What Is a Catholic University?

Cardinal Arinze's Homily on Christendom's 30th

FRONT ROYAL, Virginia, APRIL 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the homily Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, gave April 20 at the closing Mass of the 30th anniversary celebrations of Christendom College.

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1. A Day of GraceThe Eucharistic Celebration is our supreme act of worship of God. It is the highest tribute of thanksgiving which the Church can offer to our Creator. It is therefore very fitting that on the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Christendom concludes its celebration of its 30th Anniversary with this Solemn Mass.

As we gather at this Mass, we are in spiritual union with the Vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI, who is at this time celebrating the Holy Eucharist in New York City. Having commemorated yesterday the third anniversary of his election to the See of St. Peter, we are in a special time of grace. For a Catholic educational institution such as Christendom College which has a particular and deep link and attachment to the Church and her Magisterium, this is reason for added joy.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, for thirty years Christendom College has given distinguished service as an authentic academic institution. It has performed admirably to live, to show and to share its Catholic character. And it has educated citizens that are a credit to Church and society. These will now be the points for our reflection.

2. An Authentic University or College

A university or college is expected to be a centre of studies and research, a community of teachers and students who are engaged in the joint love and pursuit of knowledge, and an institution which is at the service of the wider society.

Christendom College has admirably fulfilled this role. As a liberal arts college, it has given dynamic leadership to its students on how to discover the true, the good and the beautiful, and how to pursue these goods which are so deserving in themselves. The students are educated to work hard to be free and to remain free persons by disciplining themselves to choose the good, both for themselves and for others. This is the avenue that leads to becoming men and women of virtue, of justice, of prudence, of temperance, of fortitude and of knowledge. This leads to true wisdom. The students are taught not to be afraid of the truth, of reality.

When students in the beginning of their higher studies acquire such a solid foundation, then they can safely go on to pursue a vocational training, a technical specialization or a career. Christendom College has done well in helping students acquire this indispensable foundation.

3. A Catholic College or University

Christendom College is above all a Catholic educational institution. It does not just give proof of a rigorously serious member of the national and international community of knowledge and research. It importantly expresses its Catholic identity through an explicit profession of the Catholic Faith, and through studies given unity and a sense of direction by sound philosophy and authentic Catholic theology.

The College knows that the true, the good and the beautiful is finally God himself. And God has manifested himself to us in his Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. The splendour of divine truth, goodness and beauty shines forth in Christ. In the Gospel just read, Jesus tells us: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (Jn. 14:6). If we follow the light of Christ, we shall have true freedom and be able to arrive at wisdom. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (Jn. 8:31-32).

A genuine Catholic university or college, therefore, distinguishes itself by developing and showing a harmonious relationship between faith and reason. Revealed truth and truths acquired by human reason and experience both come from the same God. They do not, and cannot, contradict each other. As the First Vatican Council says: "Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth" ("Dei Filius," 4: DS 3017).

For this reason the Second Vatican Council encourages this harmony and therefore the contribution of a Catholic university or college under the light of the Christian revelation. It says: "Therefore, if methodical investigation within every branch of learning is carried out in a genuinely scientific manner and in accord with moral norms, it never truly conflicts with faith. For earthly matters and the concerns of faith derive from the same God. Indeed, whoever labours to penetrate the secrets of reality with a humble and steady mind, is, even unawares, being led by the hand of God, who holds all things in existence, and gives them their identity" ("Gaudium et Spes," 38: cf also Catechism of the Catholic Church, 159).

All this means that a Catholic university or college would have abandoned its identity and specific role if it did not allow the light of the Catholic faith to bear on such areas of study as history, psychology, ethics and the humanities in general; if it did not see the necessity of reference to higher truths or morality as authoritatively interpreted by the Magisterium; if, in short, it did not allow theology to be a core subject.

A Catholic university, says the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II, needs to develop "courageous creativity and rigorous fidelity" ("Ex Corde Ecclesiae," 8). "While each discipline is taught systematically and according to its own methods, interdisciplinary studies, assisted by a careful and thorough study of philosophy and theology, enable students to acquire an organic vision of reality and to develop a continuing desire for intellectual progress" ("Ex Corde Ecclesiae," 20). Pope Benedict XVI spoke on 4/17/08 of the duty of intellectual charity towards the students by their educators (cf. p. 6 of his Address to Catholic Educators).

We thank God that Christendom College has for thirty years rendered this service.

4. Alumni, a Credit to Christendom College

The alumni are a credit to Christendom College. By their fruits you shall know them (cf Mt 7:16). The College has equipped its students to ask fundamental questions: Where do we come from? Why do we exist? Where are we going? How can we get there? What have great men and women done in the past in their response? What does our Catholic faith teach us?

Is it any surprise that the students learn to be the salt of the earth, the leaven in society, lamps set on a lampstand, a city set on a hill, or, in brief, children of light (cf Mt 5:13-16; Jn 12:36)?

They therefore want to contribute to make this world a better place. They reject negativity and a withdrawal syndrome attitude towards society. They get involved. They work to build on what past generations have handed on to them and because they are Christians, they are people of hope which is finally based on Jesus the Saviour, who gives meaning, synthesis and a sense of direction to our life endeavours (cf "Spe Salvi," 27).

Is it any surprise that alumni have distinguished themselves as teachers, bank workers, medical practitioners, scientists, legal experts, sales people, industrialists and managers in various institutions?

Deserving of special mention as alumni whom Christendom College education has inspired to answer God's call are priests and consecrated people. I am informed that there is a total of 53 priests and 45 monastics, religious sisters and brothers originating from this institution. This is eloquent testimony to the service which Christendom College has rendered to Church and society.

5. A PrayerMay God bless the founders of Christendom College.

May eternal rest be the reward for those of them who have gone before us from this valley of tears.

