It probably seemed like a cutesy little harmless idea when the alumni association at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia decided to host a Valentine’s Day contest on their Facebook page for couples who met on campus. Whichever couple’s picture got the most “likes” would win a $100 gift certificate to a local restaurant.
Non-controversial, right?
But nothing’s safe from controversy anymore. And what started out as a contest became a cautionary tale when a same-sex couple attempted to enter with a picture and their story which announced that the two young ladies were seeking to get married in 2013.
The alumni association reportedly initially refused to enter the couple because of the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage. But what might have been a refreshing story coming out of a Jesuit university became yet another story of a Catholic college buckling under public pressure and turning their backs on Church teaching.
Yesterday afternoon, after websites like MSNBC accused the alumni association of “discriminating against some alumni due to sexual orientation” and a liberal advocacy site called Jezebel accused the college of choosing “dogma” over freedom, the Saint Joseph’s Alumni Association buckled and entered the same-sex couple’s photo to the contest on their “Hawk Mates” Facebook page along with their wedding announcement.
But the alumni association didn’t just post it. They posted it with an incongruous note which read:
Saint Joseph’s University fully supports and is in agreement with the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage.
As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Saint Joseph’s is a welcoming, inclusive community. Our focus is on respect and caring for all individuals as individuals.”
But here’s the thing. The couple did not enter into the contest as individuals. They entered as a couple who now state on the university’s Alumni page that they plan to wed next year.
So far, the couple is well in the lead to win the contest, due to the attention this story has received.
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
15 Comments
More corruption of our values and tenants of our Catholic faith. Marriage is reserved as a SACRAMENT between a MAN and a WOMAN. What is there about that , that causes any confusion since the beginning of time. If the State wants to approve Civil unions..that is their purview…but Marriage as a scrament is a Christian purview…sorry gays, look elsewhere for your approval of lifestyle choices..not the bible or Catholic Faith. The Bible is quite clear.
One more Jesuit college down the tubes.
St. Josephs is a Catholic College. Why did you post a gay couple as winners of A Saint Valentine contest? What catholic message are you trying to convey? I have a freshman grandaughter at Saint Josephs and am Very concerned about Saint Josephs providing her a truly Catholic Jesuit education. Stand Up Saint Josephs and stop yielding to secular pressure.
My whimpy and mislead alma mater makes St Ignatius turn over again in his grave….Again
May the virtuous graces that inspired and led St Ignatius to combat the heresies of the Protestant revolution call for a re-evangelization of the Jesuits
Another Jesuit college chooses to poke a stick in the eye of Catholic doctrine. They buckle to the secular media and leftist pressure groups against the stated position of the Catholic church. Seems to mme when i graduated from St Joes in 1956, the curriculum included over 100 hours of philosphy, ethics and religion including a course called No Longer Two about marriage between a Man and Woman written by Father Handren (a professor at St Joes back then) I believe. Many courses included recounting the lifes of courageous catholics throughout history who stood up to the pressure of kings, dictators communism etc in defense of their conscience and the faith–even when they lost their lives as a result. So the question now becomes why didn’t St Joes stand tall against the midgets in the press and same sex marriage groups. Surely they didn’t have the power to destroy the school as the Kings of England had to destroy St Thomas A. Beckett and St Thomas More. There doesn’t appear to be much courage if St Joes cavein.
Frank Liberatori 1956
The alumni of such a fine Catholic institution
should not give a hoot about what organizations like MSNBC or Jezebel think.
You are either Catholic or you are Not. There is no in-between. To be a catholic is to be a catholic 24/7 365; not just for an hour every sunday.
“Xavier University honors Kathleen ” Boston College has Barney Frank as honored guest and speaker” ….want 10 more Jesuit Colleges dishonoring the name “Catholic” college, it won’t take long to discover them. Here is the reality. Jesuits are too intellectual to lock step into being “Catholic”. They just want to NE “Jesuit”. Parents beware of these guys. They are not good stewards of your children’s soul and your misguided trust in them. Shame on St. Joseph.
Daniel Malone
God Save Us
I hate this game playing thing- a couple does not “have” to be practicing “homosexuals” to be a couple – friends, relational;
There are arguments all over the place this way or that way- “welcoming” IS an invitation to grace- that’s all that’s importance- leave the gals alone- and all others “we” precieve fall from the mark! No casting stones: that’s up to God. Get back to respecting “ALL” life- the womb to the tomb- babies and those on death row- gays and straights! Leave the “judgements” to God!
Life most Jesuit Colleges today, they seem to have forgotten the meaning of “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.”
Well said, classmate Frank!
I remember receiving an Alumni brochure quite a few years ago, which talked at great length about the “jesuit” tradition, etc…but the word “Catholic” never appeared – they have finally reached the bottom of the slippery slope.
They contrast “freedom” with “dogma.” Any self-respecting light thinker will choose “freedom.” The core problem of these universities is that their students — and apparently their alumni as well — didn’t learn to think in the undergraduate years.
We all have to make judgements.Make informed judgements.Don’t get close to Jesuits. Say a prayer that they return to obey God’s commands.
God forgive them for they know not what they do, if they did they wouldn’t be failing our society. God will be a just judge yet Catholic Colleges have a responsibility to the Church teachings AND to all their fellow Catholics.