Crisis at St. Michael's College, Toronto: an open letter by concerned University of Toronto students.

Dear Friends and Alumni of St. Michael's College:

It is with deep regret that we undertake to inform you of a serious crisis in the Catholic identity of St. Michael's College, one which has led in the past few months to a critical impasse. The tension concerns the College's original Basilian ideal of "goodness, discipline. and knowledge" taught in the service of the Church, and the College's recent concessions to certain pressure groups lobbying to redefine it along secular mores.

There is, for Example, its removal of the crucifixes from the classrooms and its replacement of them with "Gay and Lesbian Positive Space" stickers as the most prominent symbol to be seen on campus, from the Registrar's office to the Principal's door.

This is especially alarming given that the stickers form part of an aggressive campaign by "LGBTOUT" (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgendered, and Queers of U of T), a group derisive of Catholic teaching and notorious for its organization of a 1999 Holy Thursday march on SMC that pasted homosexual propaganda onto a life-size figure of Christ Crucified.

Last year (2002-2003), following an exposition of Catholic teaching on sexuality by Dr. Peter Kreeft of Boston College, Principal McGowan and his "sexual orientation committee" published a condemnatory statement on the lecture which was itself promptly condemned by no less than twelve U of T professors. Their press release spoke of it as a "chilling implication" to, and a "clear failure" to uphold, academic freedom at St. Michael's College. (see News in Brief, November 2002, p. 32)

Nor has this threat--that all but Catholics may present and promote their beliefs at this, our Catholic college-been lifted. The Principal and his "sexual orientation committee" no longer speak of St. Michael's as a "Catholic college", but rather as "a college in the Catholic tradition". This heartfelt appeal for ambiguity seems to mean that fidelity to the Church has been sacrificed while nostalgia for a storied Catholic past is retained. We are curious as to whether Cardinal Ambrozic, the Chancellor of St. Michael's College, is aware that it is no longer a Catholic college as such.

The crisis has deepened this year (2003-2004) with the projected approval of a group called "Queers at SMC." This body rejects Catholic pastoral norms and promotes an active homosexual lifestyle, repeatedly labeling those who adhere to Church teaching as "homophobic". Approval of this group would mean more dissent on the part of the College from Magisterial teaching as articulated in the Congregation for the Faith's Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons. This document states:

"All support should be withdrawn from any organizations which seek to undermine the teaching of the Church. which are ambiguous about it, or which neglect it entirely. "

It warns against allowing pro-homosexual groups at Catholic schools and colleges:

"To some, such permission to use Church property may seem only just and charitable; but in reality it is contradictory to the purpose for which these institutions were founded."

Approval of the above group would also make them eligible for substantial funding from SMC, a fact we believe, the College's benefactors have a right to be aware of.

We, therefore, encourage those of you for whom the Catholic identity of St. Michael's college is something of great moment, to voice your concerns to the Chancellor and to the President of SMC. We are in danger, as a Catholic College. of repeating the unfortunate error of "Lucky Jack", the boy who found a lump of gold only to trade the gold for a horse, and the horse for a pile of hay.

We, therefore, urge those of you for whom this is unacceptable to avoid the default position of "in silence, consent" and become a valuable party in the College's deliberations, as you have been a valuable party in its past and present maintenance.

Yours sincerely,

Concerned Students at St. Michael's College.