We pray for the President, the Board Members, the Faculty and the Students of Christendom College. May they continue to build on Jesus Christ who is the cornerstone, as St. Peter tells us in the Second Reading of this Sunday.

May God bless the benefactors and all friends of Christendom College and all of us here gathered, and grant us daily growth in wisdom and grace.

By the intercession of Our Lady Queen of Christendom, may this dear institution ever flourish in its contribution towards restoring all things in Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the

Life.Francis Card Arinze 20 April, 2008
c Innovative Media, Inc.

Xavier University (LA) Hosts McCain Event

Note: Senator McCain's stance on this issue is perplexing because most scientists have said that there is little hope of any cures actually coming from this highly speculative research. Instead, adult stem cell research shows the most promise and technology has rendered the need for actual human embryos moot. McCain has come out strongly anti-abortion but that just echoes the GOP platform and there are plenty of other reasons for a Republican to appoint conservative justices, mostly related to commerce. Catholic colleges need to be careful to ensure that offering a speaker's platform to any politician is not a tacit endorsement of their entire range of issue positions.

Xavier University (LA) Hosts McCain Event
From Cardinal Newman Society

Presumed Republican Party nominee for President, Senator John McCain, held a campaign event today at Xavier University in New Orleans, La. Although McCain is strongly opposed to abortion, he supports embryonic stem cell research in opposition to the Catholic Church's moral teachings.

After touring the city with Governor Bobby Jindal in the morning, the Senator was scheduled to hold a private meeting with Xavier President Norman Francis and university officials, according to a McCain campaign news release. This morning McCain held a "town hall" event at the Catholic university to field questions from the public.

"Senator McCain's public support of embryonic stem cell research conflicts with the Catholic faith espoused by Xavier University," said Patrick Reilly, President of the Cardinal Newman Society. "Unless Senator McCain conforms his defense of innocent human life from abortion with a similar defense from destructive research, Xavier should not be lending resources and facilities to his campaign."

"Particularly troubling is the unavoidable implications of a Catholic university president meeting with a political candidate, who is touting the relationship to the media," Reilly said.

Presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barrack Obama - both supporters of abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research - have made several appearances on Catholic campuses during the 2008 campaign.

The Cardinal Newman Society was one of 18 major Catholic organizations that endorsed a Statement of Principles Regarding Catholic Institutions, Sanctity of Life and Political Engagement in February 2008. Among the issues that were identified for vigilance regarding political speakers was support for embryonic stem cell research.

Written By: CNSweb
Date Posted: 4/24/2008

Too Catholic?

Note: This one is a new angle even for this blog. The college president wants to restore Catholic faith and morals to the school but the monks and students are resisting. "What's all this heaven stuff about," they seem to be saying. Well good for Mr. Towey and shame on the monks. Towey has answered the call to "make disciples of all nations" while the monks have sunk into the secular abyss of our culture.

As I wrote in the post about Assumption College, these new presidents have their work cut out for them. They have to act fast to make their changes before the forces of secularization overtake them and they either acquiesce or are replaced.

Too Catholic, Even for Many Monks

Saint Vincent College
H. James Towey

Whining and grumbling is frowned on at Benedictine institutions like Saint Vincent College. Benedict of Nursia, the Sixth Century cleric whose guidelines for living daily life underpin the philosophy of the Roman Catholic order, characterized "murmuring" -- the sort of internal bickering and in-fighting that all too often characterizes academic life -- as immensely disruptive to community living, and essentially banned members of the order from engaging in it:

For if the disciple obeys with an ill willand murmurs,not necessarily with his lips but simply in his heart,then even though he fulfill the command yet his work will not be acceptable to God,who sees that his heart is murmuring.

Few sins are as great in Benedictine philosophy as murmuring. Which makes the widespread expressions of unhappiness from staff members and students at Saint Vincent all the more noteworthy. A month ago, nearly three-quarters of the Latrobe, Pa., college's tenured faculty members wrote to the college's Board of Directors about the "unparalleled crisis" facing the institution because of the "systematic and pervasive disregard for collegiality and shared governance" showed by President H. James Towey. They focused most sharply on his decision to short-circuit a search for a vice president for academic affairs and to rewrite the college's accreditation self-study to limit unflattering material, and what they describe as his misleading comments about what he did and why.

Interviews with nontenured professors and staff members in recent weeks suggest that many of them share the impressions of the tenured faculty, but believe they lack the job security to speak out.

Note: "...lack the job security to speak out" means lack of courage to speak what you mean unless there are no consequences. That definition fits somewhere inside Ivory Tower for sure.

And last week, a group of student leaders sent their own letter to Towey, endorsing the faculty's concerns but adding their own. Although they declined to make it public, several students say that they and many of their peers at Saint Vincent are uncomfortable with the college's drift to the right (it made its first appearance in 2006-7 in a national ranking of the top 10 most conservative colleges) and with the president's unilateral decision to impose an Internet filter aimed at gambling and pornography sites, among other things.

Note: In other words, they were mad they couldn't get their gay porn downloads and had to cancel their subscriptions.

Towey, who came to Saint Vincent two years ago from the White House, where he oversaw the Bush administration's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, plays down the level of opposition to his presidency, acknowledging in an interview that there have been some "growing pains" but that he believes he and his critics on the faculty are "working in a renewed spirit of cooperation."

He writes off much of the dissension to a clash of cultures, noting that he is "new to academia" -- "I'm only a sophomore" as president, he says -- "and maybe the pace of change I'm accustomed to is different from what people are used to." He attributes some of the concerns about him to residual hard feelings among some faculty members over his 2007 invitation to President Bush to speak at Saint Vincent's commencement, and says that "if I were in their shoes, when I heard that the new president of Saint Vincent was coming from the Bush White House and was a stranger to academia, I wouldn't have been too happy."

