Bethune Catholic

I got a call last night from a senior at John Carroll Universtiy (I am an alumni of the graduate school) who wanted me to plan for my __ reunion coming up in the spring/summer-I assume by giving money.

I thanked him for calling and then asked him about the Catholic identity of the school, because I said, I have read things which call it into question, and I have no interest in supporting a "Catholic" school which isn't really Catholic. (I have blogged about this before).

He claimed it was Catholic-the 10:00 AM Mass on Sunday was always full and students were involved in many charitable works.

So I asked him about the Vagina Monalogues which are performed every year on campus with the administration's blessing. Here's how the conversation went:

He: Well I saw the Vagina Monologues when I was a freshman or sophomore here. The play doesn't have anything that controversial in it. It does show how women have been oppressed. And that's good to know.
Me: Not controversial? Isn't there a story in there about a minor girl being seduced by and an older women in a lesbian relationship? I would think this is controversial.
He: Oh that. Well yes, but that story was really about an older women helping this girl of 14, or 16 or 17 years or so explore her sexuality and where she should be. I don't think it is meant to condone minor girls and older women hooking up.
Me: Or any women, no matter the age, "hooking up" in a lesbian relationship? The Church teaches that sexual relationships outside of the confines of matrimony, whether homosexual or heterosexual, are not part of God's plan for us-this is a longstanding teaching of the Catholic faith going back to the beginning.
He: Oh of course. And you know that the proceeds go to a battered women's shelter?

I was about to make a point about the ends not justifying the means, but at this point I had a call on the other line, so we got interupted.

When I got back, I asked if Fr. Cozzens was still employed at JCU. I was told he was. Now at this point, I got a little mixed up about who he was. My recollection was that he was part of the Jesus-seminar crowd, which for one thing denies the Resurrection. However, in fact, he is in favor of married priests and homosexual priests. I don't know how far he goes with the latter, but I know he has written books about it. He came to Columbia a few years back and I recall he said some pretty outrageous things.

The young man I talked to indicated that Fr. Cozzens had the full support of the bishop.

So, how did we leave it? First I told him a story of when I was there (clipped from the blog post linked to above):

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.

I was attacked in the paper. One professor from the Religious Studies Department wrote in an op-ed column 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.

So I told him that JCU was not a Catholic university when I was there, and the news I had been reading these past few years didn't look like it had changed much-but I would take a 2nd look. I told him I was glad there was a strong Catholic identity in the student body and wished him well in his studies.

I am sorry I mixed up Fr. Cozzens with someone else; I wish I could apologize for that.

Maybe I gave this young man something to think about. It did seem he had some talking points ready about the V-Monologues-thus maybe it is an issue with alumnus.

I am sure there are many good things happening at JCU. However there are also other things happening too which I can't support.

Our Lady of Joyful Hope-pray for us .... Oremus pro invicem!