More Scandal from my alma mater

I went to graduate school at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. From reading this at Bettnet.com, I can see not much has changed. This is not the first time this year I have read of and been embarassed by my former assoication with JCU. Back in February I read on Mark Shea's blog, here how JCU was the hosting a performance of The Vagina Monologues.

Around the time I attended JCU, Fr. Charles Curran, of (at the time) Catholic University, had just been censured by the Vatican for publically dissenting from Catholic moral teaching in his classroom and writings. The "Religious Studies Department" at JCU came out with a statement generally supporting Fr. Curran in the name of "academic freedom". To paraphrase, (if my memory serves me correctly), they wrote in their statement that 'while JCU didn't have anyone teaching that contraception, divorce, and abortion were morally acceptable, perhaps JCU should have someone teaching this - in the name of academic freedom.'

I was a graduate student in a small department at JCU. Very few people (less than 20) knew who I was. I wrote a letter to the editor of the JCU newspaper protesting such a ridculous statement: I believe that I tried to make the point that "academic freedom" is the freedom to teach the Truth, not lies. I tried to point out that it is nonsensical to hire someone who you know will teach lies - that is if you believe that Church teaching on moral issues is the Truth. I can't recall how eloquent or persuasive my writing was (I still have the clippings, but I am afraid to look) - but I am sure it could have used some editorial help.

Needless to say, I was attacked in the paper. One professor from the Religious Studies Department said that my views were akin to Hitler - (such an original attack). I received one letter (in the paper) of general support from a faculty member, and one from a fellow-graduate student who defended, not my view, but from a characterization of being Hitler-like. Otherwise most articles and letters were against me from both students and faculty.

JCU was not a Catholic university when I was there, and it looks like it is even worse now. Thank God for places like Magdalen College in New Hampshire, Thomas Aquinas in California, and Christendom College (where daughter attends) in Virginia.

From the small holding in Bethune...

Oremus pro invicem!