Posted on 12/06/2004 3:30:00 PM PST by Diago
From last year's John Carroll Newspaper:
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-religion/1104704/posts
In reaction to the societys actions, Flannery said, I think the Cardinal Newman Society is the closest organization in the Catholic Church to the Taliban. [The Cardinal Newman Society] has used harassment and terrorist tactics to shut down the presidents computer system and to do harm to my departments office, Flannery said.
Despite concerns, show goes on
Over 1,000 e-mails poured into University President Rev. Edward Glynns inbox last weekend, and they werent all valentine greetings.
These e-mails came from people all over the nation, expressing fierce opposition to last weekends production of The Vagina Monologues.
According to Glynn and chair of the Communications Department Sister Mary Ann Flannery, the e-mails detailed opposition to the productions controversial content being displayed on a Catholic universitys campus.
These e-mails were generated, according to Glynn and Flannery, through efforts made by the Cardinal Newman Society.
This society is an ultra-conservative Catholic group, based in Virginia, said Flannery, who was in charge of the monologues.
The e-mails also contained objections to a portion of the productions proceeds being given to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, a member of the pro-choice Freedom of Choice Cleveland Coalition.
Since those e-mails were received, the University made the decision to revoke the funds being given to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, and re-direct them to the Missing and Murdered Women of Juarez, Mexico.
The Cardinal Newman Society calls itself the national organization dedicated to the renewal of Catholic identity in Catholic higher education in the United States.
The society makes efforts to regulate activity on Catholic campuses, to make sure that the activities and policies coincide with their idea of the true Catholic tradition.
The Cardinal Newman Society is, according to Vice President of Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski, the Catholic police.
The Cardinal Newman Society, which called for all of these e-mails to be sent to Glynn, ran an ad in Tuesdays issue of USA Today, calling attention to all of the Catholic universities in the United States which are producing The Vagina Monologues this month or next, asking people to e-mail the presidents of all of the universities listed with their objections to the play.
John Carroll was on that list.
Its not the first time, Glynn said. He has been flooded before with e-mails due to the groups efforts.
He added, I do not respect the Cardinal Newman Societys leadership.
In reaction to the societys actions, Flannery said, I think the Cardinal Newman Society is the closest organization in the Catholic Church to the Taliban. [The Cardinal Newman Society] has used harassment and terrorist tactics to shut down the presidents computer system and to do harm to my departments office, Flannery said.
If they can effectively cripple the presidents office, they will surely feel theyve won.
In response to the Cardinal Newman Societys main objections to The Vagina Monologues, Flannery made three main points.
First, she said, The play is part of an international group whose objective is to raise consciousness and efforts toward eliminating violence against women and children.
Second, she said, The play is not pornographic. Flannery said that the play is a type of guerilla drama, which is designed to address an issue.
This type of theater, according to Flannery, is centuries old and has its roots in dramatic literature as far back as the middle ages.
Third, Flannery stated, The play has nothing to do with abortion. The word is not even mentioned [in the production].
Flannery has seen The Vagina Monologues. Her reactions were that the play contains a mixture of comedy and a seriousness which borders on tragedy. It is a guerilla theatreit uses the element of entertainment to get to some very serious and provocative concerns.
I am not worried about the Vagina Monologues, but I am [concerned] about the Cardinal Newman Society, Flannery said. We are a university; we must raise issues of disagreement, related to interpreting the faith and related to free speechto a level of discourse which respects the various positions on the issues.
Flannery continued in saying, The first victims of violence are women and children, and when efforts to address their situations and to raise consciousness about them are stymied by the comfortable and the powerful, the violence continues.
Finally, she said, Catholics have to have solidarity and openness to address violence. That is the teaching of my faith.
The Vagina Monologues will continue at John Carroll next year if the students want it to, Flannery said. [The students of John Carroll University] have academic freedom.
BS, he's just trying to CYA. he should be fired for hate speech, after all I'm sure as a good liberal he would agree.
It looks as though he makes up his "ethics" as he goes along and then changes them when it suits him.
Contact the JCU President and others at:
eglynn@jcu.edu
carrollnews@jcu.edu
jsheehan@jcu.edu
John Carroll University (OH)
Rev. Edward Glynn, S.J., President
20700 N. Park Blvd., University Heights, OH 44118
Phone: (216) 397-1886
E-mail: eglynn@jcu.edu
J. Gerard Sheehan jsheehan@jcu.edu
Director of Public Affairs
216-397-4565
It's interesting (or perhaps not) that someone who teaches "applied ethics" should be in such small supply of any.
Whew! I'm glad he cleared that up. I thought for a moment that he wanted to insult people with values. /sarcasm off
Paul Lauritzen, director of the Applied Ethics Program and professor of Religious Studies:
We need to tell our students that Bush is a liar and that many in the Republican party are essentially the Christian version of the Taliban
Those who can't do, teach?
The heck it wasn't! What nerve, and the sad thing is this is exactly what they have been up to for years. Creating a bunch of godless lefties by brainwashing them in our schools.
Toledo Blade Claims Bishop Pilla and John Carroll Prez were to appear at John Kerry Rally
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-religion/1288236/posts
LOL.
Yeah, I thought that was pretty funny, in a tragic sort of way.
John Carroll is a Jesuit school. I also attended a Jesuit school. I wish I'd gone to a Catholic school instead.
Thanks for the contact info. I wrote each one.
Ping
LOL!!
Some of the subjects he teaches and writes about:
http://www.jcu.edu/religion/Lauritzen/vita.htm
This is guy is a professor of religious studies. He teaches a course called Moral Decision Making. Un-freaking-believable that he's still a professor after this memo has been made public. An ethics profeesor arguing for disinformation. This guy has zip ethics.
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