To those students and others who contend that he and the Right Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki, who is archabbot and chancellor of the college, have pushed a hard religious line and increasingly pulled the institution to the right, "the reality is that this is a Catholic Benedictine college, and I embrace its identity and its connection with the church," Towey says. While some students and faculty members have bristled at what they describe as his overbearing emphasis on faith and his repeated references to the time he spent working with Mother Teresa, Towey does not apologize for his perceived orthodoxy and emphasis on the college's religious grounding.

"I said in my inaugural that my hope is that one day we're all together in heaven," the president says of Saint Vincent's students. "For individuals here at the college, setting their sights on a diploma is too low. They should be setting their sights on heaven."

It might be easier to dismiss the consternation about Towey's presidency off as unhappiness from liberals or heathens if less of the criticism was coming from the Benedictine monks on the campus. Saint Vincent has a strong concentration of monks because of its affiliation with the nearby Saint Vincent Seminary, which includes one of the world's largest monasteries, and the fact that monks -- who, unlike lay faculty and students, are bound by the Benedict's prohibition on "murmuring" -- have been among the most vocal critics of the institution as led by Towey and Father Nowicki speaks volumes.

"The mechanics of the university are grinding to a halt," says the Rev. Mark Gruber, one of a small number of the more than 15 faculty members, administrators and students interviewed for this article who agreed to be quoted. "The tenured faculty took the lead, fortunately, but there are a lot of other people who share their views, and who are tired of the overriding of collegial discourse, the discounting of the consensus way of decision making, and what I see as the obfuscation of our Catholic mission."

Note: Outside of academia this is called whining, a technical term for being put in one's place when an authority figure actually rules with authority.

Serious words, those, and ones that faculty and other critics at Saint Vincent say they did not offer lightly -- and insist that they did not intend to make public.

Two Years in the Making

Jim Towey came to Saint Vincent in July 2006, following four years heading President Bush's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and after a career in which he worked for Florida's former Democratic governor, Lawton Chiles, and was the chief lawyer in the United States for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity order of nuns.

His inaugural address focused on his hope that Saint Vincent under his leadership would produce students who could help change a culture that he described as desperately in need of change: "A culture that does not revere life and hold it sacred from conception until natural death; a culture that does not esteem marriage and family life and the complimentary nature of the sexes; a culture that abandons its elderly, discards its poor, and defaces its environment; and a culture that is so highly sexualized and violent that God-given human dignity is routinely degraded, is a culture that is living lies and in need of renewal."

Leaders at Saint Vincent were said to be drawn to Towey, who had no background in higher education, in part because they believed he would help raise the well-respected college's national profile. (He has maintained close ties with the Bush administration, gaining an appointment to the federal panel that advises the education secretary on accreditation, where he has been a voice calling for more accountability for colleges in the accreditation process.) Many faculty members say they had high hopes for him because of his energy and enthusiasm, and because he often acknowledged, in a self-effacing way, how eager he was to learn about working in higher education.

Starting last year, however, faculty leaders began talking among themselves about what they saw as a combination of troubling developments since Towey arrived in 2006: departures of significant numbers of senior administrators and faculty members (which Towey and his aides characterize as the usual turnover with a new administration, but critics say amounted to more than that); the president's seeming lack of interest in the academic life of the college; and, at the same time, his hands-on involvement in faculty hiring, which greatly exceeded that of previous presidents at Saint Vincent.

What had been topics for private discussions among professors catalyzed into something larger this academic year with two major events. In the first, Towey and his aides last fall criticized as "unrelentingly negative" a draft of the college's self-study report for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which had been developed through a process that included significant involvement by various constituencies on the campus.

In September, the president's office essentially took over the preparation of the document, producing a document that was widely portrayed as having stripped out virtually all critical language. Only after vigorous complaints from faculty and staff leaders did Towey's aides reconvene the original self-study committee to consider reinstating language that had been dropped. That negotiation restored some of what had been cut, but paragraphs questioning a perceived tilt in the ideologies of the outside speakers invited to the campus and suggesting that a decline in the tone of dialogue on the campus were excised from the draft and not restored.

Towey's chief spokesman, Don Orlando, concedes that administrators rewrote the document but notes that the self-study steering committee "approved the document" after some of the administration's changes were "adjusted to accommodate the request of the faculty.' He also points out that the early and final drafts were both posted on Saint Vincent's Intranet for comment, though he declined to make copies available to a reporter.

The other precipitating event was the search for the college's vice president for academic affairs. After approving a process to identify candidates for the key position, Towey scuttled the search committee called for in that process after all of its members but one had given a negative rating to an internal candidate seen as the president's favorite, John Smetanka. Three candidates were subsequently interviewed as finalists, and a reconstituted "host committee" organized those meetings. One of the three candidates was widely viewed as unqualified, and Towey, after seeking the opinions of the host committee, hired Smetanka, an assistant professor of physics at Saint Vincent who directs its honors program and opted not to be considered for tenure.

As recently as two weeks ago, at a campuswide forum, Towey told students that all members of the search committee had chosen Smetanka as either their first or second choice, a characterization that misrepresents the situation in two ways, faculty critics say. First, most members of the original search committee deemed Smetanka not to meet the qualifications laid out for the position. And by the time the members of the "host committee" were asked for their opinions, only two viable candidates remained. So being their first or second choice is no endorsement, they say.

Orlando acknowledges that Towey (who he describes as "very anxious for change at Saint Vincent") short-circuited the search process after deciding "that the process needed to change in order to bring it to a conclusion more quickly than the committee might have preferred... The fact that the process changed at the end is really irrelevant, particularly in light of the person that he hired... The procedure for the hiring of a vice president is really one that can be determined by the president."

Most faculty members probably wouldn't disagree that presidents have broad latitude to do what they wish. What troubles them most, though, and ultimately led them to take the unusual step (for a campus like Saint Vincent, where "murmuring" is discouraged) of writing to the Board of Directors, was that the president established processes and then abandoned them. That behavior is part of a pattern of actions, they wrote to the board in February, in which he has violated the principles of collegiality and shared governance that are central to any college but especially to one where the Benedictine concept of community is supposed to be "nourished by mutual respect, appreciation and charity."

