On August 6, the (Jesuit) University of San Francisco introduced the newest member of the school’s University Ministry, “Rabbi-in-Residence” Camille Angel. From the press release:
“For the first time in its 164-year history, the University of San Francisco has appointed a rabbi in residence. She can’t wait to get started.
‘I’m in a unique position to help foster more understanding between peoples who have historically greatly misunderstood one another,’ Rabbi Camille Shira Angel said. ‘In an era when more and more people identify as having no religion, I have the opportunity to introduce an alternative reality as to what religion can look like and include.’
Angel, a ninth-generation rabbi who has taught at USF since 2017, began this week as the university’s Rabbi in Residence, a new position that is shared by University Ministry and the Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice.
‘Rabbi Angel’s joint appointment really models the spirit of inclusion, wholeness, and religious diversity that is at the heart of our work,’ said Julie Dowd, director of University Ministry. ‘Camille herself embodies the university’s values of hospitality, justice, and finding God in all things.’”
The appointment was also covered in the Jewish News of Northern California. In an article headlined “Lesbian rabbi is Catholic University of San Francisco’s first rabbi-in-residence” Jewish News reported “’Let me be your rabbi!’ declares Camille Shira Angel, the first rabbi-in-residence at the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit Catholic institution, where she has been a longtime adjunct professor in the Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice…. The ministry is USF’s religious resource center and makes nondenominational prayer rooms and mentorship opportunities available to students.
The ministry’s director, Julie Dowd, said the residency was designed for Angel, who has been teaching an ethics course called ‘Queering Religion’ for several years. The class covers the history of interaction between religious and LGBTQ communities….Angel seeks to ‘bring an intergenerational gift’ of LGBTQ Jewish knowledge into the classroom and ministry.’”
Jewish Weekly also quoted Fr. Donal Godfrey, SJ: “Father Donal Godfrey, the associate director for faculty and staff spirituality at USF, said Angel helped him explore LGBTQ activism through a Catholic lens, and vice-versa.
‘I learned from Rabbi Angel that I should continue to speak up and own this struggle within my own faith tradition as a Catholic priest,’ Godfrey wrote in an email. ‘Rabbi Angel inspires me to be the best Catholic I can possibly be!’”
Fr. Godfrey, a longtime homosexual activist, is the author of Gays and Grays, the history of San Francisco’s notorious Most Holy Redeemer Church, and from 2000-2015 Angel was on the staff of Congregation Sha’ar Zahav synagogue, San Francisco’s Jewish version of MHR. On December 4, 2007, Dr. Ora Prochovnick, then-President of Sha’ar Zahav, was the speaker at Most Holy Redeemer’s Advent Vespers service.
California Catholic Daily exclusive by Gibbons Cooney.
The is what passes for a Catholic university in the Archdiocese of San Francisco? What good does it do, then, to have a bishop at all?
An interesting question,perhaps. Does the Archbishop have secular legal authority to prevent the University from claiming ‘Catholic’ status?
The archbishop has no authority to tell a religious order what to do. I think all he can do, is ask an order to leave the archdiocese. He can remove the status of “Catholic” from a school– but then, the school can petition the Vatican, to overrule the decision.
This does not seem kosher
for a “catholic” university
Oiy Vey
Jesus Christ and HIS Bride, Our Church. The Homosexual model does not fit God, Our Father’s natural law, model for mankind.
U.S.F. is promoting lies and confusion. Shame on this misguided institution of which I am a graduate.
If you receive the alumni funds appeals from USF as my husband and I do (he is B.A. and M.A. at USF, while I am M.A. USF), you would look hard to find any reference to Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am not sure if USF is still under the auspices of the Archdiocese of S.F. I doubt very much if this university “identifies Catholic” anymore.
Although the archbishop does not have control over the university, he does have authority over sacraments administered there. He could prohibit Masses and weddings, for example, on campus. Maybe Catholics who live in the archdiocese should respectfully encourage him to do so. That would certainly get the attention of the university community and make a clear statement.
While you might consider a gift that this Lesbian Rabbi will it bring an intergenerational gift of LGBTQ Jewish knowledge into the classroom and ministry to a Jesuit Gay University, I think it is a disgusting perversion that deserves a special place in Hell for corrupting the young ones. I recommend that these deviants pray the Apostles’ Creed every day so they might understand.
What a joke. A lesbian “rabbi” at a “Catholic” university. I wish they would stop with the falsehood that they are in any way Catholic. Thank you 2nd Vatican Council. Unleashing heresy and apostasy since 1965.
I’ve read the Vatican II documents and there’s nothing in there about lesbian rabbis at Catholic schools. To blame everything on the Second Vatican Council is quite an exaggeration. Of course, as a result of ecclesial leadership after the Council, there was a wide-spread disaster. There were, and are, however, positive post-Conciliar developments.
The Church leaders decided to give “freedoms” to all in the Church to make their own decisions, at Vatican II. No more Church administrative “authority and discipline,” no more strict requirements to adhere to Catholic teaching– experimentation was accepted. “Aggiornamento,” opening the door to the world, adapting and adjusting to the modern world, was important to them.
Don’t you get it? USF is “better” than Catholic – it’s “Jesuit”!
We have a high school junior at San Joaquin Memorial, looking at Catholic universities. This one will NOT be on his list.
Check out the college guide from the Cardinal Newman Society. https://newmansociety.org/ They list Catholic schools that are still Catholic.
Rich Masters: Good Point !
Rabbi Camille, Fr Godfrey. They’re the same person! Look closely: Ears, nose, teeth, jawline. That rascal Godfrey’s really pulled one over on us. Good one!
USF sources confirm that Godfrey & Camille
have NEVER been seen together at the same
staff meeting at the same time.
Pretty much proves your point Hymie.