Posted on 10/18/2009 4:05:27 AM PDT by NYer
.- The University of Notre Dames Student Activities Office is facing criticism for allowing a group of five students to use student activities funds to travel to a national homosexual political demonstration that advocated for same-sex marriage and related issues.
The Office approved Notre Dames Progressive Student Alliance (PSA) request to use PSA funding to travel to Washington, D.C. for the National Equality March on the weekend of Oct. 9-11, the Notre Dame Observer reports.
The March, organized by the group Equality Across America, says on its website that the march was for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. In the organizers view, this one single demand included freedom from harassment and discrimination, the right to serve freely in the military, the right to marry, and the right to equitable healthcare, and the right to donate blood.
Organizers rejected a piecemeal strategy, saying they sought one federal solution to full equality.
For the event the Notre Dame students marched two miles across the District of Columbia and then joined homosexual activists for a rally at Capitol Hill.
PSA President, sophomore Jackie Emmanuel, told the Observer that the group initially had about 20 students signed up for the event but most could not participate due to midterms.
"The fact that we were university-approved was surprising but it was a wonderful surprise," Emmanuel remarked. "The university hasn't always been entirely receptive in the past."
She said she has felt a slight tone of homophobia from some areas on campus, but she expressed her belief that the student body is generally supportive.
Colleen King, another student participant in the event, described herself as a straight ally and said attendees had a real sense of frustration with government inaction on the activists issues. She also reported there was a sense of celebration.
She told the Observer that the group hung out in the homosexual neighborhood of the city and stayed with friends to minimize costs.
King also said she believes homosexual rights are a social justice issue that should be addressed on campus.
I think it's hard to be gay at Notre Dame," she continued. "I wish there was more of a gay rights movement on campus."
Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society, was among the critics of the Student Activities Offices decision to fund the students travel.
Faithful Catholics will ask whether Notre Dame has learned its lesson from the scandalous commencement ceremony last spring, he commented in a press release. What university seeking to reassure families of its Catholic identity would pay for students to attack the family and oppose Catholic teachings on marriage?
CNA contacted a University of Notre Dame spokesman on Friday but did not receive a response by publication time.
Notre Dame is an independent, national Catholic university. It is run by a board. The pope cannot close it down.
...and it has been infiltrated by liberals like the larger Catholic Church, other churches, our schools, universities and our military.
Well, maybe they were pro-life homosexuals.
If I am not mistaken, the Bishop in that diocese has the power to strip them of the use of the word “Catholic,” and it should be done post-haste.
No, but a pope can impose all sorts of limits or mandates on the order to which the priest, who is president, belongs. He could forbid the saying of Mass on campus. He could force the order to abandon the campus. He could do all sorts of things. Prudentially, though, the pope has not seen fit to do so for an number of reasons that are debatable. But the decision rests with the pope, for sure, as to whether there will be any significant consequences for the consistent mooning of catholic doctrine that the president and his ilk keep engaging in.
The local bishop can (and IMO, should) declare Notre Dame to be non-Catholic.
And whoever is in charge of this sort of thing have just re-elected President “Father” Jenkins to another five year term, citing his vision and priestly example”!
Thus giving the finger in a big way to all orthodox Catholics, bishops to laity.
Too bad most bishops don’t have Catholic convictions and most of those who do don’t have the courage to demand that the others declare themselves!
“Notre Dame is an independent, national Catholic university. It is run by a board. The pope cannot close it down.”
Shouldn’t this read:
Notre Dame is an independent, national formerly Catholic university. It is run by a board. The pope cannot close it down.
How can Notre Dame still be considered Catholic when its officials repeatedly take positions in conflict with Catholic teaching? It’s clearly time for the local bishop to bite the bullet and do what needs to be done.
Then why do they kill each other off with AIDS? < /sarc >
Then they should drop the pretense of calling themselves Catholic and simply eliminate the word Catholic from their university.
More than infiltrated. The Board and the administration reflect liberal rather than Catholic opinion. I imagine that the administrative staff is much more liberal than the average Catholic in the pews.
Due to such transgressions (e.g. Obama invitation, liberal theology dept, etc) against the Catholic faith, Notre Dame’s football program has been smited by the Lord.
I have not been following college football ... thanks for the update :-)
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