Being Gay at a Catholic University

[UrbScotty]

When I was a student at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, in 2005, a group of gay students organized with the aim of convincing the Benedictine monks who ran the school to recognize a club that would serve the needs of the college’s gay community. They met in secret, but if you were attuned to the situation, you heard what was happening. It seemed that some administrators were nervous about the idea of a Catholic school recognizing such a group, which might lead to Catholic tuition dollars supporting a population whose lives are often at odds with official church teaching. The students were more or less stonewalled. Administrators said there wasn’t a need on campus for such a group. Any concerns gay students had could be addressed through campus ministry programs.

In the eight years since, the gay rights movement has gained tremendous momentum. The New York Times reports that in 1996, 70 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage. Today, a majority supports it. This month, Pew released a survey, which found that 72 percent of Americans see the legalization of same-sex marriage as inevitable. Sixty percent of Americans believe homosexuality should be accepted by society, up from 47 percent who believed that a decade ago. Another rapidly shifting data point: Eleven states in 2004 voted to ban same-sex marriage, but in the nine years since, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it.

Even Catholics are on board, much to the chagrin of some of their bishops. A 2011 poll from the Public Religion Research Institute found that a majority of American Catholics “believe that sexual relations between two adults of the same gender is not a sin.” A staggering 71 percent of U.S. Catholics support civil marriages for same-sex couples, a rate that surpasses the general population and is higher than any other Christian denomination.

Though there appears not to be any definitive list, both liberal and conservative Catholic groups report that scores of Catholic colleges and universities now offer some sort of programming, counseling opportunities, or student groups geared specifically for LGBT students. At many institutions, anecdotal evidence suggests that vibrant gay and lesbian communities thrive even if the school prefers to lie low on the issue of LGBT equality. I wanted to see firsthand what had changed since I was a student. During the last academic year, I made cross-country visits to several Catholic colleges and universities, all of which are on different points on the spectrum of Catholic culture. I wanted to see what resources are available on Catholic campuses for LGBT students and how the administration reacts. What do the future lay leaders of the Catholic Church, still one of the most politically potent institutions in the U.S., believe about gay rights? How do their schools shape their views? And how will they shape the Catholic Church?

http://religionandpolitics.org/2013/06/18/being-gay-at-a-catholic-university/#sthash.sGV628Zr.dpuf

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. It appears that the hierarchy is, unsurprisingly, behind the curve when it comes to sexual issues

I really don't understand why they keep insisting on pushing a non-winning agenda. The laity does not support the party line when it comes to contraception, just as it does not support the party line when it comes to gay marriage.

I also do not understand why, of the seven deadly sins, so much effort is spent on the sin of lust. If they had put half as much effort into opposing avarice, we would all be much better off.

[TommyCelt]

2. Informative and interesting article...

...and to be seeing dialogue actually happening on campuses, even conservative ones like UA, is a good thing.

Hierarchy notwithstanding, there's not been much talk from Pope Francis on this subject. A columnist at HuffPo (name escapes me) normally quite critical of the Catholic Church opined that the pontiff has bigger concerns like caring for the poor and washing the feet of criminals.

If the clerical leadership of our Church could BEGIN to take the Pope's lead....remembering that most of our actual Church teachings don't begin and end with what we do in the bedroom...an actual above-board dialogue might actually materialize.