The following opinion piece, written by Loyola senior Lauren Rockwell from Washington state, appeared in the September 6 issue of the Loyolan.
Loyola Marymount Unversity’s hosting of the play 8 should arouse debate, not merely to discuss battling opinions on gay marriage, but to ask whether or not our school opposes the Catholic teaching on gay marriage. Ostensibly, it does by the support and promotion of 8 I believe that the actions of the administration and faculty have gone beyond merely allowing a forum for academic debate on the issue, and instead are advocating for a cause that directly opposes the teachings of the Catholic Church.
According to an article titled “Loyola Marymount to Promote Gay ‘Marriage,’ Cancels Fundraiser,” posted on the blog of The Cardinal Newman Society on Aug. 24, 8 was originally advertised as a fundraiser with proceeds going to two organizations dedicated to legalize same-sex marriage, one being the American Foundation for Equal Rights. This foundation is the single sponsor of the federal court challenge to the California voter-approved ban on gay marriage, Proposition 8, according to the foundation’s website. The event was said to be sponsored by both faculty and student organizations, including LGBT Student Services.
However, the article highlighted that after being contacted by the Cardinal Newman Society, an organization that, according to its blog, is dedicated to helping renew and strengthen Catholic identity in Catholic higher education, the Loyola website was quickly changed. The blog continues, stating that the invitation to 8 now makes no reference to the event as a fundraiser, nor that LGBT Student Services is a co-sponsor. All references to director of student group’s Anthony Garrison-Engbrecht’s involvement have been deleted. This may have been done in an effort to distance the University from appearing to endorse activities sponsored by LGBT Student Services and to classify the event as a faculty-organized display of academic freedom.
Academic freedom ensures that teachers and students have the right to express ideas freely; however, that does not include imposing beliefs of 8 as a display of academic freedom, where is the discourse? Although the website for 8 promises to present arguments both for and against the legalization of same-sex marriage, ultimately the play promotes the overturning of Proposition 8. Loyola is providing a “talk back” following the play, but I wonder how much debate will occur among those who have chosen to sit through two hours of advocacy for gay marriage. Further, some of the play is being read by faculty. How many students are going to boldly challenge faculty that are apparently, by their participation, in favor of gay marriage? Isn’t there a power imbalance here? A subtle intimidation?
Loyola’s mission statement proclaims the university to be “institutionally committed to Roman Catholicism” and further states, “This Catholic identity and religious heritage distinguish LMU from other universities.” However, linked to Loyola’s web invitation to 8, you find a quote by the play’s writer, Dustin Lance Black, calling the Catholic Church’s standing on same-sex marriage “a vitriol and baseless hyperbole.”
Instead of raising the ire of students and faculty, or even inducing some mild form of indignity at the insult to our Catholic tradition, Loyola commits university resources and facilities in support of the playwright and the work.
Furthermore, the Cardinal Newman blog post stated that when they contacted President David Burcham and the university’s public affairs office about 8 and requested “clarification whether the university opposes Catholic teaching on marriage,” all parties failed to respond. If the president of our university is not willing to voice support for our founding principles, who will?
I believe the reading of 8 exposes a larger problem about the environment of Loyola’s campus and the lack of a religious presence. Our university jumps at every opportunity to display “tolerance;” however, the movement largely favors the progressive agenda. In accordance with its mission statement and based on its founding principles, Loyola owes it to the students who came to the university in the promise of a Catholic education to provide a visible presence on campus in support of Catholic teachings.
It is clear that Loyola is a liberal-minded campus. However, I wonder why seemingly no one on this campus is voicing conservative beliefs. When asked about the identity of our school, senior communication studies major Emily Loren stated, “I mean, we have a church and all, but other than that you wouldn’t even know we were a Catholic school.” Has it become so unpopular to have views that align with the Catholic Church that they are silenced in this so-called inclusive, tolerant, progressive society we live in? This should not be the case at a Catholic Jesuit university.
