Posted on 05/22/2003 12:12:13 PM PDT by pseudo-justin
Cardinal's anti-gay comment sparks protest
By CARLOS CAMPOS Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
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 Catholic 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."
This man comes from a part of the world where Christians are flogged and sometimes crucified for being Christian. I do not think he is afraid of the Georgetown faculty or students.
It is too bad that all those seniors had to wait until commencements to hear the Catholic faith vigorously asserted. Maybe Arinze was conscience stricken: If I do not speak the truth to them, who will?
Due to the reaction, the Vatican is now sure to hear about the ABC's of Georgetown: "Anything But Catholicism".
I am praying that the case of Arinze, Timmons, and Reilly is a signal instead to the Universities that the game is about to be up--soon.
One can only pray :)
Well at least he didn't talk about the "pro-Life" thing or some other embarrassing aspect of Catholic teaching. Geez...
"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."
This guy is a disagrace and should be defrocked! Besides, his comment on 'paid to say' shows that he has no vocation -- just a job.
Cardinal Arinze would be the perfect Pope to follow on the footsteps of JPII.
Stuff a sock in it, Ingy! The only thing unChristian here is YOUR faith. You sold yourself out to modernism.
And sing Kumbaya I suppose. Bunch of losers.
Vive la vérité catholique! Vive Arinze!
Could've fooled me!
Most things today's Jebbies touch (outside of a few good ones) they totally profane.
Ed Ingebretsen, FCC Associate Professor of English, Director of American Studies Phone: 202-687-7531 E-mail: ingebree@georgetown.edu
Tommaso Astarita Professor of History (202) 687-5860 E-mail: astaritt@georgetown.edu
Sanders, Theresa (202)687-6106 Email: sanderst@georgetown.edu
Sanders is the one who walked off the stage in front of the good Cardinal. Reading lists for her "theology" courses are here: Theresa Sanders Course Readings List
Apparently, Sanders thinks that the approach to God based on BEING, the Patristic, Scholastic, and Thomistic approach, is too problematic. Let's all read Fuerbach and John Hick instead.
Jane Dammen McAuliffe, Ph.D.Dean, Georgetown College phone: (202) 687-4259 fax: (202) 687-7290 email: jdm@georgetown.edu
I'm not Catholic, but Cardinal Francis Arinze is right in this and I support his stand on this.
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."
And of course there are those are wrong. To me it sounds like Cardinal Arinze took the message right where it needed to be heard.
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