“If the president were in his first year, one might consider excusing these deeply regrettable actions.... But the time is long since past that this president could have learned the culture of the institution, and made it work to his advantage.... We call on you to make the president understand the necessity of working in a collegial manner with all members of the community... In the absence of clear and decisive action on your part, it is unclear how long this faculty, or the dedicated staff and administrators of Saint Vincent College, can continue to do the jobs we love so well, and this institution will be damaged beyond recognition."

Or, as one faculty member put it: "He insists on saying he's going to play by the rules, in fact that he is playing by the rules. Except when he gets caught not playing by the rules, he apologizes and say, 'You didn't tell me I had to play by the rules.' The inability to be straightforward and truthful is extraordinarily disorienting. And it leads people to assume the worst all the time, because then you won't be disappointed."

Seeping Into Public View

Faculty leaders insist that they sent their letter only to the members of the board and to Towey, hoping to stimulate an internal conversation, and that they were surprised when it was appended to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last month entitled "St. Vincent's president a lightning rod for criticism."

In a statement, Susan Sommers, chair of the faculty council, said: "Articles dealing with difficulties between the faculty and administration at Saint Vincent College have recently appeared in the press. We are neither a contentious nor confrontational group, and had hoped to deal with the matters discussed in these articles internally. Faculty have taken extraordinary measures to maintain the confidentiality of documents to which the articles refer. We have also avoided making statements of substance to the press. Faculty deeply regret that members of the administration and of the Board of Directors have chosen to do otherwise. In the interest of fairness, it must be noted that their statements are at odds with what many faculty members believe to be true about the situation on campus."

Administrators dismiss the suggestion that they were the ones who released the faculty's letter or a stinging response, quoted in another article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, from Father Thomas Acklin, a member of the Board of Directors, that called the faculty's letter "so unprofessional and the allegations so unsubstantiated that I have trouble understanding how it can further a spirit of dialogue that it seeks."

"There's no reason why we would feel compelled to share them," says Orlando, the Saint Vincent spokesman. "This difference of opinion is just an internal matter, and the issues really don't impact the public in any way."

Despite the faculty's strong language about Saint Vincent facing an "unparalleled crisis," Orlando characterizes the current unhappiness as typical cyclical unrest that occurs at all institutions, where "sometimes faculty morale is down, sometimes administrative morale is down, sometimes hourly employees morale is down." In this instance, he says, the only people who have spoken out publicly are "a small portion of the faculty -- those tenured faculty who have the luxury of tenure, which enables them to be braver in their outspokenness."

Wouldn't the fact that 31 of the college's 42 tenured faculty members signed the letter suggest similar levels of dissatisfaction on the part of others on the faculty of about 120? a reporter asks. "I would never generalize their views as more than the view of those people who signed the letter," Orlando says.

During an interview last month, Towey is sanguine about the turmoil around him. He says that he took the faculty's letter seriously -- "clearly I have work to do to communicate better" -- but also defends his performance so far, citing upticks in enrollment and academic standards, a rising endowment and, he emphasizes, a faculty pay increase.

He also says he doubts that the tenured faculty's view is representative of the "great majority" on the campus, and tells a reporter that "your story would have been more interesting in early March." Since the Board of Directors met at that time and both backed the president's performance and urged him to work more closely with faculty members, Towey says, professors are "getting a better understanding of what I'm trying to do."

In the interview, Towey also virtually gushes describing how much he enjoys dealing with Saint Vincent's students, noting that he and his wife have had more than a sixth of its 1,700 students over for dinner, that he is taking a dozen to Calcutta this summer, as he has in the past, to participate in Mother Teresa's work with orphans and other needy people. "I'm loving the student life here," he says.

Which must have made it all the more painful last week when a group of students reportedly delivered to him a letter of their own, expressing their own deep frustration about his leadership of the college. While they declined to characterize the contents of their letter, several of them said in interviews that they shared some of the faculty's concerns about governance and had their own example of the president's heavyhandedness.

Early in his time at the college, before the start of the fall semester in 2006, Towey ordered that an Internet filter be instituted to block sites related to gambling, pornography and "adult or mature content." As Towey explained in the entry on his blog last fall about the decision, "Saint Vincent College, from its founding 161 years ago, cares about the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional formation of the students who come here, and seeks to provide an environment conducive to such growth. We promote academic freedom and embrace it. I made this decision because I believe the Internet filter is consistent with both worthy goals. And quite frankly, my focus is not on what we are against as a College but what we are for -- beauty, human dignity, gender equality, justice, and the pursuit of the truth."

Note; Such filters can be found on other Catholic campuses such as Franciscan university in nearby Ohio.

Students say they object not so much to the decision, which some agree may be justified, as to the way the president put it in place -- secretly, and without consultation with those subject to it. That change, and the president's constant references on his blog and in his speeches to students' spiritual health and to seeing his job as helping them get to heaven, makes students feel like they're "being pontificated to all the time," says one student leader. "He's trying to make this into a more uber-Catholic place, and it's not what many of us signed up for."

Students griping about preachy college administrators -- not such big news. But perhaps the most striking aspect of the situation at Saint Vincent's is the extent to which many of the Benedictine monks on the campus feel that, as one put it, he is "imposing his narrow view of Catholicism" on a campus with its own vision established over 160 years. It's not, they say, that they are unwilling to have their views be challenged or to see the campus "revivify a genuine Catholic tradition here," as Father Mark Gruber says.

"I would have welcomed an intellectually sound reconsideration of the best way to embody the Catholic philosophy at a college," Father Mark says. "It would be useful to take John Newman's discussion of the university from the 19th century, or even Benedict XVI's scholarly approach, and having a set of faculty discussions about what we should do. Instead, we get Mother Teresa of Calcutta a great deal and a lot of talk about heaven.