Loyola’s choice to hold a reading of 8 brings to light the fact that our campus has wandered far from our Catholic identity, and in doing so, has made it unpopular to support Catholic teachings. I am proud that our school allows freedom of expression, but I am disappointed by the lack of attention to appropriate ways of doing so, and even more so at the lack of activism in support of the Church. With every loud yell of the liberal voice, there must be a resounding reply from the heart of our school’s Catholic tradition.
For original story, click here.
Tell ya what, let’s compromise.
Instead of a production of “8”, let the University, or even the Cardinal Newman Society play the unedited videotapes of the actual trial. They can moderate a discussion afterwords. Surely that would promote academic freedom, freedom of speech, and promote a respect for the Judicial Branch of government.
Oh wait, they can’t. Prop 8 proponents successfully went to court (repeatedly) to keep the tapes from being shown in public. So much for academic freedom!!
Academic freedom is a fallacy if the Gospel of Christ is not advocated. If you believe that Jesus set us free, then why would you want to descend into the slavery of ideas such as “neutral and unbiased ground”, an idea which does not exist except in gay fantasies?
Just let the tapes speak for themselves. No neutrality required, since it’s all objective reality. It’s documented history.
And speaking of gay fantasies…how would you know what exists within them unless you are having them?
The disgraceful, obnoxious circus trial of non-recusant, interested party Vaughn Walker will go down in history as among the most egregious impositions of judicial tyranny in the history of the United States.
The good news is, when it is overturned by SCOTUS, the margin will be so shocking that even the progressives will bury “8” in as deep and dark a closet as they can possibly find.
The place of this trial in history is telegraphed by Ninth Circuit Justice Reinhardt, who explicitly ignored each and every one of Hangin’ Jude Walkers “findings of fact”.
The Dream Team and Reinhardt know that a smackdown is coming at SCOTUS, which is why they have both been on their knees begging SCOTUS not to take the case.
But SCOTUS will take the case.
They have been waiting a long time to send a message to Walker and his co-conspirators.
LMU is about as Catholic as Nancy Pelosi.
This article shows exactly what happens when a Catholic school is unwilling to take an oath of fidelity to the teachings of the Magisterium and allows its professors to promte evil while hiding its Catholic identity and ignoring the Gospel. God has revealed the truth in Sacred Scripture and given His Church the authority to proclaim the Truth in His name, yet here we see an intentional denial of God’s Word for the acceptance and promotion of evil in a completely relativistic fashion as much or more than any other secular institution. If any Catholic school wants to be considered Catholic, it has to reject the relativistic ideology of our society and proclaim Christ as the means and end to attain eternal life, of living a life of sanctity in both academics and true social justice which is the promotion of truth and the embodiment of truth in living the Gospel. God Love You.
This article shows exactly what happens when the Shepherds of the Flock are unwilling to enforce an oath of fidelity to the teachings of the Magisterium and allows professors to promote evil while hiding Catholic identity and ignoring the Gospel. God has revealed the truth in Sacred Scripture and given His Church the authority to proclaim the Truth in His name, yet here we see an intentional denial of God’s Word for the acceptance and promotion of evil in a completely relativistic fashion as much or more than any other secular institution. If any Catholic bishop wants to be considered Catholic, he has to reject the relativistic ideology of our society and proclaim Christ as the means and end to attain eternal life, of living a life of sanctity in both academics and true social justice which is the promotion of truth and the embodiment of truth in living the Gospel. God Love You.”
Gay fantasies consist of burned out minds, hardly capable of empathy or morals. This is objective reality.
“how would you know what is in them unless you were having them?” Answer: The Spirit of Truth, Who comforts and teaches the faithful.
Self identified “Your Fellow Catholic”, what a farse. You know darn well why the proponents of Prop. 8 went to court, in fact you might have even been one of those who threatened the supporters of Prop. 8.
Perhaps it is time for the Holy See to clearly define “Catholic” and to forbid anyone who does not fit that description from falsely calling themselves such!
