Georgetown University Gay Bashing

Washington, D.C.- A Roman Catholic cardinal seen as a top contender to succeed Pope John Paul II sparked student and faculty protests at Georgetown University with a remark he made about homosexuals in a commencement speech.

The Nigerian prelate told the graduates that happiness is found not in the pursuit of material wealth or pleasures of the flesh, but by fervently adhering to religious beliefs. Arinze then spoke of the importance of family to the Roman Catholic Church.

"In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," Arinze said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the university. "It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in
contraception, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce."

Ed Ingebretsen, a professor of English at Georgetown and a priest in the American Catholic Church, said Wednesday that Arinze's remarks are in line with Roman Catholic doctrine.

"These things are exactly what he's paid to say," Ingebretsen said.

Arinze, 70, is widely mentioned as one of the candidates to succeed John Paul II, which would make him the first African pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Arinze ascended through the ranks of the church's hierarchy in Africa, where Catholicism is flourishing. He was called by John Paul II in 1984 to work in the Vatican.

Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Catholic archdiocese of Washington, said Arinze has a "deep perspective" through his longtime work in the church with many cultures.

"His message was certainly consistent with Catholic teaching, which seems appropriate since this is a Catholic university," "Gibbs said.

"Hopefully new graduates will be inspired by his reminder that happiness does come through God."
All of this at a religiously based university that was supposed to be on the "liberal" end of the list of religious schools.

Messages like this one are being presented everyday in religious schools. This type of message isn’t supposed to be conveyed at a "liberal" school like Georgetown. Or is it?

Naturally, our foremost concern is for the GLBT students (and others) who were named in the list of "offenders. " While there was certainly an outcry from students and some faculty, no guarantees were given that GLBT students would be protected from such horrific language in the future.

Thanks to our supporters, students attending Georgetown and schools that are much worse when it comes to GLBT issues are not alone. There is a resource for them; a place where they will be freed to discover the truth about themselves, their lives and others. Without HeartStrong, that road would be long and ardious.

Our HeartStrong supporters and friends make it all possible.