"My mission in the classroom, and our mission as a university, is to inform and enlighten, to bring the kingdom of good and of God to this world. I don't see it as my mission, or his mission, to be a preacher of revival that gets students to heaven."

— Doug Lederman

Pope Rebukes Colleges, But Was Anyone Listening?

Pope Benedict Tells Catholic College Leaders to Uphold Pro-Life Values
4/17/2008 9:17:00 PM
By Steven Ertelt -LifeNews.com

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As pro-life advocates expected and hoped for, Pope Benedict XVI told leaders of Catholic colleges and universities that they need to uphold Catholic values. The speech is considered a great help for pro-life advocates concerned about college hosting pro-abortion speakers and candidates.

The Pope said academic freedom on college campuses has "great value" but that it does not justify abrogating Catholic teaching about the value of human life in the face of abortion and concerns on bioethics issues like euthanasia and stem cell research.

The pontiff said Catholic teaching should shape the direction of Catholic colleges and that teachers and university officials have a "profound responsibility to lead the young to truth."
"I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom," Benedict told hundreds of Catholic university representatives at the Catholic University of America speech.

"Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission," he said.

Though he didn't mention abortion issues or pro-abortion speakers specifically, attendees couldn't mistake the implications of his comments.

"Teachers and administrators, whether in universities or schools, have the duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice," Benedict said.

"Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual or spiritual."

For pro-life advocates who have complained about the rash of recent pro-abortion speakers on campus -- such as Hillary Clinton at St. Mary's University and St. Peter's College hosting Barack Obama -- news of a "rebuke" from Pope Benedict is welcome.

Some of the recent concerns about pro-abortion speakers at Catholic Colleges include:

* Pennsylvania-based Mercyhurst College agreed to host a rally for pro-abortion candidate Hillary Clinton.

* King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania hosted a rally for Hillary Clinton

* University of St. Thomas (TX) President Robert Ivany had to cancel a scheduled speech by pro-abortion Latino leader Dolores Huerta.

* St. Mary's University, also in Texas, came under fire from pro-life advocates for hosting a rally for pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

* St. Louis University officials came under fire for not disciplining basketball coach Rick Majerus after the pro-abortion comments he made at a rally for Clinton.

* Trinity University in Washington, D.C. got heat from Reilly's group for continuing to extol two of its pro-abortion alumnae, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

* St Peter's College, a Jesuit Catholic institution, allowed pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to hold a rally there.

Ivory Tower Heretics Yawn Through Pope's Remarks

Note: It's a good thing they didn't use leather chairs or the sound of uneasy shifting would have been deafening as the pope addressed the heretics who run most of the US Catholic Colleges and Universities. The speech was very good but I'm afraid that by talking from a theological perspective he talked over most of their heads. These professional wafflers mostly are tuned into fund-raising and homosexuality these days, not matters of authentic witness.

Full Text From Cardinal Newman Society Website

Crises of Truth and Faith Linked, Says Pope
Addresses Representatives of Catholic Education

WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The modern "crisis of truth" is rooted in a "crisis of faith," Benedict XVI told a group of leaders and representatives of Catholic education.

The Pope affirmed this today at the Catholic University of America in the U.S. capital. He was welcomed to the campus by the university's president, Father David O'Connell, and warmly received by cheering students chanting "CUA loves the Pope."

"Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News," the Holy Father affirmed.

But he acknowledged that some question the Church's involvement in education. "It is timely, then," the Pontiff said "to reflect on what is particular to our Catholic institutions. How do they contribute to the good of society through the Church's primary mission of evangelization?"

"All the Church's activities stem from her awareness that she is the bearer of a message which has its origin in God himself," the Holy Father explained. And he went on to say that "the one who seeks the truth becomes the one who lives by faith."

Thus, the Pontiff said, a school's Catholic identity is "a question of conviction -- do we really believe that only in the mystery of the Word made flesh does the mystery of man truly become clear? Are we ready to commit our entire self -- intellect and will, mind and heart -- to God? Do we accept the truth Christ reveals? Is the faith tangible in our universities and schools? Is it given fervent expression liturgically, sacramentally, through prayer, acts of charity, a concern for justice, and respect for God's creation? Only in this way do we really bear witness to the meaning of who we are and what we uphold."

"From this perspective one can recognize that the contemporary 'crisis of truth' is rooted in a 'crisis of faith,'" Benedict XVI continued. "Only through faith can we freely give our assent to God's testimony and acknowledge him as the transcendent guarantor of the truth he reveals."

Papal pondering

Though Catholic institutions should witness to the truth of Christ, Benedict XVI affirmed, it is also observable that people are reluctant to entrust themselves to God, he said.

"It is a complex phenomenon and one which I ponder continually," the Pope confessed. "While we have sought diligently to engage the intellect of our young, perhaps we have neglected the will. Subsequently we observe, with distress, the notion of freedom being distorted.

"Freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in -- a participation in Being itself. Hence authentic freedom can never be attained by turning away from God. Such a choice would ultimately disregard the very truth we need in order to understand ourselves."

Catholic identity

The Holy Father said that Catholic identity "demands and inspires" more than the "orthodoxy of course content" -- "namely that each and every aspect of your learning communities reverberates within the ecclesial life of faith."

"Only in faith can truth become incarnate and reason truly human, capable of directing the will along the path of freedom," he said.

In this way, the Pontiff contended, "our institutions make a vital contribution to the mission of the Church and truly serve society. They become places in which God's active presence in human affairs is recognized and in which every young person discovers the joy of entering into Christ's 'being for others.'"

Serving truth

Benedict XVI further noted that the Church's contribution to the public forum is also questioned.

