Homosexual activism at the Jesuit University of San Francisco has been present for decades. The April 16 California Catholic Daily article USF President Endorses Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ made clear that the activism goes right to the top. CalCatholic now reports the university president, Father Paul Fitzgerald, attended San Francisco’s 2015 Gay Pride parade.
The USF student newspaper, the San Francisco Foghorn, published an April 21 article lamenting San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s recent initiative to ensure fidelity to Catholic teaching in Archdiocesan high schools, contrasting with the actions of Father Fitzgerald.
In addition to the archbishop sending a bold and conservative message to the San Francisco Catholic community, last summer university president Father Paul Fitzgerald faced a situation which seemed to represent the tension between Catholic principles and his own apparently more liberal views. Fitzgerald attended the San Francisco Pride Parade with others from USF in support of LGBTQ+ members.
The article describes the confusion USF students feel between Catholicism and the school’s progressive ideology:
The tall, dark wooden doors of the St. Ignatius Church are open every day from dusk ’til dawn, yet a relatively small fraction of the USF’s students are seen among the pews. Metal crosses decorate the front walls of many classrooms in the Lone Mountain building, though only a handful can be seen in any of the newer classrooms down the hill. The prevalence of the school’s religious identity appears to have slowly but surely weakened on campus over the years.
The students and faculty in the story are concerned that USF reconciles with their values. Sophomore communications major Consuelo Reyes is “currently not practicing Catholicism as she has in the past, she is worried that if she were to return to practicing, her progressive values would conflict with Catholic rules.”
The Foghorn interviews the director of USF’s University Ministry, Julia Dowd. Dowd asserts that “although Catholicism gets a bad rap in society these days, ‘It’s important to claim who we actually are because if we don’t, other people get to claim what ‘religious’ looks like.’ ”
CalCatholic reported that in 2007 Dowd, “joined by members of USF’s LGBTQ Caucus, attended the ‘OutThere’ conference at De Paul University. The conference’s program makes clear that its purpose was to create more effective advocacy for positions opposed to the Church’s teachings on Catholic universities.”
President Fitzgerald’s endorsement of a same-sex ‘marriage’, attendance at the gay pride parade, and the actions of other faculty have shown that the USF’s Catholic identity is all but gone.
Previous CalCatholic articles about University of San Francisco:
‘Gender-inclusive housing’ offered at USF
Oops! USF president deletes tweet celebrating same-sex marriage
USF graduation includes abortion, same-sex marriage supporters
USF basketball game used for gay propaganda
Vincent Pizzuto promoted to USF theology chairman after ordination in pro-homosexual Celtic church
USF honors anti-Prop 8 attorney
University of San Francisco/Most Holy Redeemer axis strikes again
Since hearing the response our Pope gave RE: Gay Life, who am I to judge?, I knew nothing good would come of those words & that the faithful would be explaining that confusing exhortation for a long time. So it is NOT A SURPRISE that — USF president Father Paul Fitzgerald (in green cap) holds a t-shirt printed with an image of Pope Francis and the words “who am I to judge?” at the 2015 Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco. Above: see (photo from USF)
Pope Francis, do you know many, mis-use your words & your image in this way? WHY? Because your lack of a PROPER Catholic response in that moment, is the crux of this mis-understanding. & the ever present ‘wolves’ WILL take advantage.
http://FTP…The exact quote was “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and as good will, the who am I to judge?” I took this to mean a simple restatement of CCC 2358. He was reminding the world that contrary to what some fundamentalists preach, we are not inherently bad, evil people. Personally, as a lesbian, it meant a lot to me.
C & H, You share that you received some emotional solace from the Holy Fathers words. What a grace for you. Do you consider yourself (H.F. words paraphrased) ‘someone gay searching for the Lord with good will’? CCC 2359 talks about the call to a chaste life (& hope) and CCC 2357 explains natural law (the why). Do you want prayers?
I believe our Church teaches that we all should be people of good will searching for God. I try, I often fail,and I try again. I have a terrible sinfull problem with anger. I still have flashes of wanting to do violence to the persons who maliciously almost destroyed my business years ago. Please pray that I can overcome it. Thank you.
