Condoms at the Newman Center

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ltcatholic
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Ltcatholic

Guest
In the early 90’s, I was studying at a major Midwest university.

The Newman Center on Lane Ave. had a welcoming social, and there were well over 100 young Catholic students in attendance.

The evening started out with an ice breaking activity. We were divided into groups and given topics to create a Top Ten List (or rather 5)
Our group was given the topics–the top 5 uses for condoms and the top 5 reasons to drink beer. Given the high level of planning for the activity, I don’t think that this was the act of one silly kid.

Fast forward 15 years, and now this Newman Center is on the “Gay friendly parish” list. Not surprising!

Our children deserve so much better.
 
Wow! I never even knew there such a thing as a “gay friendly parish” list. I guess I’m not surprised, though. :rolleyes:
 
Oh yeah, there is! The Newman Center I attended, for awhile, had a “gay & lesbian” group that met weekly. And this was only a couple years ago. I often wondered what went on in those meetings.
 
The Newman center in Madison, WI was the same way when I left there in 1993.
  • Everyone was and EMHC for the person behind him.
  • The Trinity was Creator, Redeemer & Sanctifier.
  • Lord’s prayer started with "Our Father, Our Mother God, who art…
  • Woman ‘pastoral associate’ vested, gave homilies and appeared to be concelebrating at the consecration.
  • The floor after communion was visibly covered with crumbs from the loafy bread used. Perhaps not an issue if it was invalid material anyways…
I heard a rumor years later that a house cleaning occured after I left. Never been back to see.
 
Clearly this thread is headed into bashing territory. Before anyone is pulverized, I’d submit that “gay/lesbian” discussion group on a college campus is not a bad thing to find sponsored by a Catholic organization. The college years are most commonly the ones in which young adults are exposed to sexual activity without the support of their family, home parish, familiar friendships, etc. If someone you loved was intrigued by or struggling with SSA, away from home and all that was familiar, would you want them to seek out guidance from Gay/Lesbian/Transgendered Pride Alliance, or the Newman Center?
 
Island Oak:
If someone you loved was intrigued by or struggling with SSA, away from home and all that was familiar, would you want them to seek out guidance from Gay/Lesbian/Transgendered Pride Alliance, or the Newman Center?
Click to expand...
Good point, but of course you do want proper guidance for such people. I do hope that the Newman Center in question would provide that.

Eamon
 
Wow, I’m very fortunate. I’m at a Newman Center at a different midwest university, and it’s absolutely wonderful. I haven’t seen any of the problems you described.
 
40.png
Ltcatholic:
The evening started out with an ice breaking activity. We were divided into groups and given topics to create a Top Ten List (or rather 5)
Our group was given the topics–the top 5 uses for condoms and the top 5 reasons to drink beer. .
Click to expand...
So, it’s not like they’re actually handing out condoms or condoning condom use with this. I can see how it could be an ice breaker, to discuss things that do come up in campus life from a Catholic perspective.
 
Last time I checked, being gay is not actually a sin. I think I’d rather go to a “gay friendly parish” than one where people are casting stones. It’s important to distinguish the fine line between not condoning some behaviors and remembering that we are called to love all people.
 
40.png
annb:
Last time I checked, being gay is not actually a sin. I think I’d rather go to a “gay friendly parish” than one where people are casting stones. It’s important to distinguish the fine line between not condoning some behaviors and remembering that we are called to love all people.
Click to expand...
:yup: Exactly.

Eamon
 
Originally Quoted by annb:

Last time I checked, being gay is not actually a sin. I think I’d rather go to a “gay friendly parish” than one where people are casting stones. It’s important to distinguish the fine line between not condoning some behaviors and remembering that we are called to love all people.
Click to expand...
Being gay is not a sin, but I am not sure if I entirely agree with the concept of a “gay friendly parish.” We are called to love all people, but we are also called to define which actions are holy and which are not. Each and every parish should be friendly towards gays, and, if the gay person acts out his tendences, the parish should be loving in dealing with the problem.

I am a little concerned with the concpet of “gay friendly parishes.” It may suggest to some that the vast majority of parishes, which are not labeled as “gay friendly parishes,” are homophobic parishes. Another concern: although there are many devout homosexual Catholics who go above and beyond normal human limits to disagree with the concept of homosexual marriage, there are some homosexual Catholics who prefer expediency over Church belief. Grouping these latter individuals together into a Catholic parish may place unwanted pressure on Church authorities to endorse gay marriage. Such parishes may also become strongholds for other liberal-minded Catholics, such as those who openly advocate female ordination to the priesthood, etc.

You are free to disagree with me. I am not die hard sure as to how “gay friendly parishes” will work out. I imagine that they give comfort and are less threatening to those who have homosexual tendencies; but I think that instead of having to create these parishes we should simply make the normal parish more accepting of gays, yet holding the traditional view on homosexual actions.
 