"It is important therefore to recall that the truths of faith and of reason never contradict one another," he explained. "In articulating revealed truth she serves all members of society by purifying reason, ensuring that it remains open to the consideration of ultimate truths. […] Far from undermining the tolerance of legitimate diversity, such a contribution illuminates the very truth which makes consensus attainable, and helps to keep public debate rational, honest and accountable."

The Pope thanked the representatives of Catholic education for their witness and professionalism -- which brought applause from the crowd.

The Bishop of Rome then lauded the value of academic freedom.

"In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges universities," he said, "I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church's 'munus docendi' and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.

The Pope received another round of applause when he made a "special appeal" to religious brothers, sisters and priests.

"Do not abandon the school apostolate; indeed, renew your commitment to schools especially those in poorer areas," he encouraged them. "In places where there are many hollow promises which lure young people away from the path of truth and genuine freedom, the consecrated person's witness to the evangelical counsels is an irreplaceable gift. I encourage the religious present to bring renewed enthusiasm to the promotion of vocations. Know that your witness to the ideal of consecration and mission among the young is a source of great inspiration in faith for them and their families."

At the end of the address, the Holy Father exchanged gifts with the president of the Catholic University of America. He then greeted and shook hands with some of those present.

When he left the building to head to an interreligious dialogue session nearby, he passed by the waiting popemobile to greet the cheering students waiting outside the door. Later, after taking his seat in the popemobile, he had the window rolled down and leaned out to continue waving and greeting the youth along the path.

Georgetown University Professor Says Pope Must Atone for the Sins of His Past

Sterotypical Georgetown Professor Pops Off at Pope

There will be so much hot air being blown in the Pope's direction this week that it will be difficult to pick and choose which ones to post. This professor, secure in the comfort of his cushy 21st century ivory tower feels he can judge the actions of an 18 year-old boy in Hitler's Nazi Germany who later became arguably the greatest Catholic theologian of our time.

It's not that astounding that such hubris comes from Georgetown. If you've never encountered a real Catholic moral leader, you might have trouble knowing what to think, say or write about one.

Further, if you can't be bothered to read the writings of such a man, you might be constrained to the fishbowl of dissent at Georgetown where group-think and attack have replaced theological discussion and examination.

Ratzinger was thankfully spared by Providence from the fate of a bullet in the back of his head and a mass grave in Auschwitz so that he could be a prophet of our times, one of the most challenging in Catholic history, a time when the Church's own institutions have turned on her.

But then, Providence, Church history and the papacy would be subjects not taught at Georgetown, as least not by faithful Catholics.

Campus Alcoholics Clubs to be Established at Catholic Colleges

Should Drinking Clubs be Allowed on Catholic College Campuses?

A new national group - College Drinkers/Drunk Very Drunk (CD/DVD) recently announced their intention to establish Campus Alcoholics chapters on leading Catholic college campuses. And with that, Campus Alcoholics was formed.

"We think it's time that drunks come out of the closet and fully participate in Catholic higher education," stated the group's founder. "For too long drunks have been looked down upon by other non-drinking members of the college community. At CA meeting you'll meet other drunks in a completely non-judgemental environment."

Immediately, large well-known Catholic colleges jumped on board. One in Washington D.C. at first resisted but under pressure from on-campus drunks announced the full funding of a center for alcoholics. "I never realized how many drunks we already had here!" said the college president. "There may be something about our college that attracts a lot of drunks." The facility will be built using a donation from a foreign prince.

A Catholic college president in the Midwest at first stated that drunkenness is "incompatible with Catholic teaching" but later said the group could operate on campus as long as they "get faculty sponsorship and have a panel discussion" after they get drunk. Another Midwestern College immediately established a chair for alcoholic studies. Finding an alcoholic professor was not a problem.

The smaller Catholic colleges immediately established chapters not wanting to be left behind or considered anachronistic.

A right-wing Catholic group protested that alcoholism is unhealthy, leads to loss of employment, breakup of families, depression, disease, higher suicide rates and early death. They also pointed out that many Catholic priests had problems with alcohol, problems that Bishops covered up, sometimes causing scandal.

"Nonsense" said the group's founder. "That's just old-fashioned anti-drunk intolerance and we're going to fight the haters all the way."

Another Catholic organization suggested that it would be better to treat drunks with compassion and to help them avoid alcohol and bring them to Christ through active ministry. They indicated that it would be un-Catholic to encourage drinking in any way and that establishing clubs on campus could lead to behavior contrary to the Catholic Church's values.

"Another outdated form of bigotry!" claimed the head of Campus Alcoholics. "But not to worry, we have plenty of allies on our side."

Note: There are plenty of organizations, religious and secular, that will help people with alcoholism to get off alcohol and lead healthy and productive lives. Alcoholics need to be treated with compassion but also with the truth about their physical, psychological and spiritual condition.

Next week we'll have a guest columnist from the Fat-Thin Alliance write about wiping out teasing in American high schools.

Will Assumption College Turn Catholic, or Not?

Assumption Struggles to Turn Around Image

For those seeking a truly "Catholic" college experience in the New England Region, it can be tough. Boston College, a.k.a. Barely Catholic, long ago succumbed to the secular world-view and is probably best known for dissenting theologians popular with the mainstream media.

Holy Cross College is even worse. It's public promotion of Planned Parenthood at a recent symposium brought the condemnation of the Bishop of Worcester. They openly support abortion and gay causes as well as hosting the pornographic and blatantly anti-Catholic Vagina Monologues.

The smaller colleges of choice for Catholic students likewise suffer an identity crisis and crisis of faithfulness. Tilting leftward, they do all they can to avoid outward expressions of piety while trumpeting so-called "diversity" and "tolerance", code for gay friendliness and hostility to traditional Catholic belief. These colleges include Merrimack College, Stonehill College, Saint Anselm's College and Assumption College.

