A “Choose Life” banner hanging from the entrance gate at Seton Hall University is causing some controversy on the Catholic campus.
The banner which was put up midway through October in honor of Respect for Life month shows a picture of a mother kissing a newborn baby with the words “Choose Life” followed by the phone number 1-800-848-Life for a pro-life help hot line. Father Stanley Gomes, director of Campus Ministry, told the Cardinal Newman Society he intends to keep the banner up for two more weeks.
But the student newspaper The Setonian says the banner has elicited “mixed reviews,” even quoting one student who said, “We are a college whose primary focus should be about providing a quality education to its students, not making a bold political statement before prospective students and families can even drive inside the gates and see what we have to offer.”
I wonder if there is a common thread between this controversy and the story of Muslims suing the Catholic University of America? Maybe people have come to expect Catholic schools to be so secular that the sign of a crucifix or a rather tame pro-life message can be controversial in any way.
In an interview with the Cardinal Newman Society, Fr. Gomes said he is aware of the controversy. “You see, even at a Catholic university like this one, students and even some intellectuals are not clear why we would put something like this up,” he said. “They think it’s a political statement. That’s how the world sees it but our idea is to celebrate life.”
Fr. Gomes said, “Some of the negative comments are that it’s an institution of learning, and they’re asking why are you making a political statement. But some students say it’s about time that we should celebrate our identity as a Catholic university and we should do this stuff more.”
Fr. Gomes said he expects more negative responses but he is undeterred. “I’m not afraid. We’re Catholic people. God loving. People loving people,” he said. “Even those who oppose us, we embrace them all.” [Source]
9 comments
Every one of those students attending Seton is an abortion survivor – the irony escapes them. They should be grateful that their moms chose life so that they can attend college and complain about the “Choose Life” banner, as well as do reparation for their classmates who aren’t there because they were ripped from their mothers’ wombs.
it’s actually not Muslim students suing Catholic Unversity of America. There is a good article on the topic on LifeSite News that gets into the details. Basically, it’s one non-Muslim law professor unaffiliated with the university that is stirring up this contraversy and lawsuit. It’s important to report on the facts, so as to a avoid a hostile situation for Muslim students who have nothing to do with this lawsuit.
I would think an authentic, unabashed Catholic culture would be something parents and prospectives students would appreciate knowing Seton Hall offered. Don’t like it? Plenty of other schools that offer a quality education you wouldn’t have to sue after you got tired of tolerating the campus’s religious identity.
I think this says a lot, actually. In government, the pro-life message is branded as religious and therefore illegitimate. In a Catholic university, the pro-life message is branded as political and therefore illegitimate.
I think the common thread here is just “Shut up.” (For an inspired statement of it, see Wisdom 2:12.) It’s not unique to pro-abortion folk; nobody particularly likes being called out, and resorting to falsehood and evasion in the service of denial is pretty standard human behavior.
Praise God for the courage and the love of Fr. Gomes, though–and pray that the university administration has enough Catholic backbone to support him!
Peace,
–Peter
If it is a Catholic University then it better be promoting Catholic teachings and traditions and if students don’t like it they can and should change schools.
This is another example of how the Church is viewed by the secular world. “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.” Well we have been falling for lots of anythings, for too long now.
Back in the olden days at my university, where all the men were strong, the women good looking and the children above average, they required that all the liberal arts students had to take a 2 credit public health course and also pass an “English Proficiency Test” proving they could write a sentence and a paragraph and knew the difference between a noun and a verb.
Too many flunked and the U couldn’t afford to give them all another course in English or Health. So they dropped the requirement.
Maybe our bishops should devise a Catholicism Proficiency Test and students who can’t pass it would be expelled (teachers who flunked it would be fired).
Schools would be a lot smaller, but Real Catholics would know their faith.
“the story of Muslims suing the Catholic University of America”
An important clarification here: zero Muslims have actually been involved in this lawsuit. The suit is being brought by the same fellow bringing the suit over the single-sex dorms. No Muslim students have complained to CUA or to this fellow. The suit is, of course, ridiculous, and merits comment, but let’s not tar the names of CUA’s Muslim students here – they are not at fault.
– A current CUA student
Seem like Seton Hall University is fertile ground for the sowing of the New Evangelization.
Get to work Catholic Setonians and see what blessings the power of the Holy Spirit will be able to work through you!
How DARE someone in a university make a political statement! Good liberals would NEVER do that!
Let’s see… abortion must not be denounced in a religious venue because that is a political statement, and must not be denounced in politics because that is a religious statement.