Two recent graduates of Franciscan University of Steubenville are pioneering a dynamic apostolate for Catholic students who experience same-sex attraction and/or gender dysphoria.
Called Integratis, the endeavor debuted as an officially recognized ministry of Franciscan University this academic year, but it began three years ago, when Brittany Bain and Manny Gonzalez founded Integratis in hopes of providing community for fellow Franciscan students experiencing same-sex attraction and living in accord with the Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality and chastity.
Bain and Gonzalez spent two years developing the structure and programming of Integratis in partnership with the university before its launch as a public apostolate. Since then, the Integratis community has more than doubled in size, and it now includes 20 current students.
The mission statement clarified that Integratis “is not a ‘support group,’ a ‘student club,’ or an ‘advocacy group’ that might be found at other colleges and universities,” and the ministry “rejects the current cultural LGBTQ+ definitions and assumptions.” For instance, Integratis avoids identifying people by their sexual attractions or experience of gender.
Instead, Integratis provides “a faithful community that assists men and women to live full, abundant, virtuous, integrated lives in accordance with the truth, goodness and beauty of human sexuality as understood and proclaimed joyfully by the Catholic Church.” The group’s name means “made whole” in Latin, emphasizing that “all of us are in need of Christ and are only made whole through his Resurrection….”
The Integratis community gathers for weekly community nights, which seek to build and foster authentic friendship. The community attends Mass together for a night of prayer twice a semester. Also twice a semester are formation nights, during which Bain and Gonzalez provide more formal guidance for the community by returning to two central themes of the ministry: Who are we, and who is God? In addition to sharing personal experiences, the group takes advantage of resources such as Eden Invitation’s “Porch Series” videos, the writings of Eve Tushnet, and other sources that address gender and sexuality from a faithful Catholic perspective….
While Gonzalez said the campus reception of Integratis has been overwhelmingly positive, he mentioned that some students disagree with the mission of Integratis because they disagree with the Church’s teachings….
The above comes from a Nov. 15 story in the National Catholic Register.
How long until Franciscan University Officially drops its Catholic identity? Catering to all sorts of sexually confused people will only hasten this school’s departure from Church teachings on sexuality, in the name of tolerance and inclusion (of mortally sinful behavior).
This is wonderful news as Integratis embraces the Natural/Moral Law. All readers here should offer special prayers for this community for it stands for and with the Church and in contradistinction to homosexual pride and trans pride ideology. And Integratis comes at an important time in the life of the Church when some members of the hierarchy reject the Natural/Moral Law and call for the normalization of deviant sexual acts. Also such a community has relevance for never-married people like myself who bear the cross, however imperfectly, of life-long chastity (I am 72). It is very important that Integratis succeeds in producing heathy, saintly young adults and that such community becomes a regular part of parish life and spreads to all schools who call themselves Catholic, especially schools run by the Jesuits, like Loyola Marymount here in Los Angeles (see the October 13 thread).
They need to go have a serious talk with President Biden and Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. Today, the Senate voted 62-37 for the infamous (Dis)Respect for Marriage act. Twelve Republican senators joined all 50 Democrat senators, to vote for this wrongful act against our Creator. The Mormon Church surprisingly gave its support to this act, although they said they believe it is against God. They said they want to continue welcoming LGBTs– but not sexual sins. The Mormon Church stated they approve of the act, as long as religious rights of churches are respected. I think the Mormons need better leadership. They need to establish a strong and effective group like the Integratis group at Franciscan U.– or like Courage. SCOTUS really needs to get rid of their wrongful Obergefell decision ASAP. Also, strict laws need to be passed, to protect children, and prevent LGBT child adoptions.
Oh– sorry, there are currently 48 Democrats in the Senate, and two Independents. Democrat VP Kamala Harris is the current Democrat tie-breaker, to make a Democratic majority, currently, in the Senate. Heck, Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican senator, and Mormon Church leader, voted in favor of the
“(Dis)Respect for Marriage Act.” Shame on him!
Well– some people feel that their Catholic married life might be a “cross to bear.” I’ve known a few married, older Catholics, who felt that their marriages were a “cross to bear,” and did not believe in divorce. Some had spouses with difficult personalities– and some had spouses who were alcoholics, and suffered greatly. And some tragically had spouses who were adulterers– that’s horrible! None of them accepted the new Vatican II era form of Catholic annulments. I knew of some that couldn’t get along– so they just lived apart, in a state of separation– but refused a Church annulment– they didn’t believe in it. That bothered their priests. And all of these couples had kids, who were hurting, too. Lots of “crosses to bear!” What if your beloved husband gets Alzheimer’s– and you are left sadly mourning ever after, at his death? What if you are young, and lose your beautiful, young wife to Cancer? And you must sadly raise your dear children alone– no mother? Well, each soul has their own calling. Sadly— a “cross” is always part of it. Our earthly journey is a pilgrimage to Heaven. You cannot get to Heaven without Chastity, for your state in life– whether married or single. It is a very important virtue. The LGBTs should embrace their true calling from God, accept Chastity, as this is the only God-given way, to help them get to Heaven, someday.