We previously reported that the new president of Assumption, Francesco C. Cesareo, gave a speech last fall upon his installation that signaled that perhaps he would turn Assumption back into a Catholic school. So we decided to take a look and see how he's fared so far.

First, it's important to note how far the school had to go. In 2002 it was reported that a student manning a booth in support of traditional marriage on campus was openly harassed by pro-gay attackers brought on campus from the outside by a gay campus group in full view of Mark Bilotta, a college administrator. In 2006, Mr. Bilotta was named the head of the Worcester Consortium of colleges and is still employed in a senior position at Assumption.

The campus gay club, AC Allies, still advertises their on campus activities, and as usual disguise their intention to promote homosexuality as some sort of human right and anti-bullying campaign, the same tactic being used nationally to get homosexuality accepted at secular high schools. On a recent post acceptance tour, a student remarked to me that they couldn't even find a pro-life club.

But in an even more in-your-face act, and a good indicator of the resistance the new president is facing, it was reported that the faculty voted to charge President Francesco Cesareo and his cabinet with violating policy when they refused to host a gay activist veteran as a Veterans Day speaker. On Internet postings, some faculty claimed the school was violating their "free speech rights." Given that Assumption College is a private, religious institution, such a claim is juvenile. Hopefully these weren't law professors. More striking is that no one was as vocal when the student was being harassed for supporting traditional marriage.

Turning a Catholic college around may be more difficult than the new president thought but it can be done. One huge obstacle is that most college faculty are tenured and secure enough in their positions to openly defy and secretly undermine any policies they disagree with.

Examples where the turnarounds did occur or are in progress include Franciscan University at Steubenville Ohio, rated as faithful by Cardinal Newman Society and National Catholic Register, and Providence College where similarly a new college president declared the Eucharist and the chapel to be the center of all the college stands for and set about ridding the campus of activities contrary to the Catholic mission. Catholic colleges like Franciscan U have become the transfer destination of choice for devout Catholic students disillusioned with the Catholic-in-name-only colleges.

To truly make the change will require preferential acceptance of practicing Catholics in the student body as well as in hiring of staff. Sadly, Assumption's reputation as a gay-friendly party school (the nickname of the school is "Consumption") is so ingrained that good Catholics are likely to continue to shun the school (as the child of this writer has decided to do). The school president will have to make painful changes that are both decisive and public if he is to change course.

We'll keep an eye on Assumption to see if this occurs.

Institutionalized Dissent Greets the Holy Father

From an article on Inside Catholic by Deal Hudson:

John Paul II helped to create new and orthodox Catholic apostolates throughout this nation that served as a platform for his genuine implementation of Vatican II reforms. Benedict arrives in the United States to continue the work of his predecessor. The Holy Father knows very well that when he meets with the presidents of more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities, there will be only a relative handful who have embraced the Apostolic Constitution on Catholic universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, issued over 18 years ago by John Paul II.

Most of the secular media is trained on what Benedict will say about the Iraq War -- but in the life of the Church in this country, the real action will come on Thursday, April 17, when the Holy Father meets at the Catholic University of America with the college presidents. What he will say to those who safeguard institutionalized dissent will not change anything overnight, but it will send a forceful message to the laity to demand their institutions reaffirm their true Catholic identity.

'No' to Pro-life 'Yes' to Transgender Speakers

Note: Something really wrong is happening here that we've seen at other schools. It appears more and more that radical feminists with a left-wing agenda are getting themselves appointed to decision-making positions at Catholic colleges for the exact purpose of undermining Catholic teaching. St. Thomas is in danger of losing its Catholic identity as a result.

Liberal at Catholic Univ. of St. Thomas Says 'No' to Pro-life 'Yes' to Transgender Speakers
David M. Bresnahan
April 10, 2008

St. Paul, MN - The largest private university in Minn., the Univ. of St. Thomas, has refused to allow Star Parker, a pro-life black woman, to address students on campus about Planned Parenthood in a free and open presentation, even though the university web site claims the Univ. of St. Thomas "educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good."

A liberal administrator at the Catholic school, VP of Student Affairs, Jane Canney, is the gatekeeper who seems to be permitting extremist liberal points of view, but denying conservative opinions that are in keeping with Catholic teachings, even though St. Thomas is a dedicated and respected Catholic institution. School policy states that all points of view should be presented.

The school maintains a Center for Catholic studies. "The program was designed to engage students and faculty interested in a study of the Catholic intellectual tradition as a whole and how it shapes our understanding of politics, psychology, history, science, literature, theology and other aspects of contemporary culture," according to the school web site.

The Catholic Church maintains a strong stand in opposition to abortion, so it is surprising to students that their university has banned nationally syndicated columnist Star Parker from a planned presentation on the campus. Parker was expected to speak on "The Origins of Planned Parenthood," which many students and members of the local community would like to hear.

Parker seems to be more than qualified to speak to the students at any college or university. She has testified before the United States Congress, has appeared as an expert commentator on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and other television programs. She is also frequently quoted in major national publications such as the Washington Times, Christianity Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. Parker is the author of three books, and runs a non-profit conservative think tank, CURE, organized to "fight poverty and restore dignity through faith, freedom and personal responsibility."

"Bringing Star to St. Thomas would not only be beneficial for all who hear her, but also enjoyable, educational, and a wonderful inspiration to our Catholic university,"said a report in the independent student newspaper the St. Thomas Standard.

The article explains the many qualifications of Parker, and why students at the university would like to attend the presentation. The article was written by editor Amie Kieffer. The St. Thomas Standard along with the St. Thomas Students for Human Life, and the Young America's Foundation (YAF) are the sponsors of the lecture by Parker.

Kieffer reported to the YAF that she and her sister Katie, founder of the paper, were told by Canney that any speaker sponsored by the YAF is not allowed on campus. Canney ignored efforts to obtain her reaction by phone or by E-mail for this report.

