Catholic College in PA Challenged for its Apparent Pro-Homosexual Stance

by Jim Brown
April 5, 2004

(AgapePress) - The head of a Pennsylvania traditional values group is calling on a Catholic college to uphold the biblical truth about homosexuality.

During a recent panel discussion at Mercyhurst College in Erie, several of the school's professors voiced their support for same-sex marriage. The forum was hosted by the campus Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and part of a four-day academic celebration at Mercyhurst.

Diane Gramley with the American Family Association of Pennsylvania says she is disturbed not only that a Catholic college has a GSA chapter, but also that some of its professors are ignoring Catholic doctrine. She quotes that doctrine.

"Their catechism says specifically that homosexual behavior is 'acts of grave depravity, intrinsically disordered, contrary to the natural law; and under no circumstances can they be approved,'" Gramley says. "Apparently the professors there at Mercyhurst had a lapse of memory [regarding] Catholic teaching is on the issue of homosexuality."

Gramley says students and parents at Mercyhurst need to be assured that they are supporting a "truly Catholic school." Toward that end, she has sent a statement to Mercyhurst president William Garvey.

"We have encouraged him to come out and clearly state the school's policy on this, because I know for a fact -- because I've spoken with some of the students there -- that they are concerned with what happened with the professors' statement," she says. "And they need to be reassured by the administration that the school will follow Catholic teaching and not in any way endorse homosexuality."

Gramley says Mercyhurst professors should consult a recent papal document that denounces the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.