Catholic World News News Feature
Lay group mobilizes against Monologues on Catholic campus January 13, 2006
A lay Catholic group reports that its 5-year campaign against the performance of The Vagina Monologues at Catholic colleges is producing solid results, with a number of Catholic institutions refusing to allow the sexually explicit play. However, roughly 10 percent of all Catholic institutions of higher education in the US appear ready to host the performances.
Performances of The Vagina Monologues, a play by feminist author Eve Ensler, have been scheduled at American universities each year on Valentine's Day, in a nationwide campaign that organizers describe as an effort to raise consciousness about violence against women. Critics argue, however, that the play is inappropriate for a Catholic campus because of its frequent use of obscenity, explicit references to masturbation and lesbian activity, and portrayal of the sexual abuse of an adolescent girl.
The Cardinal Newman Society, a Virginia-based group dedicated to promoting Catholic identity in higher education, has announced the renewal of its annual campaign to discourage performance of The Vagina Monologues on Catholic campuses. The group reports that 22 Catholic institutions in the US are currently expected to present the play this year. That figure would mark a slight decline from last year, when 27 American Catholic colleges showed the play. The number of schools hosting performances has been inching downward for the past 4 years; in 2003 there were performances at 32 American Catholic institutions, and in 2004, at 29.
"Clearly our message is starting to get through: The Monologues has no place on a Catholic campus," said Patrick J. Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society. Still he lamented the fact that many American Catholic institutions apparently remain prepared to host performances. Reilly saw this as "evidence of the continued crisis in Catholic higher education."
The Cardinal Newman Society reports that officials at several Catholic institutions welcomed the early reminder about plans for the annual production of The Vagina Monologues, and promised to halt any campus performances. The group encouraged concerned Catholics to contact officials at the institutions where the play is still scheduled to be performed this year.
The Catholic colleges and universities in the US which are currently expected to host The Vagina Monologues, according to organizers of the nationwide presentation, are:
- Boston College- Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Rev. William Leahy, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Carlow University- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Dr. Mary E. Hines, president ([email protected])
- College of the Holy Cross- Worcester, Massachusetts Rev. Michael McFarland, SJ, president ([email protected])
- College of Mount Saint Vincent- Riverdale, New York Dr. Charles Flynn, Jr., president ([email protected])
- College of Saint Benedict- St. Joseph, Minnesota Dr. MaryAnn Baenninger, president ([email protected])
- College of Saint Catherine- St. Paul, Minnesota Sr. Andrea J. Lee, IHM, president ([email protected] )
- College of Saint Rose- Albany, New York Dr. R. Mark Sullivan, president ([email protected])
- DePaul University- Chicago, Illinois Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, CM, president ([email protected])
- Fordham University- Bronx, New York Rev. Joseph M. McShane, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Georgetown University- Washington, DC Dr. John DeGioia, president ([email protected])
- John Carroll University- University Heights, Ohio Rev. Edward Glynn, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Loyola University of Chicago Rev. Michael Garanzini, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Loyola University of New Orleans Rev. Kevin W. Wildes, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Providence College- Providence, Rhode Island Rev. Brian J. Shanley, OP, president ([email protected])
- Regis College- Weston, Massachusetts Dr. Mary Jane England, president ([email protected])
- Saint Louis University- St. Louis, Missouri Rev. Lawrence Biondi, SJ, president ([email protected])
- Saint Joseph College- West Hartford, Connecticut Dr. Evelyn Lynch, president ([email protected])
- Saint Xavier University- Chicago, Illinois Dr. Judith Dwyer, president ([email protected])
- Seattle University- Seattle, Washington Rev. Stephen V. Sundborg, SJ, president ([email protected])
- University of Detroit Mercy Gerard L. Stockhausen, SJ, president ([email protected])
- University of Notre Dame-- South Bend, Indiana Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.SC, president ([email protected])
- University of San Francisco- San Francisco, California Rev. Stephen A. Privett, SJ, president ([email protected])