You can marry again if your spouse dies.
Yes. Death of your beloved spouse– another painful “cross-to bear.” What I was saying in my comment of Nov. 16 at 1:43pm, is that everyone has their crosses, no matter what, in life.
This comment was actually a response to what Dan said in his comment of Nov. 16, at 1:43pm, about a “cross to bear.” We all have our crosses!
Yes, and Dan thanks you for expanding on the concept. The point I was trying to make was that single vocation embraces chastity in the same manner as gays and lesbians are called to embrace chastity. We bear the same cross.
These people don’t identify as gays and lesbians. They probably identify as singles.
Want to join a lay religious order? Or Opus Dei? Some of them even have options for a consecration to God, complete with a ceremony and a ring– or else, a private vow of celibacy and the ceremony and ring. Etc. Many graces could come, with joining a lay order, or being an oblate– and additionally, making a consecration to God, with a vow of celibacy. Many Catholics ought to consider this type of lay vocation. Also, the Church needs Permanent Deacons! Great idea, to consider! But for gay men, no. Best they not consider the Permanent Diaconate. But gays could join a lay religious order, become an oblate, and even make a consecration to God, with a vow of celibacy. They could consider joining Opus Dei, too.
I could care less
James 1:12-14
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
“Some students disagree with the mission of Integratis because they disagree with the Church’s teachings”!?
What is the like of such students doing at Steubenville, and what is Steubenville doing with the likes of them?!
It’s the Fr. James Martin, SJ Fanclub that objects.
Guess you haven’t read the latest lawsuit.
The ministry is “for fellow Franciscan students experiencing same-sex attraction and living in accord with the Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality and chastity.” That is part of Catholic life and identity. Their beliefs align with the teachings of Christ & His Church. They use Eden Invitation as a primary resource. EI states. “Eden Invitation is rooted in the belief in everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed. We firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Catholic Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.
In union with a traditional, Biblical anthropology and sexual ethic as proclaimed throughout Christian history and articulated by the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian churches, we state the following…
We believe that sexual expression is intended to be unitive and procreative within the context of an exclusive, indissoluble marriage between one man and one woman. Sexual expression outside of this union is sinful for all persons.
Every person is called to holiness and to chaste integration of their sexuality according to their state in life.”
It doesn’t get much more Catholic than that. Franciscan University has not departed from the Faith. Anonymous, vague, public, unsubstantiated criticism is not helpful for the Church.
Nor are non-disclosure agreements.
Dear Cal-Catholic,
The Integritatis program needs to be halted until its endorsement of the gravely immoral ideas and writings of Eve Tushnet are renounced by the program.
The leaders of the Integritatis program prove themselves to be completely unqualified for the outreach that they are engaging in when they promote the writings of Eve Tushnet who is a regular writer for the anti-Catholic, pro-abortion, and pro-normalization of sodomy and pro-sodomitical “marriage”- Commonweal Magazine. In order to realize just how absolutely subversive that Tushnet is, read her following article, “Velvet & Pus- A queer Catholic imagination” that she just recently wrote:
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/velvet-pus
This is one of the most blasphemously evil writings that I have ever read written by a self proclaimed Catholic author who is proclaimed to reflect authentic Catholic thought. Tushnet compares holy Saints such as St Teresa of Avila and St Perpetua to lecherous sodomites that she sympathizes with, as she praises disgusting novels that contradict and disparage the Teachings of Christ, the Gospels, and Catholic Faith and Morals- as they subversively present vice as virtue and condemn anyone who condemns the sin of sodomy. Tushnet also explicitly says that “My Beautiful Laundrette” is the “best gay movie ever made”- even though it explicitly condones and glorifies a completely unchaste sodomitical relationship amongst the “heroes” of the movie. See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Beautiful_Laundrette
The reality is that Tushnet herself first needs to be catechized so that she can convert from her grave errors and completely embrace the Catholic Faith and Morals (including upholding the truth of the mortal sinfulness of sodomitical acts which are also always mortally sinful to accept or condone in any way such as via movies and novels that Tushnet praises) before she can EVER be considered someone for Catholic students to draw guidance from concerning topics that touch on Catholic Faith and Morals. And that most especially means that Tushnet should NOT be promoted to individuals struggling with same-sex attraction.
Shame on Stuebenville. The “Integritatis” program needs to be shut down immediately, and its curricula, resources, and messaging completely re-evaluated and corrected. And once that is done, at the very LEAST, anyone who promotes Tushnet and her ideas should be expelled from any leadership or facilitation of the program and replaced with individuals who fully embrace the Catholic Faith and Morals – before “Integritatis” should be considered qualified to be re-instituted.
