The University of San Francisco
Personnel/Institutional Flowchart
The
(Jesuit) University of San Francisco (USF) has attempted to
offer philosophical, ethical, and theological justification
for the normalization of homosexual relationships, both in
the Church and in society.1
It comes right from the top, from the President of the
University:
“A student talked about the difficulties he faced in coming to grips with his own homosexual orientation. He feared the rejection of family members and the ridicule of friends. He had to be as he was created to be by a loving God. He came out. It is not easy for him. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.”
–Fr. Stephen J. Privett, President, the University of San Francisco. Baccalaureate Homily, May 2, 2003.
It comes from the Executive Director of University Ministry, Fr. Donal Godfrey, SJ:
"Is it less appropriate for gays to imagine Jesus as gay than for African Christians to picture him as black, Asian Christians as Asian?" -"Gays and Grays, the story of the Gay Community at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church" by Donal Godfrey, SJ, p 134.
"I believe in other words, that the gospel must always be inculturated into every culture, and this must include gay culture." -Gays and Grays" p138.
"I firmly believe in a new approach and a new vision in this area of ministry. In this I do have an 'agenda.'" -"Gays and Grays "p132.
"The Catholic Church is not a credible moral voice within the gay community." - "Gays and Grays", p153
It comes from the Department of Theology and Religious Studies:
“Thus, despite coming up against Magisterial teachings to the contrary, the alienation which homosexual catholics experience is not rooted in that which they believe to be intrinsic to Christian tradition itself, but rather, is associated with an erroneous interpretation of tradition imposed by the teaching authorities of the church. To put it plainly, we simply disagree with the church’s interpretation of Scripture and Tradition which we otherwise experience as affirming. I suspect that many of us are able to finally endure this dichotomy because we are convinced that at its very roots Christianity is most essentially relational and thus ultimately rejects nothing which bears the fruit of loving relationship.”
-Rev. Vincent Pizzuto, Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco. From "Alienated Catholics: Establishing the Groundwork for Dialogue" Co-Sponsored by the USF LGBTQ Caucus, the USF Lane Center for Catholic Studies and Social Thought and St. Agnes Parish, March 26, 2006. (In addition to his Professoriate, Piuzutto was ordained into the "Celtic Christian Church" in 2007. He is also a Board Member of USF's LGBTQ Caucus.)
And it comes from students who are attending a "Catholic" University:
“And we return to the issue of same-sex love vs. heterosexual love. You argue, Reverend, that Pope Benedict simply places an emphasis on positive initiatives which favor the family; that he is not blatantly suggesting that homosexuality is wrong. To that, I say he is doing it without having to come right out and say it. To favor the family, which is clearly something that in the eyes of the Church can only result from the joining of a man and woman is to dismiss the existence of same-sex-reared families. His privileging of monogamous heterosexual marriage as “an especially blessed form of love” can only be interpreted as demeaning towards what appears to be the “lesser” form of love.”
–Julie Henderson, USF Student, “Is it Ethical to be Catholic? Queer Perspectives,” a discussion hosted by the University of San Francisco “Communities in Conversation” Project, at Most Holy Redeemer Parish, February 12, 2006.
This
opposition to Church teaching on the issue of homosexuality
has been going on for years, and it shows no sign of
abating. Indeed, the appointment of Fr. Godfrey as Executive
Director of University Ministry can only be seen as a
further attack.
1)
Links to the original documents, video, and audio files,
which are the evidence on which we base our conclusion, are
found on the
USF Chronology
page.