Catholic colleges discuss making school a good place for gays

Dateline Alabama ^ | 10.29.05 | LISA LEFF

[Coleus]

More than 40 Catholic colleges were represented on Saturday at a conference that was billed as the nation's first on how gays and lesbians fit in at universities guided by a faith that says their sexual orientation is wrong.

But rather than lamenting the Catholic Church's stand on homosexuality, the two-day "Out There" conference at Santa Clara University showed that plenty of gay-related scholarship and student affairs planning is going on in Catholic higher education, said co-organizer Linda Garber.

"It's important and interesting to know there are Catholic universities that have offices and staff people specifically geared toward LGBT concerns," said Garber, director of the women's and gender studies program at Santa Clara. "There are a lot of people out there who are teaching (LGBT) studies without a national professional organization, a newsletter or anything."

The conference drew about 150 people, most of them faculty and administrators who deal with gay subject matter or students. Topics included "Curriculum and Same-Sex Marriage in a Jesuit University" and "Can I Be Gay and Catholic?"

The continuing tension was demonstrated into the oft-repeated anecdote that Notre Dame University has had an active gay and lesbian student group for years, but the college does not recognize or provide financial support to the organization.

One sign of how far the universities have come in openly addressing gay issues is that the dean's office and campus ministry at Jesuit-run Santa Clara provided money for the event, while the school's president sent a welcome letter to participants, said Lisa Millora, assistant dean for student life.

"There are a lot of people who subscribe to Catholic values as they relate to academic work, but don't necessarily agree with how the Catholic Church carries out its work," Millora said.

Among the universities represented at the conference were Georgetown, Loyola Marymount, Gonzaga, Fordham, DePaul, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, La Salle, Marquette and Emory.

[SaveTheChief]

Not a word in that little blurb about living a lifestyle compatible with the teachings of the Bible. I guess needing to look tolerant is more important to these schools than being a place where God's Word is taught and honored.

[Aunt Polgara]

sigh... met my dear husband at Santa Clara and sent our three kids there. :-(

[Sun]

Mother Angelica said many years ago that liberalism was taking over many Catholic colleges.

[tuesday afternoon]

I was doing a little websearching yesterday and was astounded to find out that the clarion call warning about the homosexual agenda against the Catholic Church has been sounding for decades. A priest name Enrique Rueda wrote a book called The Homosexual Network: Private Lives and Public Policy back in 1982.

[jb6]

Sick and twisted, sick and twisted. The Catholic church has sunk so far its rather sad, just like the Anglicans and are also being followed by the Lutherins. Seems soon only the Orthodox will hold up the Light of Christ. But maybe that's why our faith has suffered so much and is hated so much by many of these others?

[jb6]

ping.

[Salvation]

This title has me shaking my head in disbelief!

[MeanWestTexan]

"That the RCC is being overrun with this is indeed shocking, as Rome makes no bones about homosexual conduct being evil."

It is the disadvantage of any old, large, organization.

Bureaucrats create their little fiefdoms and there is huge institutional inertia. Big like a ship. The captain can say "hard starboard," but the order goes through a couple of officers, to the guy who spins the wheel, which really only rings a bell in the engine room, where guys actually the rudder --- and then it takes a while for the ship to respond.


Here, you are dealing with several reluctant crewman, many of whom disagree with turning starboard, so they shuffle their feet.

The US State Department (and most all of unelected Washington) has the same problems.

Part of the inherant weakness (and strength) of a hierarchy.

[A. Pole]

The conference drew about 150 people, most of them faculty and administrators who deal with gay subject matter or students.

"most of them faculty and administrators"? It could be anybody from junior assistance professor to the clerk from the administration office. It looks like self-appointed conference.

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping.

I hope that the Vatican gang who is supposedly (last I heard) going around to seminaries to clean out apostacy and homosexuality makes a second tour to visit all the CINO Catholic Universities.

I hope someone sends the Pope this article.

An entire housecleaning is in order. Luckily, Coleus has a list of Catholic colleges and universities which are good, check them out.

Freepmail me AND DirtyHarryY2K if you want on/off this pinglist.

[little jeremiah]

Tired of the crap that eating shellfish is morally equivalent to homosexual acts, what to speak of the "gay" agenda promoting same to kids.

And no, I don't eat shellfish. Or lobster.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

thank you for posting the list of REAL Catholic colleges!

[thompsonsjkc]

Why the heck do homosexuals ALWAYS want to be treated differently? I thought they were the same as everyone else.

Now we have to have a conference on how gays and lesbians fit in at Catholic universities guided by a faith that says homosexuality is wrong.

We have to have have offices and staff people specifically geared toward LGBT concerns. Is there an office to address the concerns of what a lot of people here would consider normal people?

WTF, over?

[Sam the Sham]

You're right, God does not approve of that life choice. Do you work on the sabbath? Eat pork or shellfish? God has as much to say about that as he does homosexuality.

That is an outright lie. In the chapter where God condemns homosexuality, Leviticus 19, He lists the disgusting practices of pagan peoples that has earned them destruction. He lists homosexuality alongside incest, bestiality, and child human sacrifice. He then concludes the chapter with a death threat. I think when someone makes a death threat he is being very serious about communicating where the line is and the line was well short of shrimp.

[steve-b]

I think when someone makes a death threat he is being very serious about communicating where the line is and the line was well short of shrimp.

Well, actual death is an even more effective show of displeasure than a mere death threat.

So be careful not to call anybody "baldy". He might be a Prophet of God (2 Kings 2:23-24)....

[Sam the Sham]

'Mere' death threat from God ?

And prophets dressed differently. Elijah had a special mantle that he gave to his disciple Elisha. Everyone who saw Elijah knew he was a prophet.

Your ignorance seems to be extending in all directions tonight.

[It's me]

New Catholic University is now John Paul the Great Catholic University. It is in San Diego, California.

[Coleus]

thanks

[narses]

+

[It's me]

Holy Spirit Institute is no more.

I guess it didn't have enough funding.