Re: Anger, From a Divine Mercy retreat. Pray anger away in 2 steps. 1) When it ‘pops up’ ask God for His mercy & say a short prayer like — Lord help me with this anger 2) Then be merciful & say Lord, I forgive XXX, even though you know I don’t (fully) mean it at this time. I am saying it, trusting that You will help me mean it more fully someday. Repeat as often as necessary. Pay it forward-ish — forgive others so we can be forgiven. It works for me, my family, many others & God willing, for you too.
USF and the Jesuits are all “lost souls.” They have all turned their backs on God, sadly! They will someday regret this! The name of “Catholic” should be removed from both the Jesuit Order, and from their schools. The April 21st issue of “Catholic San Francisco,” the Archdiocesan newspaper– also had a news item, regarding the upcoming lecture at Mercy Center, for the Pope’s Year of Mercy, to be given by the immoral politician, Jackie Speier. The name of “Catholic” should be also removed from Mercy Center, and from the Sisters of Mercy’s religious order.
The Jesuits should be told by the Vatican, to give up on the Church– and forfeit the name of “Catholic,” on their religious order, and all its schools! Leave the Church! Too bad our current Pope is also a Jesuit– but his religious order is CORRUPT, DISHONEST, and IMMORAL before God! The April 21st issue of the Archdiocesan newspaper, :”Catholic San Francisco,” has a news item on p. 31, about Jackie Speier’s “Year of Mercy” lecture, at Mercy Center. The Sisters of Mercy, and their schools, institutions, and retreat centers– also all ought to be told by the Vatican, to forfeit the name of “Catholic,” and leave the Church!
Sorry, but I forgot to enter my name, in the post above, so it came out as “Anonymous,” and I had to re-do it!
What is there left to say about this situation? Archbishop Cordileone who has authority over all Catholic institutions in the archdiocese, should remove their Catholic identity. Enough is enough! The Jesuits are a joke!! (With the exception of Fr. Fessio, Fr Spitzer and Fr Schultz)
It is very sad that of the entire order of Jesuits, only a handful stand out as ‘Faithful to Church Teachings’. There is another exception not on your list, Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Let’s all pray for his recovery from a heart attack (shortly after Mother Angelica died on Easter Day) & his resulting surgery. May he fully recover. My family hopes Fr. Pacwa will be able to resume his excellent shows on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). Thank you Lord for your mercy in giving us these true examples to look up to while we are on our earthly journey.
Yes, I remembered about Fr Mitch when I had posted. He is a very courageous and faithful priest. May God grant him a full and speedy recovery.
Please don’t forget Cornelius Buckley, S.J. The matter of his “silencing” by the Order is reviewed in Malachi Martin’s book, The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church (1987). Father Buckley is now an Assistant Chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California. TAC is high on the Cardinal Newman Society list of faithfully Catholic colleges in the U.S., and of course, is not Jesuit, but was organized in 1971 in response to the general erosion of fidelity in the mainstream Catholic schools.
People, stop being so shocked by the Second Vatican II Church. This is not the same Church as it was before Council, Holy Mass, the Sacrements, Doctrine is ALL new,its not Roman Catholic anymore. The only way for a true “reform” is to cleanse the filth from the Church as Pope Benedict the XVI stated and return the TLM to its rightful place.
“Father” Fitzgerald’s t-shirt should read: Who am I to call myself a Catholic priest?
It appears to me that Fitzgerald is a homosexualist first and Catholic a distant second, or third, or not at all.
I have told this story before, but think it is worth retelling. I enrolled as a graduate student at USF in the Fall of 1980, with the intention of getting a Master of Arts in Religious Education. I took four (4) courses that semester and after several weeks began to wonder if I was attending a “Catholic” university or if somehow I was on the wrong campus. Fortunately I met Fr. Joseph Fessio, who introduced me to Fr. Brian Mullady, who recommended the Angelicum in Rome. Sadly, one semester at USF was one too many!