Catholic Univ. Accused of Discrimination

[Pork_Roll]

Do them a favor and send them and that lawyer on a one way ticket back to Riyadh.

 

[markomalley]

jasonjessica09;8506961:

Your views are at variance with the CCC. It is Catholic Faith that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

You are taking this a little bit out of context.

CCC 841 comes from the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, paragraph 16:16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohammedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, “Preach the Gospel to every creature”,(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention.
If you look at this paragraph in its full context, you will see that this is a development of the principle of invincible ignorance.

The fact of the matter is that anybody who claims there is a divine power who created the heavens and the earth is worshiping a Creator. If the person claims that there is but one supreme Deity, that person is worshiping the One God. Particularly if that person is ignorant of orthodox doctrine. This statement, as well as the position of the Catechism, is that we can work with that person based on that belief. And that this person, if through no fault of his own is ignorant of Christ, lives his life morally based upon the natural law, there is a possibility that the person will be saved through a act of divine mercy.

What it is not is an affirmation of Mohammedism as a legitimate faith. You will note that LG and the CCC say that they “profess” to hold the faith of Abraham. You will note that Nostra Aetate 3 says that the faith of Islam “takes pleasure in linking itself” to the faith of Abraham. The Church does not acknowledge that Mohammedism follows the faith of Abraham…She does acknowledge that they claim to do so. There is a difference.

 

[JReducation]

ringil;8507502:

No. Our faith was built on the fact that our Lord died on the cross for our sins. Islam denies that Christ died on the cross or that he is the son of God. They call that blasphemy. We catholics worship Jesus. He is God. Muslims call him a prophet. Christianity says that there were no more prophets after John the baptist which leads us to the point that Mohamed was a fause prophet. We call God “Our father” . Muslims call themselves slaves of God. There is a huge difference between the loving fatherly God that we worship and the God that Muslims worship. Also if Catholics worship the same God as Muslims, why doesnt the Pope in his visits just declare that we are muslims as well?

The issue is not that Islam worships a different God. Catholicism holds that we worship the same God. The issue is that Islam does not understand the Trinity; therefore, it cannot understand the nature of Jesus Christ. From that lack of understanding flows the mistaken notion that he is a prophet and that he did not die on the cross, etc.

While it is the same God, the understanding of the nature of God is incomplete. This is the same case as the Jewish people. That’s why we refer to the three faith traditions as Abrahamic, because Judaism and Islam do not progress in their understanding of God beyond the stage of Abrahamic revelation.

As to this article, I think that many posters missed the part of the article where the Muslim student himself says that they DO HAVE an Arabic association at Catholic University. Yes, there is also a Jewish association. I was a student there for many years, eight to be exact. Both groups are very welcome at the university and are treated very kindly. Both are treated as cultural groups. It has nothing to do with their religious beliefs. The Catholic University does not have an association for Protestant students either.

One of my experiences, a pleasant one, while I was there was the university’s attempt to treat all of its students as human beings, while respecting and promoting diversity of culture. These folks at Geo Washington University are missing the point.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Beautiful]

I do not think it wrong for a Catholic University, Catholic College, Catholic High School or any Catholic school to discriminate. In fact I think it is about time Catholics stand up for what our universities, colleges, schools are all about. Catholic institutions are about teaching the basics. what the students are going to college for, and teaching about Catholic subjects when appropriate. We are getting soft. We are getting spineless. We are not following the Church.

Also I think we should discriminate more. We should only allow Catholic teachers to teach in all Catholic institutions. If people want to attend a Catholic institution, it should be mandatory for ALL students to go to Mass everyday, and ALL students where and when appropriate should learn more about the bible and the Church being the one true Church and how it is the one true Church. If new students are not willing to attend Mass or certain subjects, then they should attend another institution. That is how I feel about discrimination in Catholic institutions.

Discerning is perhaps a better word than discriminate.
Yes
Discern more carefully who teaches.
Discern more carefully who attends class.

Don’t quote me but I thought my relative who almost went to CUA said that weekly Mass attendance was mandatory…someone correct me if I’m wrong. If I’m correct, then any incoming student must realize what they are signing up for.

This crazy interview shows an interesting contrast.
I know…I know…how many here feel about Fox but here it is…video.foxnews.com/v/1245980968001/muslims-demand-prayer-rooms-without-crosses

 

[Beautiful]

I hate everything that Islam stands for. Not the people believe me. I hope that every one of them will escape this slavelike existance that they live because of it. Catholic U should never ever get caught in the PC trap that Catholic-In-Name-Only schools have fallen into.

