Brad Duffy's letter Feb. 17 "A Catholic University" showed Mr. Duffy's knowledge that the Catholic Church "is clear, however, in Her position on homosexual activity: 'Basing itself on sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved' (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357)." Certainly this explains the use of the word "Catholic" in the title of his column. What he clearly neglects is the word "university."
Relatively few in the world are privileged enough to attend institutions of higher learning, let alone one as fine as Notre Dame. It is the obligation of these crucial social institutions in part to offer students new perspectives and ideas. Certainly there is nothing un-Catholic about showing people things that they might not be familiar with, and in the case of a majority Catholic student body, something they might not necessarily agree with. What would a world-class education be worth if someone spent four years only experiencing the familiar? Furthermore, while Catholics might not condone homosexual behavior, this is no reason to shun and look down upon our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. Society as a whole does not do enough to embrace, understand, and accept the LGBT community as equal. It should be the role of Catholics, if anyone, to extend offers of love and acceptance to all people. The acceptance and celebration of the Queer Film Festival at our University is just one small sign of that peace.
Grant Wycliff
junior
Zahm Hall
Feb. 17