Sadly, the Integritatis program promoted by Steubenville considers the perspective of Eve Tushnet to be “faithfully Catholic”. But nothing could be further from the truth as evidenced by her own articles that praise and promote works and movies that glorify and promote fully active sodomitical relationships and even what she admits is “soft-core porn”- which is nothing less than mortally sinful to watch or in any way condone or encourage others to watch.
For more evidence of this, please read the following articles that she has also published in the militantly pro-abortion, pro-“gay” “marriage” and thoroughly anti-Catholic Commonweal Magazine:
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/love-goes-unnamed
As a priest who has heard thousands of Confessions, the reality is that the last thing that impressionable College students (especially ones struggling with same sex attraction and temptations to sin) should be reading and watching- is morally relativistic and subversive trash, such as what Tushnet is writing and promoting.
Tushnet even promotes a book that promotes transgenderism itself:
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/everyone-female
Anyone or any University or any program that believes that Tushnet’s perspective is in any way shape or form “faithfully Catholic” or should be promoted in any way- is simply “Catholic” in name only, and far from being a paragon of “Integrity”- to say the very least.
And finally, here is an excellent article written by a former sodomite that refutes Tushnet and condemns her work as erroneous and harmful:
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/04/11/the-queer-perspective-and-flawed-anthropology-of-eve-tushnet/
Let us pray that Steubenville University and their Inegritatis program ceases promoting Tushnet or any of her or similarly erroneous ideas and positions that contradict or undermine Catholic Faith and Morals.
Meanwhile, please spread the word and warn Steubenville staff, students, and their parents of these dangers which they should demand be corrected ASAP.
You can contact them. They will respond.
Thank you for telling us this information! This sounds very deviant, immoral, subversive, and scary! What a horrible deception! What is Franciscan U. doing about this?
The city of San Francisco is starting an 18-month program for low-incone transgenders. The transgenders will be given many services and resources, job help, and medical and mental health services, plus a $1200 per month stipend. It is hoped that this will help boost them up beyond poverty and suffering. Don’t know if any of them are homeless or drug addicted. A very controversial program. So what can SF do, to clean up the homelessness and drug abuse problem in the city? Anything? Mandatory drug rehab or psychiatric hospitalization for some?
To the commenter with a “thumbs down” on my above comment – do you agree with the SF Mayor on this strange program? I don’t! I think there should be a mandatory clean-up of the homeless and dope-addicted. And for those too ill or disabled to work, put them into a government disability program, same as for all others. No “special treatment” should be necessary, for one wrongfully “politically privileged” group– the LGBTs. Today at Mass, I saw an elderly blind man with his service dog, and elderly, widowed ladies on walkers. I know of a girl awaiting a kidney transplant, on dialysis, and cancer patients on chemotherapy. And a couple of widowed single mothers with young children. Plus, a man with diabetes, who has not long to live. The list goes on and on. A young mom with toddler boy/girl twins, who has Muscular Dystrophy, who loves to quietly pray the Rosary. She also loves to bake terrific chocolate chip cookies, and give them to everyone! Her young husband is a loving support. She can’t manage stairs very well, and now needs to use a wheelchair more often. The disease is progressive. They hope to move to a place with no stairs! Nice that many churches and hospitals have wheelchair ramps. All of these good people, and millions more– could sure use sone extra help!
So– tell us then, “Thumbs Down Commenter”– what is your ownn opinion of the Mayor’s new Transgender program? $1200/month tax-free stipend, along with all other free services, mental health counseling, medical help, job help, and all necessary benefits– for just the transgenders, no other group– for 18 months! Tax-payers never got the chance to vote on this. So– go ahead, tell us what you think! Gosh — what would happen, if all the unwed pregnant girls in SF had a program like that– for pregnancy and childbirth, and the first year of their child’s life? Plus, a nice place in a caring, unwed mothers’ home, with nutritious food and good childcare, and education resources, and job training? And adoption services for those in need? Wouldn’t that be fabulous? They ought to use Planned Parenthood dollars for programs like that! What do you think?
Here is another idea. Take the transgenders, counsel them, show them how to dress nicely, with good grooming, no more drag queens, no more LGBT subculture, no more drugs. Help them look just as nice as any job candidate in the adult job world. They are probably persecuted most, in the kid world. Kids can be bullies, to just anyone. Then, help them find jobs according to their abilities. Blend in nicely, with good grooming and good manners, and all will go well. Many people at work will have no idea who they are, or their LGB” issues. Keep it that way– private. And lead a good, clean life. If you work hard, are honest and dependable, do well, and have good behavior, you should get rewarded, same as anyone. A group like Courage could also help. Now, how about that idea?
In my comment of Nov. 20 at 4:14am, I misspelled “LGBT!” That sentence– I think it is the 8th sentence– should read, “Many people at work will have no idea who they are, or their “LGBT” issues.”