I can’t agree with you…don’t know enough about Islam to make that claim…hating everything.
but I do agree…I hate to see a Catholic-In-Name-Only school at CUA. I live in an area that had two wonderful Catholic colleges at one time. Both are now Catholic by name only…so sad.
According to Dr. Jasser…Georgetown was given 10 million dollars of hush money to provide a Muslim prayer space. My concern now is that with large gifts of money…everything Catholic can become irrelevant or at least greatly shadowed.
video.foxnews.com/v/1245980968001/muslims-demand-prayer-rooms-without-crosses
Georgetown is the nations oldest Catholic and Jesuit University.

Yes, 10 million donations aren’t unheard of.
Yes, Georgetown promotes religious/cultural pluralism.
At what point or dollar amount does a Catholic school become not Catholic?

 

[donsnow]

It’s in the Catechism that we worship the same God. I don’t have the number.

Certainly, Catholicism is true and we follow God in the Trinity- as He really is, still Muslims worship the same God, but in an imperfect manner.

Do you not hold the faith of the Catechism of the Catholic Church?

Good evening, ringil,

Please, search for and provide the paragraph number in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and substantiate your point.

God loves you,
Don

To theOP:

FTR, earlier this afternoon I sent an email to Catholic University of America’s Public Affairs, remarking that CUA is there to change the students, not for the students to change CUA. And to please stand firm on not providing a bare room for the Muslims to pray.

God loves all of you, lurkers, too,
Don

 

[donsnow]

[No message]

 

[sw85]

Yes, this is quite an outrage. In a sane world, CUA would have expelled the rabble-rousers and (if possible) repaid their ingratitude by converting any tuition assistance they received into student loans.

Sadly, it seems likely they will be forced to submit to the blasphemy of removing the likeness of Our Lord from its walls and shelling out money to accommodate a false religion just to appease the exaggerated sensitivities of some hack ambulance chasing hypocrite and his pawns.

 

[JReducation]

Yes, this is quite an outrage. In a sane world, CUA would have expelled the rabble-rousers and (if possible) repaid their ingratitude by converting any tuition assistance they received into student loans.

Sadly, it seems likely they will be forced to submit to the blasphemy of removing the likeness of Our Lord from its walls and shelling out money to accommodate a false religion just to appease the exaggerated sensitivities of some hack ambulance chasing hypocrite and his pawns.

This is not the way that we Catholics and Catholic educators speak about people. Our institutions do not exist to attack people as having false religions or being ambulance chasers etc. They exist to proclaim the Gospel.

Catholic University (my alma mater) had responded very appropriately and it would behoove the rest of us to support the university’s response by using its own words and by speaking using its tone of voice.

The university has expressed its love for its Muslim students. It has welcome them and made sure that the university is a safe place for them, where they are protected from rhetorric and condescension. The university has done this since the 1970s. I was a student there for eight years, undergrad and grad. We always had Muslim students. At that time, there was the Iran problem. We had many Iranian students who took refuge at Catholic University of America, because it was welcoming and did not tolerate any kind of abuse toward other people.

The university continues to practice a policy of welcome and protection. The Muslim students have not asked for a prayer space. The Arabic students asked for an Arab Student Association. The Jewish students asked for a Jewish student association. Both requests were granted. The university respects the student’s right to share their culture.

The lawyer who is bringing this case to the courts is not an employee of the university, does not represent any group of students at the university, and he has a history of attacking Catholic University at every opportunity.

This is not about Islam and Catholicism. This is about anti-Catholicism. This man has even said that it is abusive to force Muslim students to pray under the shadows of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is the university’s church and on the campus. What is the university supposed to do, move the second largest church in the world and put it on the campus of George Washington University, where this lawyer teaches?

Do you see the unreasonableness of his claim and the calmness and politeness of the university? Our response must mirror that of the university. If we become offensive, then we’re not doing the university any good. The university does not want this kind of support. It wants Catholics to support it as it speaks, not for us to say what the university should say.

The university has already said that this is not an Islamic issue, but an anti-Catholic issue. This same lawyer attacked the university and claimed discrimination against women, when the university separated men and women into separate dorms. We always had men on one floor and women on the other. Now they have men in one building and women in another. They don’t even prohibit visiting, social activities or even studying together in the dorm buildings. They have common areas that allow students to have visitors. Obviously, the claim of discimination is unfounded. It supports the university’s claim that this is just another anti-Catholic campaign.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[GaryTaylor]

I have heard of this issue, yet haven’t read deeply into in. Thanks for the clarification JR.

Grace and Mercy, Gary