BUZZ
Bishop says he appreciates the follow-up but would like further education on anti-Catholic bias
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln apologized to the local Catholic bishop over a drag show “Mass” performance put on by a doctoral student for his thesis project.
However, Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln would like to see further action taken by the university to educate its employees on why the performance was offensive.
“Mocking the Eucharist, which is the very source and summit of the Catholic faith, should never be an action that is rewarded with a degree, but instead should be condemned for its ignorance and evil,” Bp. Conley wrote in his “Bishop’s Column” published today. He previously denounced the drag show following a College Fix report in late May.
The controversy stems from a spring drag show performance by M. Joseph Willette called the “Mass of Perpetual Indulgence.”
“Ultimately, this work celebrates the queer body as a holy body, queer community as a sacred communion, and carnal pleasure as a consecrated sacrament,” the musical composition doctoral student wrote. The musical set had portions unique to the Roman Catholic Mass, including a “Kyrie,” “Sanctus,” and “Credo,” as reported by The College Fix.
In response, Bishop Conley met with university leadership who promised an investigation. The prelate shared today that the university system plans to create “the President’s Advisory Roundtable on Community Engagement, which will advise the university on the most effective ways and best practices in addressing sensitive and often emotional matters for which there are strong convictions.”
“Through the work of the commission, we will gain critical insights from its members, and we believe the number of incidents like the one we discussed during our meeting will be reduced or eliminated,” the school informed Bp. Conley on July 15. “The establishment of the commission is underway; membership is being finalized and expected to be operational by the end of the summer.”
Bp. Conley thanked the university system for its response and shared what else he would like to see, writing:
I applaud President [Jeffrey] Gold, Chancellor Bennett and the regents for the invitation to dialogue on this situation, the University’s apology for the offense it has caused, and the creation of the advisory roundtable to advise on how to handle similar situations should they arise in the future. These are all positive steps forward.
I would hope the University is also apologetic not just for the disruption caused by the incident, but for the substance of the incident itself. On behalf of Catholics and all people of faith, I would like to see a more concrete commitment from the University to provide training and education on why this behavior is offensive to Catholics. Mocking the Eucharist, which is the very source and summit of the Catholic faith, should never be an action that is rewarded with a degree, but instead should be condemned for its ignorance and evil.
He said he plans to seek an update in six months.
Willette, for his part, has criticized The College Fix’s coverage of the incident, calling this publication a “news tabloid.” He also blocked The Fix on Instagram.
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IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: Lincoln Bishop James Conley; Diocese of Lincoln website
