Cardinal's anti-gay comment sparks protest

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 5/22/03 | CARLOS CAMPOS

[madprof98]

WASHINGTON -- A Roman Catholic cardinal seen as a top contender to succeed Pope John Paul II has sparked student and faculty protests at Georgetown University with a remark he made about homosexuals in a commencement speech.

A letter protesting the speech by Cardinal Francis Arinze was signed by about 70 faculty members at the Jesuit university and delivered Wednesday to Jane McAuliffe, dean of the university's school of arts and sciences.

McAuliffe, a specialist in Islamic studies, invited Arinze -- president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue -- to speak on Christian-Muslim relations at the school's graduation ceremonies last Saturday.

Instead, the Nigerian prelate told the graduates that happiness is found not in the pursuit of material wealth or pleasures of the flesh, but by fervently adhering to religious beliefs.

Arinze then spoke of the importance of family to the Roman Catholic Church.

"In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," Arinze said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the university. "It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in contraception, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce."

Theresa Sanders, a professor of theology at the university, protested by leaving the stage where Arinze was speaking. Other students upset with the comments also reportedly left, according to e-mails on a subscription list used by many of the university's gay and lesbian students.

Sanders did not return a phone call to her office.

Ed Ingebretsen, a professor of English at Georgetown and a priest in the American Catholic Church, said Wednesday that Arinze's remarks are in line with Roman Catholic doctrine, but nonetheless seemed out of place at the commencement ceremony.

"These things are exactly what he's paid to say," Ingebretsen said. "(But) it's a graduation; why he decided to do the pro-family thing no one seems to know."

Ingebretsen said he was compelled, as a writer, to post a short apology on the e-mail subscription list "on behalf of Catholics" for Arinze's "insensitive remarks." Ingebretsen said the remarks were "un-Christian."

Tommaso Astarita, a professor of history at Georgetown, called the message by Arinze "wildly inappropriate" for a commencement ceremony. Astarita said the comments may have been more palatable had they been made in a different setting, such as an invited lecture.

"I personally was rather offended by it," said Astarita, one of the professors circulating the protest letter forwarded to McAuliffe. "I thought it was divisive and inappropriate."

In an e-mail to college's faculty members, the dean said she was "very surprised" by the content of Arinze's speech.

"I am deeply concerned that students, parents and faculty found parts of the commencement address upsetting to them," McAuliffe wrote. "I'm sure that Cardinal Arinze did not intend to hurt any of his audience, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen."

McAuliffe has set aside at least two hours in her office Friday to talk to any faculty members or students about the cardinal's remarks.

On Wednesday, she issued a two-sentence statement acknowledging that she had been contacted by several students and faculty "to express their reaction, both negative and positive" to the cardinal's address. "As an academic community, vigorous and open discussion lies at the heart of what we do, and there are many different voices in the conversation."

Arinze, 70, is widely mentioned as one of the candidates to succeed John Paul II, which would make him the first African pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Arinze ascended through the ranks of the church's hierarchy in Africa, where Catholicism is flourishing. He was called by John Paul II in 1984 to work in the Vatican.

Arinze is known for his strict conservative adherence to Catholic law, while many Catholics in the United States and Europe push for more contemporary policies.

Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Catholic archdiocese of Washington, said Arinze has a "deep perspective" through his longtime work in the church with many cultures.

"His message was certainly consistent with Caholtic teaching, which seems appropirate since this is a Catholic university," "Gibbs said. "Hopefully new graduates will be inspired by his reminder that happiness does come through God."

[NYFriend]

I can call myself and elephant.

The real irony is that catholic means universal, and there are several catholic churches. What can I say?

An interesting aside is that my father and his family were Byzantine Catholics. The priests can marry, they follow the Orthodox calendar, and there are some other differences, such as leavened bread soaked in wine for communion. (There are very many visual differences in the churches, and there are no instruments played during worship.) Anyway, the catch is, the Byzantine's recognize the Pope as the earthly head of the Church, and they are in communion with the Church of Rome. In fact, if a Byzantine Catholic wished to transfer to a Roman Catholic Church (or vice versa), they do not need to go through the usual steps of joining. Instead, the applicable Bishops just need to agree to the transfer.

[independentmind]

You and I noticed the same comment. How completely idiotic.

[montag813]

"In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," Arinze said...."It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in contraception, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce."

Amen. Concisely and accurately put. Would make a great Pope, although a bit old at 70.

[montag813]

Theresa Sanders, a professor of theology at the university, protested by leaving the stage where Arinze was speaking.

Why not just open a Department of Athiesm for Ms. Sanders? I think we can safely stop calling Georgetown a "Jesuit" school. It is no more religious-based than any other school.

[eastsider]

There are several commencement addresses posted on the Georgetown site, but not the Cardinal's. I have contacted the Office of Public Affairs by phone asking for an on-line transcript of the Cardinal's remarks. The contact information for the Public Affairs Office is as follows:

Office of Public Affairs
206 Healy Hall
37th & O Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20057

Phone: (202) 687-8496
Fax: (202) 687-0785
EM: gucomm@georgetown.edu.

[RansomOttawa]

"In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," Arinze said. . . . "[It is] mocked by homosexuality. . . ."

So why are these people so upset? That happens to be literally true.

[SoothingDave]

In fact, if a Byzantine Catholic wished to transfer to a Roman Catholic Church (or vice versa), they do not need to go through the usual steps of joining. Instead, the applicable Bishops just need to agree to the transfer.

Any Catholic can satisfy his Mass obligation by attending a service in any of the rites. But technically speaking, a transfer from one rite to another requires the Pope's approval.

SD

[eastsider]

Georgetown is sending me a copy of the Cardinal's commencement speech by mail, and I will post it in its entirety as soon as I receive it.

[Adder]

I am thinking that a Cardinal going to a Catholic university isn't exactly a guest. So a few protested? Their position is absurd and unworthy of anyone called "professor":"it was divisive[add lisp]"Really? Maybe it was challenging. Maybe it was the fact that at a Catholic university, a Cardinal of the Church spoke of Catholic doctrine. That just HAD to be upsetting.

While I have some sympathy for the brainwashed students who were "upset" it is on the low side.

If your beliefs can't stand challenge then maybe they aren't very well founded to begin with. That seems to be the problem here. Anyone who disagrees with the acceptance of 'mos is divisive, insensitive and can be accused of making "hurtful" remarks. But only because thats what "they" say. Notice no reason can be given as why it is that way. Its simply a kneejerk reaction to any perceived criticism.

[luvtheconstitution]

What he said was correct in view of Judeo-Christian beliefs. That some found it so offensive is really frightening.

[eastsider]

The text of Cardinal Arinze's commencement address can be found here.