You will find an interesting article by Kate Childs Graham who has written the November 6, 2008 article in the Young Voices column on the National Catholic Reporter website. The article concerns several incidents that have occurred on Catholic universities campuses where the debate on academic freedom is raging.
You may have read that this week, despite strong objections by Cardinal Edward Egan, the Fordham University Law School awarded Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer the 2008 Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize. Cardinal Egan and The Cardinal Newman Society, a conservative group, objected to the award being given to Justice Breyer because of his pro-choice stand.
On the other hand, because of her progressive idealogy and theology, the University of San Diego canceled Rosemary Radford Ruether’s appointment to the Msgr. John R. Portman Chair in Roman Catholic Theology. The action was brought about through pressure by a conservative Catholic group.
I think this is an important issue. Must Catholic universities teach only the Catholic view of things or should Catholic universities be allowed to present all sides of an issue, so that a Catholic student can form their conscience through analyzing opposing viewpoints.
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Standing Maryanna:
The article quoted in your post carries the following short description of its author::
"Kate Childs Graham writes for ReligionDispatches.org and YoungAdultCatholics-Blog.com. She also serves on the Women’s Ordination Conference board of directors and the Call to Action Next Generation Leadership Team. )"
If the purpose of your new blog is to promote causes such as these, then just say so. If not, then perhaps you should think about a better balance.
As far as this article is concerned, I believe Catholic Universities should be free to teach, explain, and defend the Catholic Faith. Otherwise, they are "Catholic" in name only (which, sadly, is the case all too often).
Our Catholic Faith is revealed, defined, and fixed, we don't make it up as we trudge thru life. Thus, if after a thorough examination of conscience a person finds he cannot reconcile himself with our Faith, he should not demand that our Faith change to suit what he believes at the moment. In no case should our Faith be compromised to serve the lowest common denominator, or be allowed to be manipulated by ideologues.
Hello Mark, I was wondering if you had found my blog. Glad to see you here.
No, the purpose of my blog is not to promote any causes. I simply look around for articles of interest and place them online and hope for comments.
If you had read my original post, you will have seen that I have asked readers to send me articles for others to comment on. I invite you to send me something of interest to you and I will be happy to place it as an article.
I am open to almost any subject though I would hope we could stay away from the abortion issue since it is so divisive.
Thanks for your comment, Mark. If you wish to send me an article, please do so to my gmail address: standing.maryanna@gmail.com
I don't want to know who you are, just send through an email address that doesn't identify you.
Dear Standing Maryanna:
In the invitation to your blog you wrote:
"I am open to almost any subject though I would hope we could stay away from the abortion issue since it is so divisive."
This only confirms my opinion that you do intend to promote left wing causes within our Church. Abortion is a central fact that cannot be ignored. Why do you ask us to censor ourselves when it comes to discussing the evil of abortion?
Sigh...
"This only confirms my opinion that you do intend to promote left wing causes within our Church. Abortion is a central fact that cannot be ignored."
Mark, You are so wrong in saying I intend to promote left wing causes. Yes, I wanted to avoid the abortion debate. You see what has transpired on other blogs because of it. The comments were very destructive; not very instructive and they easily degraded into namecalling. I don't believe you desire for that to happen either.
However, if you wish to write an article about abortion; and keep it within the realm of fruitful discussion, I will accept an article from you on that subject.
If this tags me as wishy-washy and giving ground when I shouldn't, so be it. My only desire is to make a blog available to the People of God in the Diocese of Richmond. No one else apparently is willing to make that effort. I think it is important for all of us to have a voice.
Dear Standing Maryanna:
Why should we be afraid of being called "divisive", or "controversial", when what we advocate is the recognition that the unborn are human beings? Just because some throw tantrums when they hear it?
For some decades now, parts of our Church have followed a spineless path of accomodation and appeasment with the culture of death. This has resulted in the loss of faith among many, and a sickly, lukewarm approach to religion among others. Plus a collapse of vocations in many dioceses.
It's time to reverse these losses. Why don't you consider posting some of Bishop Finn's (diocese of Kansas City) sermons on this subject?
Mark said: Why don't you consider posting some of Bishop Finn's (diocese of Kansas City) sermons on this subject?
Well, Mark, I hope you will be satisfied with Bishop Finn's homily that I have just posted for you.
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