Is Xavier University an Orthodox/Traditional Catholic College?

[Lead_Me_Home]

I was wondering if Xavier University in Louisiana made the Newman list of of Catholic Universities? If not does it give a good solid Catholic teaching or does it depend on your initiative. I’m visiting the college in April and I was does it give and good support or foundation in the Catholic faith. I’m looking for orthodox Catholic teaching not necessarily traditional.

Also just in case you might know, is there a parish near by that offers daily Mass?

 

[dixieagle]

I was wondering if Xavier University in Louisiana made the Newman list of of Catholic Universities? If not does it give a good solid Catholic teaching or does it depend on your initiative. I’m visiting the college in April and I was does it give and good support or foundation in the Catholic faith. I’m looking for orthodox Catholic teaching not necessarily traditional.

Also just in case you might know, is there a parish near by that offers daily Mass?

Hi,

I don’t know about the Newman list. I live a couple hours away, and know that the school has a decent reputation, with some very bright African American students from this area attending Xavier. I know that they have daily Mass in the chapel (you can check that out on their website: xula.edu/campus-ministry/index.php) and they hold a summer Institute of Black Catholic Studies.

Hope you find what you’re looking for.

God bless.

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

Thank you. I am just still wondering how good is the universities Catholic teaching. Is it kind of lade back, is it the more you put in on your own the more you get out of it, or does it just start you off with a good strong foundation. I have heard all good about the school otherwise though. I wanted to know about the quality of its Catholic teaching because I plan on going through RCIA my freshman year of College.

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

I wish I could give you advice, but unfortunately I don’t know the answer to your most important question - how Catholic are they? I can only share some impressions with you, after strolling on their campus and visiting their library a couple of times. It was a good feeling to be there. I remember seeing there a large painting of the 19th century Catholic nun who established Xavier University. I desperately try remembering whether I saw crucifixes at Xavier U, but I just can’t remember. That University, the way it was established, and what it accomplished, as well as the story of its founder, is quite amazing. I sincerely hope they are still truly Catholic, as they used to be. I’m a pharmacist and have a Ph.D. in chemistry. Xavier University is excellent in those two academic fields, I know that. Also, many students, after finishing the school of pharmacy, go on to medical schools, and Xavier University has a reputation for the high rate of its alumni being admitted to medical schools.

 

[dixieagle]

I wish I knew more; I do know that it is now about 40% Catholic, with a strong Campus Ministry presence, and required Theology courses. From what I understand, there are still Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament involved with the University. There is a longstanding and strong commitment to social ministry.

However, it did not, evidently, make the Newman College list of 20 recommended colleges (I saw the list from 2007.)

Of course, the Catholic identity in New Orleans is historically quite strong, and I am sure you can find whatever RCIA or parish experience you seek. St. Patrick’s Parish is a pretty traditional, orthodox parish, from what I understand.

God bless.

 

[PJM]

I was wondering if Xavier University in Louisiana made the Newman list of of Catholic Universities? If not does it give a good solid Catholic teaching or does it depend on your initiative. I’m visiting the college in April and I was does it give and good support or foundation in the Catholic faith. I’m looking for orthodox Catholic teaching not necessarily traditional.

Also just in case you might know, is there a parish near by that offers daily Mass?

I have not seen it appear on the “radar” for Orthodoxy and Roman Catholic Schools.

Here is a good test: Ask if the “Vagina Monologs” have playeed there. They have at Notre dame, Boston Colledge and others.

Two schoos i can recomment are Stubenville Ohio and Ave Marie in Florida.

May God contine to bless and guide you.

Love and prayers,

 

[Lujack]

I have not seen it appear on the “radar” for Orthodoxy and Roman Catholic Schools.

Here is a good test: Ask if the “Vagina Monologs” have playeed there. They have at Notre dame, Boston Colledge and others.

And they no longer play at either college.

