Catholic Schools Invite Heresy

Catholic high school graduates hoping to continue their education in institutions of higher learning affiliated with the Mother Church might be surprised by what they find. “University of Detroit Mercy, a Catholic college, is coming under criticism for hosting pro-abortion censured theologian Daniel Maguire, who delivered a lecture at the Jesuit University on April 7,” Steve Ertelt reported on lifenews.com April 13, 2011. “The title of his lecture was ‘The Gender Justice Revolution: How Feminism Builds Bridges Between Genders, Races, Sexual Orientations, Classes and Nations,’ and it’s not a surprising one given his position in favor of abortion.”

The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) pointed out in March 2007 that when the bishops censured Marquette theologian Maguire, they noted that his teachings “cross the legitimate lines of theological reflection and simply enter into the area of false teaching.”

“Nice guy, smart but has some extreme views, he does not push his views on you and does welcome disagreement, gives you exam questions in advance so only homework is reading and formulating answers for questions, no daily homework,” one reviewer wrote of Maguire on ratemyprofessors.com. Marquette president Robert Wild, S. J., in responding to concerns laid out by CNS, admitted that Maguire’s teachings are “not totally consonant with Catholic teaching.”

Meanwhile, another rating on that site gave an indication of just how over-the-top Maquire’s lectures can get. “Maguire is a theologian and therefore he is qualified to teach theology,” a dissident reviewer wrote. “Unfortunately, religion takes a backseat to his socialist ranting which—I must admit—can be entertaining.”

“As the semester progresses it becomes clear that Maguire is a little too pleased with himself. This becomes sickly when he lampoons Mother Teresa and the Catholic Church.”

Meantime, also this spring, “Students at La Salle University in Philadelphia say exotic dancers were part of a professor’s extra-credit symposium on business ethics,” CBS and the Associated Press reported. “Officials at the private Roman Catholic school say they are investigating the March 21 seminar, which ended abruptly after the business school’s dean showed up.”

“Students say the dancers kept their clothes on. Sophomore Brad Bernardino tells WPVI-TV that one dancer gave a lap dance to assistant management professor Jack Rappaport. La Salle spokesman Joseph Donovan would not comment on Rappaport’s status while the investigation continues. Students say they have a new teacher.”

At least La Salle fired him. As of this writing, Maguire remains on the payroll at Marquette and is apparently welcome on the Catholic college lecture circuit.

Endnote: Terry Eagleton, a visiting professor at Notre Dame, has written an essay “In Praise of Marx” for The Chronicle Review. The Guardian describes the former Oxford don as “a Catholic turned Marxist from a working class background.”

Unfortunately, the Marx he is praising his not Groucho or any of his brothers.

Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.

If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail contact@academia.org