative Catholic circles. Most recently, the Archdiocese of Omaha severed its ties with Creighton U.'s Center for Marriage and Family after two of the university's top professors suggested that the Catholic Church should let couples cohabit and have sex before marriage. CNA has more on that story. The proposal was critically evaluated by the In Light of the Law blog (run by my father), as well as by Jeff Miller at Curt Jester, Rich Leonardi, and thoroughly by Carl Olson at Insight Scoop.

Several other Catholic Blogs also covered the story of Anne Lamott and her Creighton U. invitation and cancellation, including Revert Convert (#2), The Cafeteria is Closed (#2), Amy Welborn's Charlotte Was Both, and - notably - local resident Jeff Baker of Defend Us in Battle, whose posts were credited by LifeSiteNews as being partially responsible for Creighton U.'s change of course.

In follow-up to the story, in addition to the LifeSiteNews coverage, CNA published an article detailing "what seems to be a pattern of disagreement" between the Archdiocese of Omaha and Creighton U., and the Associated Press was the mainstream source for that conclusion.

Matters took an interesting turn this week, when president of Creighton U., John P. Schlegel, S.J., circulated a memo claiming that blogs had absolutely nothing to do with his decision (CNA covers that story here).

Well, methinks the president doth protest too much. Gerard published the entire text of the memo here, and for my discussion I'm going to single out what the president had to say about the non-influential blogs:

I know that the mutual decision of Creighton University and Ms. Anne Lamott to cancel her planned lecture has been the subject of much discussion, debate and concern on and off campus. This is a healthy thing and a learning experience for all of us.

Unfortunately, however, the somewhat incomplete accounts of what has transpired may be clouding that discussion. The decision to cancel the lecture was not the result of outside pressure from any group. I made this decision last Friday, August 24, after prayerful reflection upon reading from her latest book, the publication of which post-dated the invitation and in discussion with Amy Haddad, director of the Center for Health Policy and Ethics. To put it more frankly: my reflection on this question started well before the bloggers latched upon the invitation. (underlining mine.)

Some initial thoughts:

I find it dismissive to refer to the blogosphere as "the bloggers." Such a phrase normally finds its way into sentences like "oh you know the bloggers [the press, the MSM] aren't to be trusted."

Furthermore, and more to the point, I don't think it's fair to say the bloggers "latched upon the invitation." Parasites latch onto things. The bloggers who posted about this story, however, merely brought up a reasonable, valid point in an honest manner, while providing people with the means to work within the system and thereby voice their complaints to the administration.