No Room for Graduate Theology at USF

It's all falling into place quite nicely up at the (Jesuit) University of San Francisco.

Just as the President of its Faculty Association says USF is no longer Catholic (see previous post), Catholic San Francisco reports (page 5) that the one-time "Catholic" university of the Archdiocese of San Francisco will no longer be offering a graduate program in Theology.

"USF ends graduate theology

SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco is ending its masters program in theology to focus its resources on undergraduate theology and religious studies. This semester, there was demand for only three courses, with an average of six students in each, USF spokesman Gary McDonald said. The Jesuit-run university will continue classes for all current students in the Master’s program in theology but will not accept any new students. USF is working with both Santa Clara University and the Jesuit School of Theology to help accommodateany student who may be interested in pursuing an advanced degree in theology. USF will continue to offer theology and religious studies programs for undergraduates, including a major and minor, a required class for all undergraduates, an interdisciplinary minor in Catholic Studies and Social Thought and the St. Ignatius Institute Great Books program grounded in the tradition of Christian humanism."

About time. It's not surprising, given that the university has:

• Fr. Donal Godfrey serving as Executive Director of Campus Ministry;

• Reverend Vincent Pizzuto of the "Celtic Christian Church" serving as Assistant Professor of what they call Theology and Religious Studies;

• hosted the "Religion and Sexuality: What's the Connection" seminar, featuring the President of the Clergy Network for Planned Parenthood and the Chaplain of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate;

• honored Shannon Minter and Therese Stewart (the attorneys who overturned California's Proposition 22, which recognized that marriage can only be between one man and one woman)

• at least eight faculty members who donated to the "No on Proposition 8" campaign fund;

• stuck their thumb in Archbishop Niederauer's eye (and not for the first time) by hosting a performance of the play "Be Still and Know," adapted from a book by homosexual activist Alex Sanchez, after His Excellency had forbidden the play to be performed at Most Holy Redeemer parish;

• etc., etc . . . We could go on and on and on, but it would take too long--for a chronological report of USF's misdeeds go here.

Obviously such an organization has no room for Catholic Theology. It would be a standing reproach, and is in direct contradiction to practically everything else they do. It's actually surprising such a place could attract the few graduate students they have.

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*For the origin of the "Gay Rome" tag, go here. It's at about 1:14 into this audio of USF's "Queer Perspectives" seminar, sponsored by the Lane Center, and held at (where else?) Most Holy Redeemer.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney