Back to: Catholic News
http://www.ivorytowerheretics.org/2008/04/will-assumption-college-turn-catholic.html">Assumption Struggles to Turn Around Image
Source: Ivory Tower Heretics -- Read Full Story
For those seeking a truly "Catholic" college experience in the New England Region, it can be tough. Boston College, a.k.a. Barely Catholic, long ago succumbed to the secular world-view and is probably best known for dissenting theologians popular with the mainstream media.
Holy Cross College is even worse. It's public promotion of Planned Parenthood at a recent symposium brought the condemnation of the Bishop of Worcester. They openly support abortion and gay causes as well as hosting the pornographic and blatantly anti-Catholic Vagina Monologues.
The smaller colleges of choice for Catholic students likewise suffer an identity crisis and crisis of faithfulness. Tilting leftward, they do all they can to avoid outward expressions of piety while trumpeting so-called :diversity" and "tolerance", code for gay friendliness and hostility to traditional Catholic belief. These colleges include Merrimack College, Stonehill College, Saint Anselm's College and Assumption College.
We previously reported that the new president of Assumption, Francesco C. Cesareo, gave a speech last fall upon his installation that signaled that perhaps he would turn Assumption back into a Catholic school. So we decided to take a look and see how he's fared so far.
First, it's important to note how far the school had to go. In 2002 it was reported that a student manning a booth in support of traditional marriage on campus was openly harassed by pro-gay attackers brought on campus from the outside by a gay campus group in full view of Mark Bilotta, a college administrator. In 2006, Mr. Bilotta was named the head of the Worcester Consortium of colleges and is still employed in a senior position at Assumption.
The campus gay club, AC Allies, still advertises their on campus activities, and as usual disguise their intention to promote homosexuality as some sort of human right and anti-bullying campaign, the same tactic being used nationally to get homosexuality accepted at secular high schools. On a recent post acceptance tour, a student remarked to me that they couldn't even find a pro-life club.
But in an even more in-your-face act, and a good indicator of the resistance the new president is facing, it was reported that the faculty voted to charge President Francesco Cesareo and his cabinet with violating policy when they refused to host a gay activist veteran as a Veterans Day speaker. On Internet postings, some faculty claimed the school was violating their "free speech rights." Given that Assumption College is a private, religious institution, such a claim is juvenile. Hopefully these weren't law professors. More striking is that no one was as vocal when the student was being harassed for supporting traditional marriage.
Turning a Catholic college around may be more difficult than the new president thought but it can be done. One huge obstacle is that most college faculty are tenured and secure enough in their positions to openly defy and secretly undermine any policies they disagree with.
Examples where the turnarounds did occur or are in progress include Franciscan University at Steubenville Ohio, rated as faithful by Cardinal Newman Society and National Catholic Register, and Providence College where similarly a new college president declared the Eucharist and the chapel to be the center of all the college stands for and set about ridding the campus of activities contrary to the Catholic mission. Catholic colleges like Franciscan U have become the transfer destination of choice for devout Catholic students disillusioned with the Catholic-in-name-only colleges.
To truly make the change will require preferential acceptance of practicing Catholics in the student body as well as in hiring of staff. Sadly, Assumption's reputation as a gay-friendly party school (the nickname of the school is "Consumption") is so ingrained that good Catholics are likely to continue to shun the school (as the child of this writer has decided to do). The school president will have to make painful changes that are both decisive and public if he is to change course.
We'll keep an eye on Assumption to see if this occurs.
For those seeking a truly "Catholic" college experience in the New England Region, it can be tough. Boston College, a.k.a. Barely Catholic, long ago succumbed to the secular world-view and is probably best known for dissenting theologians popular with the mainstream media.
Holy Cross College is even worse. It's public promotion of Planned Parenthood at a recent symposium brought the condemnation of the Bishop of Worcester. They openly support abortion and gay causes as well as hosting the pornographic and blatantly anti-Catholic Vagina Monologues.
The smaller colleges of choice for Catholic students likewise suffer an identity crisis and crisis of faithfulness. Tilting leftward, they do all they can to avoid outward expressions of piety while trumpeting so-called :diversity" and "tolerance", code for gay friendliness and hostility to traditional Catholic belief. These colleges include Merrimack College, Stonehill College, Saint Anselm's College and Assumption College.
We previously reported that the new president of Assumption, Francesco C. Cesareo, gave a speech last fall upon his installation that signaled that perhaps he would turn Assumption back into a Catholic school. So we decided to take a look and see how he's fared so far.
First, it's important to note how far the school had to go. In 2002 it was reported that a student manning a booth in support of traditional marriage on campus was openly harassed by pro-gay attackers brought on campus from the outside by a gay campus group in full view of Mark Bilotta, a college administrator. In 2006, Mr. Bilotta was named the head of the Worcester Consortium of colleges and is still employed in a senior position at Assumption.
The campus gay club, AC Allies, still advertises their on campus activities, and as usual disguise their intention to promote homosexuality as some sort of human right and anti-bullying campaign, the same tactic being used nationally to get homosexuality accepted at secular high schools. On a recent post acceptance tour, a student remarked to me that they couldn't even find a pro-life club.
