Survey Finds Pro-Homosexual Clubs at 96 Catholic Universities in the United States

Catholic group challenges university presidents to disband pro-homosexual groups

By Michael Baggot

SPRING GROVE, PA, March 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Volunteers for the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) found that 45% of the websites of 211 major Catholic universities contained information about pro-homosexual clubs.

“Many of these clubs share in the movement’s radical goal – to force social acceptance of unnatural vice on Christian America, and gag expressions of free speech that oppose the movement’s ideological agenda,” warns an official TFP statement.

The TFP statement cites two concrete examples of Catholic universities suppressing the free speech of critics of the pro-homosexual clubs.

In November 2003, members of the TFP Student Action group were kicked off of campus for handing out flyers detailing the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual activity.

In October 2005, Duquesne University cited Sophomore Ryan Miner for a violation against the school’s anti-discriminatory policy for posting comments on his own blog opposing the formation of a “Gay-Straight Alliance” group.  When Miner refused to write a 10-page paper presenting viewpoints for and against homosexuality, he was threatened with expulsion.

Some Catholic universities with a history of pro-homosexual club activity have increased support for the homosexual movement.  Georgetown University, for instance, agreed in October 2007 to open and fully fund a center for homosexual students.

“Georgetown hosts mock same-sex “weddings,” grants health benefits to the partners of homosexual employees, and provides services for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth and their Families,” notes Thomas Peters, on his American Papist blog. The Georgetown GU Pride website even includes photos of students of the same sex kissing at a campus event.

The TFP report also lists other prestigious Catholic universities, including Boston College, Fordham, Marquette, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and Villanova.

The TFP report attributes the growth of the homosexual movement on Catholic campuses to “a gradual blurring of the distinction between good and evil, a generalized loss of the sense of sin, declining standards of public morality, and, as seen above, the persecutory actions taken by college officials against those who do voice their loyalty to Church teaching.”

In response to the growth of pro-homosexual activities on Catholic campuses, the TFP is organizing a petition to Catholic university presidents calling on them to disband pro-homosexual groups on campus.

The TFP report also encourages personal phone calls and letters to Catholic university presidents.  In addition, TFP is launching a Purity is the Answer Campaign to promote purity, modesty, and temperance as the antidote to disordered passions.

Reaffirming TFP’s opposition to the hateful treatment of individuals with same-sex attractions, its report states, “In doing this campaign, we have no intention to defame or disparage anyone. We are not moved by personal hatred against any individual. In intellectually opposing individuals or organizations promoting the homosexual agenda, our only intent is the defense of marriage, the family and the precious remnants of Christian civilization in society.”

“As practicing Catholics, we are filled with compassion and pray for those who struggle against unrelenting and violent temptation to sin, be it toward homosexual sin or otherwise,” the report adds.