‘Aimed to create a more open dialogue’
Several upcoming events at a small Catholic university will “focus on same sex attraction,” in an effort to “create a more open dialogue between the Catholic teachings on same sex attraction and the student body.” The full content and context of the events remains unclear.
The University of St. Thomas, a Catholic school in Houston, Texas, recently established a new Diversity and Inclusion Organization, a group that earlier this year announced plans to host several LGBT-themed events on campus. The student government initially denied the group funding for the events; later the group was granted the funding with the stipulation that campus Catholic officials have oversight of the event planning to make sure it would be in line with Catholic teaching.
Now an officer of the diversity organization has shed more light on those upcoming events.
Following The College Fix‘s previous report on the controversy, Diversity and Inclusion Organization Vice President Samaria Herbert told The Fix via email that the group is planning “more than 20 events for the upcoming school year.” Two of those events, Herbert said, “will focus on same sex attraction.”
“These events are aimed to create a more open dialogue between the Catholic teachings on same sex attraction and the student body. We have many students on campus who identify as part of the LGBT community and they have not always felt welcomed at this university,” Herbert said.
“My goal is to create this dialogue so that current students and prospective students see that this university is truly open to all.”
Herbert expressed regret that “so many falsities regarding this event have been spread across the Internet.”
“Everyone that is a part of planning this event understands the values of the Catholic church and the university as a whole; and those values will be upheld,” she said.
Maria Lencki contributed to this report.
MORE: Tensions at Catholic university over LGBT event
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