Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Students Protest Nun

A Dominican sister based in Nashville, Tennessee is under attack from students and parents at Charlotte Catholic high school. A petition with over 4,000 signatures was made on change.org by student Emma Winters calling attention to remarks made by the religious sister.

Sister Jane Dominic Laurel, a professor at Aquinas College was invited to give a talk on Blessed John Paul II's "Theology of the Body." During it, she apparently made some comments regarding homosexuality that angered the students. There is no recording of the event, but supposedly she said masturbation, single parent homes with no father, as well as sexual abuse and pornography can cause same-sex attraction.

The petition by the students states:

“We reject the suggestion that homosexuality occurs mainly as a result of a parent’s shortcomings, masturbation or pornography. We recognize the difference between correlation and causation. As a result we realize that men don’t become gay by masturbating in the presence of one another but rather may engage in these activities because they are gay.” 
“We resent the fact that a school wide assembly became a stage to blast the issue of homosexuality after Pope Francis said in an interview this past fall that “we can not insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptives methods.” We are angry that someone decided they knew better than our Holy Father and invited a speaker who addressed the issue of homosexuality to our school to speak twice in the course of one school year. We the students of Charlotte Catholic High School are confused why time was spent condemning the practice of homosexuality when we could have been spent condemning: world hunger, gun violence, the death penalty, unjust care of the elderly, human trafficking, genocide, discrimination etc.; OR been promoting: love, prayer, the Beatitudes, practical ways to serve Christ, patience, just war theory etc.”  -http://www.change.org/petitions/those-who-arranged-allowed-the-talk-at-cchs-on-03-21-14-thank-you?share_id=PGGARYZAMF&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

Apparently, Sister Laurel used sources from the Linacre Quarterly, which is a reputable journal publication of the Catholic Medical Association. Some claim the ideas presented in the talk to be antiquated and unfounded. This is a big problem for speakers such as Sister Laurel who rely on sources that will be attacked as researcher biased. Many academic journals on the issue conclude that there is no real link to homosexuality and other external factors.  They are labeled "inconclusive."  Naturally, Sister Laurel used sources that agrees with Catholicism's view of homosexuality so of course she will get hated for that.

Nevertheless, she had a right to speak her mind under the First Amendment's protection of free speech. The students at this Catholic high school should not be surprised to hear Catholic teaching in a Catholic school. The petition is totally silly and reflects the brainwashing these young people have undergone via the media. With MTV and music artists such as "Lady Gaga," and "Mackelmore" promoting homosexuality as a norm while attacking religion as a disease of hate, then no one should be surprised to see the youth defend the rhetoric proposed by these popular singers. They are the ones raising them.

Emma Winters wrote on her change.org profile:

"Thank you to everyone in the CCHS community who supported my petition. I have now removed it from change.org because I feel that its goal has been accomplished. I wanted to call attention to something I felt was wrong so that something similar would not happen in the future. Certainly enough attention has been brought to the issue, and I believe that our school system is working towards a meaningful change. The petition has served its purpose and can now be put to rest. It's time to look forward and not backward. Not forget but move on. The Charlotte Catholic community is one I have grown up with and love. I have faith that our community can weather this storm."


I for one will not defend nor condemn what was said by Sister Laurel because I do not know what was exactly said. However, if she was in fact defending the teaching of the Church as is without external sources, then she should not be put on trial for this especially in a Catholic school.  She has every right to teach correct Catholic teaching on sexuality.  It is unfortunate that this student wishes to promote homosexuality at the expense of silencing Sister Laurel and the Catholic Church.  A letter was sent to parents of students which can be found here: http://www.edline.net/files/_zBJtC_/457dcab8c1080dc03745a49013852ec4/Parent_Letter_-_April_1_2014.pdf  .

More needs to be done to educate our youth about Church teaching regarding homosexuality and sexuality.  I myself had an interesting discussion with a student who denied receiving Confirmation due to his views on homosexuality which are at odds with the Church.  See: http://sacerdotvs.blogspot.com/2012/11/rainbow-blindness.html .

Here is a video of Sister Laurel speaking:










  


Source:

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/16935/

http://wilmingtonfavs.com/2014/04/02/charlotte-catholic-high-school-students-protest-nuns-comments-homosexuality-masturbation/

http://www.change.org/petitions/those-who-arranged-allowed-the-talk-at-cchs-on-03-21-14-thank-you?share_id=PGGARYZAMF&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

http://www.change.org/users/87223768

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/04/01/4810338/controversial-nun-cancels-may.html#.Uz7mMKgVrBo

http://www.newmanconnection.com/institute/courses/rich-gift-of-love

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/03/catholic-nun-homosexuality-speech/7250825/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/nun-masturbation-gay_n_5070010.html

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