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

I just found this:

Pro-Abortion Political Activist to Speak at Xavier (LA) Commencement and Receive Honor

cardinalnewmansociety.org/CardinalNewmanSociety/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/435/ItemID/499/Default.aspx

Xavier University in New Orleans, a Catholic institution, has announced plans to honor pro-abortion political commentator and activist Donna Brazile at commencement on May 9, 2009.
“Given New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes’ strong condemnation of Notre Dame’s honor of pro-abortion President Barack Obama, it is surprising and saddening that Xavier University would honor a prominent figure opposed to Catholic moral teachings”, said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society, whose petition at NotreDameScandal.com has surpassed 263,000 supporters.
Most U.S. bishops speaking and writing publicly against the decision of the University of Notre Dame to honor and host President Barack Obama at commencement have cited the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2004 statement “Catholics in Political Life” as support for their position.
The statement reads: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
According to the Xavier website, Donna Brazile will address more than 450 graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Pharmacy and the Graduate School. She will also be awarded an honorary degree.
Brazile is ideologically opposed to many fundamental Catholic moral principles, including abortion and contraception. She recently supported President Obama’s reversal of the Mexico City Policy which previously barred taxpayer funding from supporting abortion services overseas. She said that “this will save lives.”
In a CNN segment during the 2008 presidential campaign Brazile suggested that public discussion of Barack Obama’s legislative support for infanticide should be diminished in light of high gas prices.
In a 2006 article, Brazile expressed her support for across-the-board availability of contraceptive services, including her support for the Prevention First Act. She said, “It would secure funding to ensure broad access to birth control, supply information to providers and consumers concerning emergency contraception, and require hospitals that receive federal funds to provide, upon request, emergency contraception to sexual-assault victims.”
Written By:*CNSweb
Date Posted:*4/14/2009

 

[SmartyPants]

I grew up in New Orleans. I am familiar with the city, the archdiocese, and the university. If Archbishop Hughes loses his mind and goes after Xavier the fallout will not be pretty!

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

If Archbishop Hughes loses his mind and goes after Xavier

What do you mean by this?

 

[SmartyPants]

What do you mean by this?

In your first post, you posted an article in which someone commented that Archbishop Hughes had condemned Notre Dame for inviting President Obama to speak. The implication is that he should condemn Xavier for inviting Brazile to speak.

My comment is that given what I know about Xavier, the city, the relationship between black Catholics and the Archdiocese at the moment (it’s not good), and black Catholics feelings about Xavier (almost every black Catholic in the city has at least one family member who has attended Xavier–I have two)–Archbishop Hughes would be poking a stick at a hornet’s nest to cast any sort of negative light on Xavier for inviting Brazile to speak at their commencement.

Seriously, a rift between black Catholics and the Archdiocese would be opened that is so wide it would take decades to close! The Archdiocese has barely recovered from their attempt to close St. Augustine’s–the oldest black Catholic parish in the city–following Katrina.

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

You know, I still hope that universities such as Notre Dame, Georgetown, or Xavier for that matter, can return to their Catholic heritage, but those University Presidents who invited pro-abortion politicians and activists, and covered up the IHS monogram (at Georgetown), should be forced to rescind their invitations or else forced to step down from leading these Catholic institutions. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops made it clear that Catholic Universities should not honor or give a platform to speak for the representatives of the culture of death. The Bishops including Abp. Hughes are doing the right thing by criticizing the leaders of these universities, and they could possibly choose even more drastic measures, such as ecclesiastic disciplinary action against the university leaders who are consecrated religious (priests, monks, nuns), and asking the respective universities to stop calling themselves Catholic until such time as they reform their ways and submit to Catholic discipline again. There’s nothing racist about this. Quite to the contrary, giving a pass for disobedience to the historically black Xavier University, while reigning in Notre Dame and Georgetown, would be the racist thing to do. Laypeople should stand all the way with their Bishops in this, otherwise they simply excommunicate themselves from the Catholic Church. Anyone who participates in abortion or supports it, should not present themselves to Holy Communion until such time as they repent. Not only Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, but everyday citizens of New Orleans as well, whether they are black or white or of whichever race.

The following is an excerpt from Xavier University’s mission statement (bolded emphasis mine):

Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, is Catholic and historically Black. The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society.

The University’s decision to invite and honor a pro-abortion activist is in flagrant contradiction with its mission statement - abortion is not Catholic, and it’s about as unjust and inhumane as it gets. Donna Brazile’s suggestion not to talk about Barack Obama’s support for infanticide in view of the high gas prices strikes me as especially cold and cynical. Why would a Catholic University honor someone like this? Do they want to hold up Brazile’s example as worthy to emulate??