Boston College attracts praise and hostility for placing crucifixes in classrooms (CNA)

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Boston College’s Iconic Gesture
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The Cardinal Newman Society reports today on an unexpected move at Boston college — the placement of crucifixes and icons on many classrooms.
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According to the Boston College Observer, the religious articles were placed in the classrooms during Christmas break at the instruction of Jesuit Father William Leahy, the president of Boston College.
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The Observer reports that the move has met with a hostile reception from some Boston College’s faculty.
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“I can hardly imagine a more effective way to denigrate the faculty of an educational institution,” Amir Hoveyda, chairperson of Boston College’s chemistry department, told The Observer. “If that has been the purpose of the administration of Boston College, I congratulate them, as they have succeeded brilliantly.”
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Readers of Daily Blog won’t be surprised to learn that we disagree strenuously with Hoveyda’s criticism of Father Leahy’s laudable effort to make Boston College’s Catholic character more tangibly evident on the BC campus.
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In fact, we endorse the take of Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick Reilly:
“By what logic would someone expect a Catholic college or university to be non-Catholic?” Reilly commented. “The complaints are a sad consequence of the mixed signals from Boston College over several years. At times Catholic teaching and tradition are celebrated, other times they are scorned and undermined. But the crucifixes are a very happy movement forward!”
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How is a crucifix “denigrating”?
 
Way to go, Alma Mater! High time to stop being embarrassed at being a Catholic institution.
 
One of BC’s finest Professors, Dr. Peter Kreeft, tells why he is happy to be at Boston College. According to him, BC stands for “Barely Catholic”, so that it is Catholic enough for him to feel at home, but not to such a great extent that he cannot perceive himself as being in the mission field.

It is to be hoped that his mission work, and that of those like him at Boston College, is paying off.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
To quote one of the professors Paul Davidovits:
Placing Catholic iconography in classrooms undermines the successful efforts of Boston College to be a University that welcomes all students, faculty and staff. Such iconography has positive uplifting connotations only for Catholics raised in that tradition and its proper place is the Church setting. For most of us
the iconography in our classrooms is meaningless and in fact often carries very charged negative and threatening connotation that promotes alienation. Some key colleagues are considering leaving the University because of this development.
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This was not a good move.
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Oh dear…
 
Placing Catholic iconography in classrooms undermines the successful efforts of Boston College to be a University that welcomes all students, faculty and staff. Such iconography has positive uplifting connotations only for Catholics raised in that tradition and its proper place is the Church setting. For most of us
the iconography in our classrooms is meaningless and in fact often carries very charged negative and threatening connotation that promotes alienation. Some key colleagues are considering leaving the University because of this development.
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This was not a good move.
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“Negative”, “threatening”, “alienation”? I’d say, au revoir Prof. Davidovits, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
 
This is just like the whole Williamson controversy. Non-Catholics trying to tell Catholic authority what to do. Give me a break.

It is nice to see that BC is taking steps towards not being afraid of being Catholic.
 
CapIV said:
This is just like the whole Williamson controversy. Non-Catholics trying to tell Catholic authority what to do. Give me a break.

It is nice to see that BC is taking steps towards not being afraid of being Catholic.
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I didn’t even know BC was Catholic until I heard about this…
 
How is it iconic? They should have been in the classrooms to begin with. It is supposed to be a Catholic University.
 
From The Boston Herald
Some Boston College professors and students are raising a holy ruckus over the Catholic school’s return to its religious roots by hanging crucifixes in all its classrooms, calling the move “offensive” and a break from the Jesuit tradition of tolerance.
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“There is no choice if you don’t think it’s appropriate. You can’t turn it around,” said biology professor Dan Kirschner, faculty adviser for BC’s chapter of Hillel, a Jewish student group. “I think it is being insensitive to the people of other faith traditions here.”
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Amir Hoveyda, head of BC’s chemistry department, blasted the school in an e-mail to the Herald for “not being interested in an exchange with its faculty members.”
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What about tolerence to Catholics at a Catholic school?
 
Jesuit mission of “tolerance.”

Then they don’t know why the Jesuits were originally founded, do they?
 
LRThunder said:
Jesuit mission of “tolerance.”

Then they don’t know why the Jesuits were originally founded, do they?
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Boy have you got that right!!

To me the whole brouhaha points out as clearly as possible just how far BC has moved away from being a “Catholic” university. Neither professors nor many students seemingly were aware Boston College IS a Catholic university. Frankly, the Jesuits bear great responsibility for that. Self-hating Catholics, especially priests, really do need to reconsider their just why they are Catholic.
 
I was outraged when I read this. I say to all those who teach at a Catholic college who find it offensive and divisive that there’s a crucifix in the classroom to hit the road!!! Good riddance.

That is what this world is coming to! A Catholic university is blamed and derided for putting crucifixes in the classrooms!!

We should all be very afraid of these elitist relativistic types. And I AM a college professor!!! I am ashamed of these professors who are saying these kinds of things.
 
Charybdis said:
I was outraged when I read this. I say to all those who teach at a Catholic college who find it offensive and divisive that there’s a crucifix in the classroom to hit the road!!! Good riddance.

That is what this world is coming to! A Catholic university is blamed and derided for putting crucifixes in the classrooms!!

We should all be very afraid of these elitist relativistic types. And I AM a college professor!!! I am ashamed of these professors who are saying these kinds of things.
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I agree and that is what I told them when I to the campus newspaper, the Observer. Maybe we should flood them with support for Father Leahy and something not so nice for the faculty.
 
I know that there are some faculty who feel unable to teach in a classroom that contains a Christian image, and I think classrooms without those images should be available.
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Unable to teach? At a Catholic University?
The solution lies in making all our classrooms free of all religious displays
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:mad:

Did anyone notice that the students interviewed were much more eloquent and rational than the faculty? Or that this has been an ongoing project for 6 years and the faculty members just noticed? I think BC needs to upgrade its hiring practices.
 
Annc said:
I agree and that is what I told them when I to the campus newspaper, the Observer. Maybe we should flood them with support for Father Leahy and something not so nice for the faculty.
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You might also want to write to The Heights, which has been the official (pretty lefty) student newspaper for decades. The Observer - which fairly recently began publishing again after being on “hiatus” for years - is a counterpoint to The Heights.
 
Why stop at crucifixes? I say put a picture of Benedict XVI in every room and hang a little holy water font at the door. I told my wife to watch their music departments for any resignations and apply. Won’t have to worry about her complaining about crucifixes. 😃
 
As a Boston College student I am very proud of our administration for putting crucifixes in every room (most rooms had them before though).

BC has a reputation for being a very secular school, and it’s about time we reclaim our Catholic identity. Boston College does have groups on campus for Catholic students who are serious about their faith. St. Thomas More Society (adoration and rosary once a week, followed by a theology discussion), Sons of St. Patrick (men’s group with evening prayer followed by theology discussion), Gratia Plena (Catholc women’s group), and the Pro-Life Club (not strictly Catholic, but attends the March for Life each year) are some of the popular groups

There is also confession available on a daily basis, 5 chapels/churches on campus (St. Mary’s is absolutely beautiful), and several daily Masses each day (and many on Sunday).

It is also a good day for the Observer, the more conservative newspaper on campus who essentially broke this story about two weeks ago, and was just picked up by the Boston Globe today.

BC isn’t perfect by any means, but this is a step in the right direction. And if anyone could say a few Hail Marys for us that would be great 👍
 
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