40.png
Madaglan:
Being gay is not a sin, but I am not sure if I entirely agree with the concept of a “gay friendly parish.” We are called to love all people, but we are also called to define which actions are holy and which are not. Each and every parish should be friendly towards gays, and, if the gay person acts out his tendences, the parish should be loving in dealing with the problem.

I am a little concerned with the concpet of “gay friendly parishes.” It may suggest to some that the vast majority of parishes, which are not labeled as “gay friendly parishes,” are homophobic parishes. Another concern: although there are many devout homosexual Catholics who go above and beyond normal human limits to disagree with the concept of homosexual marriage, there are some homosexual Catholics who prefer expediency over Church belief. Grouping these latter individuals together into a Catholic parish may place unwanted pressure on Church authorities to endorse gay marriage. Such parishes may also become strongholds for other liberal-minded Catholics, such as those who openly advocate female ordination to the priesthood, etc.

You are free to disagree with me. I am not die hard sure as to how “gay friendly parishes” will work out. I imagine that they give comfort and are less threatening to those who have homosexual tendencies; but I think that instead of having to create these parishes we should simply make the normal parish more accepting of gays, yet holding the traditional view on homosexual actions.
Click to expand...
I don’t think that I’d disagree with most of what you said here. But I did want to comment on one part.“Church authorities” do not have any power to endorse gay marriage. It doesn’t MATTER if the majority of people thought gay marriage was ok, the teachings and catechism are not based on popularity of an idea, and “church authorities” don’t get to vote on things like this. With Catholocism you don’t get to pick and choose what you believe (caffeteria). With “liberal” Catholics we just pray that they will come around to the Church’s teachings. These teachings won’t ever change based on popular opinion, because they are not based on man’s interpretation, but on God’s will.
 
Island Oak:
Clearly this thread is headed into bashing territory. Before anyone is pulverized, I’d submit that “gay/lesbian” discussion group on a college campus is not a bad thing to find sponsored by a Catholic organization. The college years are most commonly the ones in which young adults are exposed to sexual activity without the support of their family, home parish, familiar friendships, etc. If someone you loved was intrigued by or struggling with SSA, away from home and all that was familiar, would you want them to seek out guidance from Gay/Lesbian/Transgendered Pride Alliance, or the Newman Center?
Click to expand...
Excellent reminder, thank you. Unfortunately, in my case the only SSA ministry offered was Integrity/Dignity which (again, at that time) was indistinguishable from aforesaid Pride Alliance.
 
40.png
Ltcatholic:
In the early 90’s, I was studying at a major Midwest university.

The Newman Center on Lane Ave. had a welcoming social, and there were well over 100 young Catholic students in attendance.

The evening started out with an ice breaking activity. We were divided into groups and given topics to create a Top Ten List (or rather 5)
Our group was given the topics–the top 5 uses for condoms and the top 5 reasons to drink beer. Given the high level of planning for the activity, I don’t think that this was the act of one silly kid.

Fast forward 15 years, and now this Newman Center is on the “Gay friendly parish” list. Not surprising!

Our children deserve so much better.
Click to expand...
Ah, yes, I remember it well. Home baked, crumbly bread, song lyrics projected onto a screen, homilies preached by lay people, but preached before the Gospel, so it wasn’t a “homily”. Thankfully, I discovered Holy Name on East Patterson, even though I lived on Norwich right behind the Newman Center!
 
Island Oak:
Clearly this thread is headed into bashing territory.
Click to expand...
Gay bashing? Give me a break! The only person endangered on today’s college campus is the faithful Christian. Be open with your Catholic faith in most departments, especially as a graduate student, and it is nothing short of academic suicide. Even going to a “gay friendly” parish wouldn’t get you a pass.

I have a novel idea–how about a support group for heterosexual Catholics trying to live a life of holiness on a sex filled campus.:whacky:

Try getting support from the “gay friendly priest” for your pro life group. I mean, soon, there will be thousands of girls on campuses getting pregnant, and who will look out for them, and their babies?

I saw a little ad for this kind of “Catholic” gay discussion group --complete with rainbow flag. It was right next to an ad for a discussion series on liberation theology.

Sure, there is nothing wrong with a discussion group for gays struggling to remain faithful to Church teaching–I mean that’s what it is all about–Right?

Wake up and smell the coffee!
 
40.png
annb:
Last time I checked, being gay is not actually a sin. I think I’d rather go to a “gay friendly parish” than one where people are casting stones. It’s important to distinguish the fine line between not condoning some behaviors and remembering that we are called to love all people.
Click to expand...
If you are celebate and do not act on same sex attraction, can you consider yourself gay? When someone says that they are gay, they are typically saying that they engage in homosexual relations, which is, without a doubt, a grave sin.

If you have same sex attraction and do not act on them, then, no sin is present.

So, I guess it is really how you define it. But you’re right, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top