Catholic Bishops Seminar Won’t Meet at Notre Dame Because of "Vagina Monologues"

It says a lot about the "Catholic identity" of Our Lady's University when the administration prefers hosting a profane play to hosting a seminar by the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Doctrine:

SOUTH BEND — A theological seminar for Roman Catholic bishops that had been scheduled for the University of Notre Dame will be moved off campus because of a planned performance of the play "The Vagina Monologues."

The Catholic bishops made the decision because they disagree with the university administration’s decision to allow a student performance of the controversial play.

"Because of the likelihood of the presentation of the play ‘The Vagina Monologues’ at Notre Dame this year, the bishops made a collective decision to move the seminar off campus," the Most Rev. John M. D’Arcy, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, said Thursday in a written statement. The bishop declined a request for an interview.

The seminar, which includes Notre Dame faculty speakers and is co-sponsored by the university’s Institute for Church Life, had been scheduled for Monday through Wednesday on campus. Instead, it will be at the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis in Mishawaka.

Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown confirmed that the bishops moved the gathering off campus and that the decision was related to "The Vagina Monologues."

***
D’Arcy has publicly criticized Notre Dame and Jenkins for allowing the play. In 2006, the bishop issued a nine-page pastoral response critiquing Jenkins’ decision and his reasons for not banning the play.

The Committee on Doctrine has seven members: the Most Rev. William E. Lori, bishop of Bridgeport, chairman; the Most Rev. Leonard P. Blair, bishop of Toledo [ED.: I love my bishop]; the Most Rev. José H. Gomez, archbishop of San Antonio; the Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, bishop of Worcester; the Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli, bishop of Paterson, N.J.; the Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, bishop of Oakland, Calif.; and the Most Rev. David A. Zubik, bishop of Pittsburgh.

The committee has several consultants, including John C. Cavadini, professor and chair of Notre Dame’s theology department; and Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago. Cavadini could not be reached today for comment.

[Read the whole thing]

(emphasis added)


UPDATE (12 February)
Fr. J of the Per Christum blog writes in the comments to this post:

Please register your protest with those purveying this pornography at Our Lady's University:

Mark Schurr,
Chairman, Anthropology Department
647 Flanner Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574 631 7638
Mark.R.Schurr.1@nd.edu

Rory McVeigh,
Chairman, Sociology Department
739 Flanner Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574 631 0386
rmcveigh@nd.edu

Arguments directly challenging the capacity of this crude and degrading script to reverse the objectification of women and violence against them are particularly appreciated. Those promoting this material care little for the Catholic identity of Notre Dame and will be unswayed by appeals to such.

God Bless,

Fr. J.

For more information please see my post on the Per Christum blog

UPDATE #2
Per Mark, writing in comments, this story was first reported on in ND's Catholic student paper, the Irish Rover. You can read more about it at their blog.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
No Monologues on Notre Dame Campus This Year

Backing Down at Notre Dame - Selling Our Kids' Souls for Job Security

Weigel: A Golden Dome Opportunity Missed

An Open Letter to the Notre Dame Community Regarding Catholic Identity [UPDATED AGAIN]

Bishop D'Arcy Issues "Pastoral Response" to Father Jenkins' "Closing Statement"

Rape Survivor (ND Graduate) "Shocked" and "Depressed" by Father Jenkins' "Closing Statement"

Bishop D'Arcy Denounces Notre Dame Policy

Some GOOD Things Happening at Notre Dame, Too

The "Scooby Doo" Ending to the Academic Freedom Debate at Notre Dame

An Open Letter to the Notre Dame Community Regarding Catholic Identity [UPDATED]

Father John Jenkins, Moral Coward

More of the Same at Our Lady's University?