May God have mercy on your compromised soul,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Dear self identified “Kenneth M. Fisher”: I know why proponents of Prop 8 SAY they went to court to keep the trial tapes secret. But the transcripts are public. So while we could get into a conversation about what the difference there might be in reading a transcript and viewing a video tape, let me simply offer another compromise:
My further compromise: If you do not want the tapes played, have the members of the Cardinal Newman Society read the verbatim transcripts of the trial, and then conduct whatever instruction in Catholic teaching they see fit, and then have an open discussion. There. Academic freedom restored! Catholic teaching protected! First amendment honored!
What a bunch of piffle.
The trial was a hoax, an engineered propaganda assault on the People of California and their sovereign right to uphold the definition of marriage which has prevailed since the foundation of the Republic.
We know this is implicitly admitted even by the perpetrators of the hoax, since the Ninth Circuit tossed every single “finding of fact” out the window, begging SCOTUS not to take the case.
But they will take the case.
And then comes the smack down.
It will be epic.
Good work, California Catholic Daily! This is good Catholic journalism at work and informative reading. Although it is heart-wrenching to watch these stories unfold concerning our “Catholic” institutions of higher learning, we need to know when they are actively promoting, supporting and covering up their involvement in activities that are anti-Catholic expressions of lower learning. If Catholic parents are unaware of how much things have changed from the days when Catholic colleges were reputed to be truly Catholic, they will continue to send their children to these sorts of places. Better to inform them and to encourage them to look elsewhere if their children are qualified for the several fine colleges that are truly Catholic. In California, Thomas Aquinas College comes to mind first and foremost, but there are other fine Catholic colleges across the nation as well. Let’s read more about these fine, truly Catholic colleges in the future.
Maryanne JP the Great Catholic comes to mind in my neck of the woods. I just wish USD would stop calling itself catholic.
Is the Cardinal Newman Society still being run by Fr. Groeschel?
Hey! Do not disparage one of God’s chosen sons, nor a great society of true Catholics!
No problem here, civil marriage IS NOT a sacramental marriage! Good for the Loyola Marymont University, your courage is a wonderful gift to the CHURCH and to SOCIETY as a whole!!
The existence of the State depends on procreation. The State should only apply the title Marriage to those couples who have pro-created – thus ensuring the survial of the State. All those couples who do not pro-create the State should apply some lesser legal title until the couple does pro-create.
Nor does civil marriage involve same sex couples, triples, animals, objects, or plants (not even the vegetative minds of same sex couples).
Parents & Students –
Do not waste your tuition money on any College or Univerisity that does NOT:
1. use the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” as a required student text for all freshman and/or sophomores so they can learn the Faith accurately and in entirety without human error.
and
2. Adhere to Canon Law 812 with the required “Mandatum” for all those teaching Theology.
(The mandatum is an acknowledgment by church authority that a Catholic professor of a theological discipline is teaching within the full communion of the Catholic Church. The object of the mandatum is the content of the professor’s teaching and requires him/her to refrain from putting forth as Catholic teaching anything contrary to the Church’s Magisterium.)
Many colleges and universities that profess to be “Catholic” do neither.
Parents and students research and beware.
Agree that the CCC must be used to insure accuracy and teaching of the Church in total (no picking and choosing.)
and
Agree that we as parents must be aware and require the MANDATUM of any College or University – where we spend our hard earned dollars.
Our dollars talk.
Any Catholic College or University that hires professors to teach theology without a MANDATUM violates Canon Law.
Any that does not REQUIRE the CCC as a student text should not be allowed to call itself “Catholic”.
Where are the Diocese Bishops ? Sleeping ?
As a Jesuit college graduate of Fairfield University, nothing anymore
surprises me about what is going on at these universities. They are
a dying order and will ultimately become a chain of secular
universities and colleges. Shame!
Lauren is a courageous Catholic…This is the way Catholic higher education will be revitalized – it has to come from the students themselves. Sadly, most have been so poorly catechized in elementary and high school that they actually think the Church can change her teachings on marriage, abortion, euthanasia and other moral issues. But, there are still some students like Lauren – I am hoping they will begin to organize and confront the administrations of these secularized Catholic colleges. The students need to demand to get what they thought they were paying for – a real Catholic education. Congratulations Lauren – this was a courageous act – many on the faculty will try to make your life difficult there – but faithful Catholics everywhere are grateful for your courage and faithfulness.
