Replies

I just sent the Fr. Mcfarland an email, as follows:

Dear Rev. McFarland,

I am a 30 year old graduate of 8 years of Jesuit education in both Philadelphia and Boston and a big supporter of Catholic education in general. However, it has come to my attention that a production known as the 'Vagina Monologues' is to be shown on the campus of Holy Cross, on Ash Wednesday, no less! From what I have read about this particular production, it is composed of some of the most vile, disgusting, disgraceful filth imaginable, ostensibly to teach a cautionary lesson about violence against women. But the 'lesson' the play teaches is acceptance of moral degeneracy, obscenity, and fornication. It is meant to push lasciviousness to the extreme in hopes that the youth will 'understand' and 'tolerate' it, rather than recoiling from it in horror, as is proper.

I beg you, Rev. McFarland, don't be taken in. Allowing such an abomination as this to play on the campus of an ostensibly Catholic institution like Holy Cross is a direct assault upon the moral values of the students under your care. There has been too much news out of Massachusetts lately with regard to priestly malfeasance and nonfeasance on issues of sexual morality. I urge you to avoid causing further scandal and harm by affording this filth a warm welcome in Worcester.

Therefore, I beg you, Fr. McFarland, to reconsider your baffling decision to allow this affront to all that is good and holy to go on. Please, send these minions of the Enemy packing in no uncertain terms. St. Ignatius certainly would have.

I will pray for you. May God bless you and keep you.

Sincerely,

[Insert my name here.]

Great letter. I also have eight years of Jesuit education and this makes me want to vomit [imagine what St. Ignatius thinks about this.]

Here's the response I got:

thank you for your message.
I understand your concern.
Our people have looked into this issue carefully.
The production is part of a program to raise consciousness about violence and abuse directed against women. It is raising funds for a shelter for battered women that we work with. While the play is provocative and parts certainly are crude, its intent is to represent women's experience, and it has some validity that way. It does not go down easily, but we felt that the play has some value and is advocating for women's rights, not for any activity (e.g., abortion) that is in direct violation of our principles, so we do not have a basis for banning it, which would be an extreme measure in an institution of higher education, Catholic or otherwise.
Michael McFarland, SJ