Action Alert!
Catholic World News

Bishop Kicanas urges Catholic colleges to strengthen Catholic identity

January 31, 2011

Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson has called upon Catholic colleges to “place Catholic identity first” among their concerns.

“Catholic is not just an adjective accidental to who you are,” he told the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. “Catholic is core to your identity, the center of what you are about.”

“Clearly there needs to be room in an academic community for disagreement, debate and a clash of ideas, even in theology,” he continued. “Such debate and engagement can clarify and advance our understanding. In discussions with local bishops, faculty need to be able to disagree and question with mutual respect. However, the bishop is the authentic teacher of the faith and, in union with the Pope and bishops, responsible to interpret the faith.”

“We are a polarized family, and this is a deep concern for all of us,” he added. “And yet we are one faith; we are one Church.”

 


For all current news, visit our News home page.


 
Further information:
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

  • Posted by: Defender - Jan. 31, 2011 11:32 PM ET USA

    Doesn't this seem similar to CHA? The hospitals don't want to listen, the universities don't want to listen and both (all) seem to feel that it's more important to be ecumenical to all than Catholic. With bishops who also seem more politically correct in the lay sense, it's no wonder that things are worse in the Catholic sense. Bottom line? Nothing makes sense.

  • Posted by: Lucius49 - Jan. 31, 2011 10:12 AM ET USA

    For this to work there has to be more than "urging." Urging and exhortation has not worked. The munera of Holy Orders are teach,govern, and sanctify. Governing has been in a catatonic state in the Church since Bl John XXIII medicine of mercy address to the Council.