Comments on Ivory Tower Heretics: Will Assumption College Turn Catholic, or Not?

This last comment is encouraging and confirms my s...

2008-05-18T07:52:00.000-04:00

This last comment is encouraging and confirms my suspicion that there is a great deal of resistance to reform among the faculty. As we wrote last October, the president has the right idea and must push ahead.

As parents of a prospective student, we found most of the communications from Assumption wanting. Whether it was official literature and pamphlets or ones sent by alumni, there was nary a word about Christ, His Church, or the Catholic character of Assumption. So ingrained has the secular world-view become.

There was a post on the college newspaper website by a professor who claimed to be a "former Catholic" who doesn't believe in the Church but still is 'spiritual". This rampant relativistic view is deadly to young souls and needs to be excised before too much more harm can be done.

Assumption has a chance. But the window of opportunity to change will close soon. More alumni embracing the change will help. So will a more public pronouncement about what Assumption now is.

Assumption's new president does understand the bat...

2008-05-17T23:28:00.000-04:00

Assumption's new president does understand the battle that he is up against and has made significant changes just in his first year to enhance the Catholic identity of Assumption. As an Assumption student who chose to attend Assumption this past fall because of the leadership of the new president, I have been impressed with the actions taken by the Dr. Cesareo to quickly reaffirm the school’s Catholic Identity in every way, shape, and form.

The president instructed the gay-straight alliance to take down their website, which included a manipulation of quotes from the catechism to legitimize the group. He made the gay-straight alliance a sub-group under the department of Campus Ministry, changing it from an advocacy group to a support group in the context of the church's teaching on homosexuality. The president has done everything possible to restrict the group's activities other than banishing it. In my opinion, it will not be long before we see the group disappear due to the limitations on it. After Dr. Cesareo's inauguration in the fall, he firmly reminded faculty that they are not to advocate for something that is in conflict with church teaching, doctrine, or dogma. He banned a speaker that was invited in by the gay-straight alliance who was to serve as an advocate of the gay agenda. The president has hailed the pro-life group in their attempts to raise pro-life awareness and has made it clear that the establishment of a pro-choice group is not even up for discussion.

As many of you cited from the school's newspaper articles, the faculty has put up quite a fight. In response to the faculty, the president recently sent a copy of Pope Benedict’s address to Catholic president’s (which he gave to during his visit to the U.S.) to every faculty member and student. Additional Crucifixes have erected around campus since Dr. Cesareo took office, so now every building in almost every room has one visibly displayed. The president has changed the slogan of the school from a secular one “Learn. Achieve. Contribute.” to “A Community of Learning, Faith, and Service.” Light post signs have errected on and around the campus that read "Transforming lives" with a cross next to the words. The president annouced that the College will "higher for mission" from this point forward, so to ensure the faculty will contribute to the Catholic mission of the college.

Arguably, the most profound affirmation of the new president’s initiatives is the $4.2 M that was given to the school by a couple who explained their reasoning behind their donation: “Though many colleges and universities have lost their religious roots, Assumption College continues to embrace its Catholic identity and protect the integrity of its mission…Michele and I are very excited about Assumption’s new president and the direction in which he is taking the college. Since he arrived on campus last July, and in his inauguration address, Dr. Cesareo has articulated a vision for Assumption that we wholeheartedly support as essential to its growth.” Read more: http://www.assumption.edu/admin/hotnews/story.php?id=301 The College plans to use the money to establish a Catholic Institute.

The overwhelmingly liberal Faculty have made the president’s initiatives an upward battle and are doing everything in their power to turn the student body against Dr. Cesareo. The president of Assumption College merits the support and recognition of all those who are advocates of Catholic Colleges re-affirmation of their Catholic Identity.

To answer the question of this article: it has already begun to turn Catholic... In a BIG way.

It was also pointed out to me that Assumption gave...

2008-04-15T08:12:00.000-04:00

It was also pointed out to me that Assumption gave an honorary degree to pro-abortion former Governor Jane Swift. That alone should have caused the Bishop to warn them he could remove the Catholic designation form the school. It is not my position that he should do so but rather that Assumption repent and rejoin the Catholic family.

I'm afraid that if this college president doesn't ...

2008-04-13T18:45:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid that if this college president doesn't clean house, his plans will go up in flames. This is a deeply entrenched culture he is fighting and they won't go easily.

So the professors were upset that the head of a Ca...

2008-04-13T18:34:00.000-04:00

So the professors were upset that the head of a Catholic college objected to introducing homosexuality with the celebration of Veteran's Day? That not only defines "Ivory Tower" but one that extends beyond the next planets! This school isn't just a little off course...

I just got the form email from their Admissions Of...

2008-04-13T17:23:00.000-04:00

I just got the form email from their Admissions Office. Not one word in it would tip off it is from a Catholic college. Closest they come is mentioning campus ministry but state schools have that!

"If you deny Me before men I will deny you before my father in Heaven."

Here's the post on the Assumption student paper ab...

2008-04-13T17:16:00.000-04:00

Here's the post on the Assumption student paper about so-called free speech. These professors are so far gone they don't even know it:

http://media.www.leprovoc.com/media/storage/paper453/news/2008/04/09/NewsStories/More-Professors.Speak.Out.About.Recent.Tension.At.Ac-3316687.shtml

Look on their website under student clubs and you ...

2008-04-13T17:10:00.000-04:00

Look on their website under student clubs and you won't see a pro-life club. i don't think anyone from there went to Washington DC for the annual March for Life. And they are right near a place called Visitation House where decent Catholics take care of young mothers who chose life.