But in an even more in-your-face act, and a good indicator of the resistance the new president is facing, it was reported that the faculty voted to charge President Francesco Cesareo and his cabinet with violating policy when they refused to host a gay activist veteran as a Veterans Day speaker. On Internet postings, some faculty claimed the school was violating their "free speech rights." Given that Assumption College is a private, religious institution, such a claim is juvenile. Hopefully these weren't law professors. More striking is that no one was as vocal when the student was being harassed for supporting traditional marriage.
Turning a Catholic college around may be more difficult than the new president thought but it can be done. One huge obstacle is that most college faculty are tenured and secure enough in their positions to openly defy and secretly undermine any policies they disagree with.
Examples where the turnarounds did occur or are in progress include Franciscan University at Steubenville Ohio, rated as faithful by Cardinal Newman Society and National Catholic Register, and Providence College where similarly a new college president declared the Eucharist and the chapel to be the center of all the college stands for and set about ridding the campus of activities contrary to the Catholic mission. Catholic colleges like Franciscan U have become the transfer destination of choice for devout Catholic students disillusioned with the Catholic-in-name-only colleges.
To truly make the change will require preferential acceptance of practicing Catholics in the student body as well as in hiring of staff. Sadly, Assumption's reputation as a gay-friendly party school (the nickname of the school is "Consumption") is so ingrained that good Catholics are likely to continue to shun the school (as the child of this writer has decided to do). The school president will have to make painful changes that are both decisive and public if he is to change course.
We'll keep an eye on Assumption to see if this occurs.
April 13, 2008 - 2 comments
Submitted by CathExchange08 on Sat, 04/26/2008 - 6:05pm.
» login or register to post comments | email this page
The author created a very convincing argument above. It is sad, however, that the author did not paint an accurate image given incorrect information listed.
The author’s claim that Assumption is currently labeled as a gay-friendly party school is false for two reasons. Speaking to an alumnus and current staff member from the class of 1998, the school had its “Consumption” reputation for partying back in the early 1990’s, and in the past eight years has aimed to implement one of the strictest alcohol policies in the state under the direction of former President Thomas Plough (1998-2007). As a former student leader on campus and a member of the Student Government Association several years ago I can testify to the success of these efforts on the part of the Administration (rules/regulations can be viewed here: http://www.assumption.edu/stulife/StudentHandbook/StudentHandbook.pdf).
Secondly and perhaps most importantly, as an acquaintance of two former and very few openly gay students on campus I can tell you that Assumption is not a "gay friendly" school. Anti-gay comments and remarks are the norm at Assumption, so much that administrators and students felt that the AC Allies support group on campus needed to be revived after falling through the cracks in the early part of the decade. Openly gay students have left the college due to harsh criticism and unacceptance on the part of students and, sadly, even some faculty and staff members (speaking to a political science professor I have found recently that this one of the major reasons why so many faculty have voted against Ceseareo's actions regarding the club)!
The author of the related article failed to mention that the group does not promote the homosexual agenda, but rather promotes acceptance and respect for gay people under the stipulations set for in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This can be seen in the club and activities handbook under which all clubs are required to conform.
As stated in its club constitution and on the clubs/activities website of Assumption, AC Allies seeks to foster a better understanding of the Roman Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality and on intolerance. Recognizing the dialogue within the Catholic community about gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues, the Allies group seeks to participate in and contribute to this dialogue and teaching. It also aims to provide needed SUPPORT and AFFIRMATION of those who consider themselves gay, lesbian, or bisexual in order to help them develop self knowledge and a positive self-concept. And most importantly – it aims to offer a forum in which everyone may work to DISMANTLE INTOLERANCE AND OPPRESSION of gay, lesbian and bisexual students IN THE CONTEXT of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which calls Christians to "accept (homosexuals) with respect, compassion, and sensitivity." "Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." (#2358) (http://www.assumption.edu/stulife/stuact/Clubs/clubpage.htm) By following the blatant standpoint of the Catechism on this issue, how could the club possibly be 'tilting leftward' as the author states? If anything the club does the exact opposite by bringing screened educational speakers and panels to campus in the hopes that students will become interested in the ideals brought forth by the Catechism, and in turn, the club’s mission.
I recently graduated from Assumption College and loved the school dearly. So it is warranted that I would be somewhat biased in my argument. However, let it be known that I have been in Catholic Schools for more than 18 years - since pre kindergarten - and am currently attending a Catholic graduate school. I am no stranger to catholic doctrine and proudly promote its message and its importance in life to youth as a Christian Youth Mentor every day during the work week.
That being said, I hope it is understood that I value the efforts of newly elected President Cesareo to bring the college more in line with its mission and to transform the hearts and minds of students so that they may live a better life as strong Catholic or Christian students. I do not agree with how Cesareo is going about this effort for the fact that he took it upon himself to quickly eliminate a group (within two weeks of the start of the school year) simply because it appears to be promoting the gay lifestyle. If one were to stop and actually examine the club they would have realized what I have come to realize as a former student; I applaud AC Allies and its efforts for trying to make gay students feel welcome and accepted in a school associated with the Catholic Church - an institution that is normally not associated with being “gay friendly” provided common misconceptions in society and the mainstream media. The club certainly serves a purpose in destroying misconceptions that should not be associated with Christ's church.
Perhaps if the author's child decided to go to the school or if further research was done these misconceptions would have been averted and a more accurate article could have been produced.
Submitted by CathExchange08 on Sat, 04/26/2008 - 6:32pm.
