<p>This “institution” is a university where opposing ideas are tested. If it is so simple, we don’t need universities. It is already decided, all written out. You would hope that their religion is strong enough to survive some probing if truly based on humanity.</p>
<p>
</code></pre>
<p>[Villanova</a> University: Mission Statement](<a href=“http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/president/about_university/mission.html]Villanova”>http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/president/about_university/mission.html)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[About</a> Us](<a href=“http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/AboutUs/tabid/53/Default.aspx]About”>The Cardinal Newman Society)</p>
<p>Is Villanova changing their mission? Is that what we are seeing?</p>
<p>Is the stated mission of Villanova the same as the stated mission of the Cardinal Newman Society?</p>
<p>Are there different ways to be Catholic? </p>
<p>Everyone here is so smart I sometimes expect you can all read my mind when I post some links. 
of course I recognize that my mind may not be all that worth reading :(</p>
<p>If you don’t mind extending your question; Why is nudity and/or sexuality uncatholic anyway? Is what they object indecent exposure or proscumity?</p>
<p>How do they claim they guide people through their lives if they shun out sexuality, forbid any discussion of it?</p>
<p>It is not like Villanova banned all gay students and organizations from campus…they decided not to host an’artist’( using the term loosely) that doesn’t fit their religious values…This artist said he wouldn’t be doing anything sexually graphic( though he has done such in the past)… But what could be done if he took the stage and did so? Villanova decided it wasn’t worth the risk, which is their right…</p>
<p>A quick snippet of his past ‘work’</p>
<p>Miller gained notoriety in 1990 when he and three others had grants vetoed by the National Endowment for the Arts. His work is frequently provocative, and he has been arrested in the past for demonstrating for AIDS research funding. He said some of his performances have featured nudity but there has been no nudity for about a decade.</p>
<p>JHS, why do I think that to get to your “testimonials” you must have overlooked a sea of protests from Villanova alumni, students, and faculty. Plenty of people looked at the character of this activist and his actions through ACTUP to declare him persona no grata on campus. What he would say or not does not matter. What he did is enough. </p>
<p>The leadership of the school listened to the testimonials that mattered and undid a prior mistake.</p>
<p>@quodogpa - Ideas are not a piece of garment. You don’t throw them out when not fit. You explore and determine what doesn’t fit, why it doesn’t fit and show the world yours is better.</p>
<p>Following up on JHS’s posts - I think it is correct he was canceled because of who is he, not because of his proposed workshop.</p>
<p>What is going on at Catholic universities is an interesting discussion imho</p>
<p><a href=“http://consortium.villanova.edu/excorde/landlake.htm[/url]”>http://consortium.villanova.edu/excorde/landlake.htm</a></p>
<p>[Ex</a> Corde Ecclesiae - On Catholic Universities - John Paul II - Apostolic Constitution (15 August 1990)](<a href=“Ex Corde Ecclesiae (August 15, 1990) | John Paul II”>Ex Corde Ecclesiae (August 15, 1990) | John Paul II)</p>
<p>Igloo, everyone is entitled to their own ideas. One strength of the US higher education system is the diversity --</p>
<p>
I noticed that, too. </p>
<p>It’s often open season on Catholicism at CC, isn’t it?</p>
<p>I am trying very hard not to bash.
I am linking to Catholic sites with as little personal comment as possible.</p>
<p>I was trying to post links with no personal comment.</p>
<p>kayf - the irony of the diversity - To be truly diverse, we include close minded?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The important words here are diversity and … higher education. Why do the “objective observers” not look at the current contents of the teachings of Heidi Rose to ascertain the openness of Villanova in education matters. </p>
<p>Despite the so-called attempts NOT to bash, bashing is exactly what is happening. After all, how easy is it to claim that anyone who might not endorse the artist and his performance ought to be a closed-minded bigot?</p>
<p>If fits the narrative of 2012!</p>
<p>As is so often the case, those crying victimhood are, in fact, the ones doing the bashing. The only people called bigots on this thread are those of us who called out Mormon businesses due to their support of infringing on the civil rights of other citizens. Here it is, </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think a Catholic education used to be the equal of the best secular education. But as the Church moves away from scholarship, that is less and less the case. The Catholic education I recieved, in a high school no less, was alive with debate and discussion. Now those same things are being squashed at the college level. Very sad to witness.</p>
<p>Edited to add: I also think that Catholic colleges are trying to have it both ways. On one hand, there are school sanctioned groups that exist solely to welcome GLBT students and on the other hand we have situations such as this. Clearly, Catholic colleges want to attract the best students but then they don’t want to walk the walk of being truly welcoming. I think eventually that will start to effect the quality of student being attracted because it is not just GLBT students that will steer clear but their allies, of which there are many in that generation.</p>
<p>^^I was just sitting on my fingers trying not to respond to the Mormon quote, since this seems like it could be a good thread if it doesn’t get closed for being too political. I have some great links I could send as a pm</p>
<p>regarding GLBT students at Catholic colleges… I think parents of gay students need to read very carefully exactly what kind of support the organizations on Catholic college campuses are offering our students. I think there are many different definitions of support.</p>
<p>Is it bashing to ask exactly what support is offered gay students at Catholic universities?</p>
<p>I am pretty sure for long stretches of history Catholic education was probably the best education available, but my own education was decidedly old white men influenced so that may not be quite right 
Maybe we could say in the west it was the best on offer?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Of course it would. I would encourage my son to attend as a living example of the peace that can come from accepting yourself as gay. My remedy for speech I disagree with is not censorship but rather a continuing dialogue. Even if the person I disagree with refuses to engage in dialogue, the discussion can continue within the community.</p>
<p>Although I absolutely agree with Alh that the comparision is imperfect. No one is trying to, for example, prevent straight people from marrying. A person who claims to be formerly gay is now living a life with full civil rights. To censor someone who is part of a minority that suffers from hate-crimes and general discrimination is more troubling to me.</p>
<p>Sigh. No igloo, but the Catholics have every right to establish their own colleges. Would you go to West Point if you were a conscientious objector?</p>
<p>Again, if your interest is truly at the education level, you need to look at what is happening at Villanova (or at any other Catholic and Jesuit universities) on a … daily basis. You need to look at the curriculum, at the faculty, and at the efforts (or lack thereof) to offer a welcoming environment to everyone. </p>
<p>The success or failure of the efforts should not be measured by the decision to cancel an invitation to an activist whose past actions have spoken volumes. Would anyone really expect Howard University to organize a workshop for David Duke or any other flamboyant KKK leaders … in the name of diversity? Or a group of Guantanamo detainees at West Point? </p>
<p>Fwiw, the publicity created by the stunt of inviting him in the first place has paid more dividends than expected. The bread and butter of activism is confrontation; not discourse!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So the simple fact of being gay makes a person to a Catholic University as the KKK is to people of color?</p>
<p>Is this really where you want to go with this?</p>
<p>@kayf - Sorry if I offend anyone but I didn’t think West Point was a university, more like a seminary. There are Catholic seminaries. but we are talking about universities, a place where we exchange ideas freely, experiment to see if anything leads to a more constructive society to better lives of more people.</p>
<p>Another thing I don’t understand about this “right.” It is not a communication debating who has what right. Bean counters do that for a lot of money.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I hope you are right. Last I know the nick name Vanillanova is alive.</p>
<p>Is someone deleting posts?</p>
<p>if so - pretty please don’t - I have to keep getting up to fix lunch for company and can’t follow what is happening</p>