The vision statement of the university says: "We seek to be a recognized leader in Catholic higher education that excels in effective teaching, active learning, scholarly research and responsible engagement with the local community as well as with the national and global communities in which we live."

Interestingly, liberal speakers at St. Thomas receive full support from the school's administration and the Student Life Committee overseen by Canney. During the current school year, Canney has approved the appearances of outspoken liberal commentator Al Franken, as well as a transgendered activist, Debra Davis.

It appears that Canney and school administrators may be ignoring their own policy regarding speakers at the school, which states: "Another factor governing speakers on campus is our concern that a wide variety of issues and viewpoints be given expression. We take pride in the scope and quality of programs on campus during the past years. The value of freedom in the classroom is reflected in the campus forum..."

Most schools have such a tight budget that they seek to find sponsors who will underwrite the cost of bringing informative speakers to their campus. Hundreds of lectures are given at colleges and universities each year that are sponsored by the YAF, but apparently Canney will not approve a speaker who is sponsored by YAF, although she has not responded to requests to confirm or deny this claim by students.

Young America's Foundation sponsors more than 500 lectures annually featuring a wide array of the very best in the conservative movement, including John Ashcroft, Michelle Malkin, Dinesh D'Souza, Sean Hannity, Bay Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Star Parker, and many others.

Dr. Peter Kreeft: "We are living in a spiritual Hiroshima"

Dr. Peter Kreeft has a recording on his website byt this title and i encourage you to visit at http://www.peterkreeft.com/home.htm. He is obviously one of the few devout Catholic teaching on a "Catholic" campus today and likely suffers much for it.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: Why do you use the word "jihad"? Is that really appropriate?

A: Primarily, the word "jihad" means "spiritual struggle." It is an accurate word per se for what Christians are facing today.

Q: Is Boston College a Catholic university?

A: No, Boston College is a Jesuit university that used to be Catholic. My mother says that I should not say anything about someone if I can't say something good; my mother would not like the Theology Department at Boston College. The Philosophy Department is pretty solid. In many ways, Boston College is still Catholic. BC is not so far gone as Georgetown, but it is farther gone than Notre Dame. Like New York City, Boston College is both great and ugly.

Q: When asked whether heart disease or cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States, it's correct to say "neither." The leading cause of death in the United States is murder by abortion.

A: Thank you.

Q: Could you please comment on the sexual revolution?

A: The sexual revolution did not just change lives, it changed the sources of life.

Q: When will the tide turn on our "Catholic" college campuses?

A: It is turning now. Students today are a sort of "populist groundswell" for orthodoxy, but "Catholic" college administrators/establishments "haven't heard about that yet."

Q: How happy are today's "liberated" people?

A: Not very. The best measure is the suicide rate. Since the 1950s, the suicide rate among teenagers has gone up 500%.

Q: How can people today "not get it?"

A: They kill their consciences. And to kill your conscience, you must go insane.

Q: How do you convert the insane?

A: You love them; you be honest with them; you talk with them; you be their friend; you pray for them.

Q: Would you ever allow one of your children to go to Boston College?

A: Three of my four children did go there, and they emerged "unscathed." Seriously, some of my best friends are Jesuits. There is hope for Boston College.

Hilary Clinton Rally at Eerie PA Catholic College Causes Bishop to Cancel Appearance

Note: Our critics say that politicians should be allowed to speak on Catholic college campuses so students may explore different points of view. There are a couple of things wrong with this idea. For one, this candidate's 'point of view' regarding morals and opposition to Catholic teaching are about as well known and vetted as can be. For another, there is no critical debate of the issues as part of the talk. In fact, Mrs. Clinton insulates herself from ad-hoc questioning even at secular events. And most importantly, if the college actually taught and promoted Catholic faith and morals, what is known as objective truth, then there would be nothing to fear from guest speakers opposed to it. There would also be no point.

Hilary Clinton Rally at Eerie PA Catholic College Causes Bishop to Cancel Appearance
Pro-Life Group Plans Demonstration

By John-Henry Westen

ERIE, PA, March 31, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Hillary Clinton is going to hold a campaign rally at Mercyhurst College tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The Catholic College boasts of the pro-abortion Senator and Presidential candidate's appearance on its web page.

LifeSiteNews.com has also learned that Erie Bishop Donald W. Trautman has cancelled his scheduled appearance at the upcoming Mercyhurst graduation ceremony in protest.

Ad on college website's main page at http://www.mercyhurst.edu/

Tim Broderick of the pro-life group People for Life is urging "all pro-life people to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to be at Mercyhurst for a pro-life informational demonstration from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM, Tuesday -- rain or shine." Broderick is urging pro-life individuals who are unable to attend to contact the university with their concerns.
University President Thomas Gamble permitted the Clinton appearance despite a directive from the United States Conference of Bishops which specifically forbids pro-abortion politicians from such engagements.

Broderick told LifeSiteNews.com that Clinton's appearance at the Catholic institution would "mislead the general public about Hillary and Bill Clinton's extreme commitment to actively promoting abortion in America and around the world." Moreover, he said that it would "mislead the public in general and Catholics in particular about the Catholic Church's very cogent recognition that abortion is precisely the murder of an innocent human being, and that establishing legal protection for the unborn is a matter of tremendous urgency."

Demonstrators are being asked to meet at the Parade Blvd. entrance to the Mercyhurst Campus. Broderick will be on hand with picket signs from 4 PM.

"We are hoping the Erie Catholic Diocese will be able to force a cancellation of this event," said Broderick.

To politely express concerns contact:
Dr. Thomas J. Gamble
President of Mercyhurst College
Main 111
Office: (814) 824-2311
Fax: (814) 824-3333
E-mail: tgamble@mercyhurst.edu

Sue Johnson
Administrative Assistant to President Gamble
Main 111
Office: (814) 824-2311
Fax: (814) 824-3333
Email: sjohnson@mercyhurst.edu

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08033103.html