The Washington state Catholic governor signed into law gay marriage earlier this year. Preserve Marriage collected enough signatures to stop it from being implemented and now gay marriage is on the ballot in November. It seems to me that liberals are depending on young impressionable minds to get out the vote for their causes. If the Catholic college is not teaching Catholic doctrine, beliefs and traditions then the whole exercise is one sided. If the tapes are played from the trial without any pro 8 commentary from the faculty it will be not a true debate. I bet there will be plenty of anti 8 commentary from the presenters.
“I mean, we have a church and all, but other than that you wouldn’t even know we were a Catholic school.” Thanks Emily for the sad but sober assessment. How long will God permit the Jesuits to exist when they offend Him so deeply? It this is all the Jesuits have to offer, they might as well join the nuns on the bus in their ride into oblivion. This once mighty order might still revive, absent its current leadership and with new faithful soldiers of St. Ignatius.
the Jesuits have always felt they were superior in their intelligence of the catholic faith…Rome selected their order as the defender….down hill since then….the number of Jesuits has declined drastically…reminds me of Notre Dame allowing the production of the VAGINA MONOLOGUES..
Jesuits who are modernist are easy to defeat in any intellectual arguement because: They have rejected the mind of Christ, whereas the faithful are in union with the mind of Christ.
President Burcham, do you, your staff and the majority of the faaculty, and many student organizations (but not necessarily all students) publicly oppose the teachings of the Catholic Church on the nature and meaning of marriage? If so, say so out loud for all to hear, stop hiding behind non-responsiveness to legitimate inquiries, that is just cowardice. A fine example for students.
And Archbishop Jose Gomez, do you think it’s OK for a Catholic institution to deny the Church’s long-standing position on marriage as between one man and one woman, and still call itself Catholic?
They won’t say so because they, like their father the serpent, cannot say so … liars and spawn of the father of lies.
God Bless you Lauren Rockwell. You are a beautifully courageous Lila Rose-like example of exposing the defection of the Catholic faith at Loyola Marymount.
The Devil is almost dancing on top of St. Iganatius grave at this point, at the joy of slaying his sons
What will the ultra-sophisticated, pompous purveyors of Academic Freedom led by the Jesuits, who are Jesuit first and maybe Catholic last, be called when the imminent breakup of the Catholic Church into “Jesuit Reformed Church and the Roman Catholic Church. I find it puzzling just why “believing” Jesuits do not desert the order and leave the rest of the garbage behind!~
I wonder what my ancestor Arch. Jose de La Luz Corral, S.J.,who founded the Jesuit Univ. of Chihuhua would do about this. From what I have learned of him, jezzie heads would be rolling!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
When the Jesuit order is suppressed worldwide then it will be morning.
How utterly ridiculous! We are dealing with salvation issues here and all they can do is play questions like “Should 8 play?”. How about should you go to heaven or hell…..YOU PICK!
Kenneth, your relative, the archbishop who founded the Jesuit University of Chihuahua, was likely not actually an ancestor, meaning someone from whom you are descended, but his attainment of station in life and his great contributions to the world and to Catholicism in Mexico were significant, no doubt about it. I imagine he may have been a great uncle or something, but surely not an ancestor . . . is that correct? That would mean he would have to be a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc., and I don’t think that is what you meant to say, but it would be fascinating to learn exactly who he was in relation to you in your family and more about his contributions. The Jesuits I knew growing up were incredibly intelligent, well-educated, and devoted priests, and many I know still are today. Think of Father Mitch Pacwa on EWTN, for starters, and there are so many more. But so many of them today think, speak, write, teach and live in ways that would shock the founder of their order as much as they do us, sorry to say. I would not be surprised if in years to come, we could read of someone accurately referring to a Jesuit as their ancestor and in that case, they might be using the correct term in the proper way.
Should Loyola Marymount stay open?