Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
WORCESTER – Two sides faced off across the street outside the College of the Holy Cross Saturday, at times shouting or singing over each other.
The controversy was over writings of Tat-siong Benny Liew, who holds the endowed chair in New Testament Studies at the college.
“This is a public act of reparation, and defense of the sacred Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is being attacked” by the professor, said John Ritchie, spokesman for The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, which organized a protest that drew more than 80 people of various ages. Also participating was “America Needs Fatima,” which he said is one of the group’s campaign names
It has been more than a week since Bishop McManus asked the college to question the professor regarding his “highly controversial writings” that cast doubts on the male sexuality of Jesus. According to a spokesman for the college, Jesuit Father Philip Boroughs, president of Holy Cross, has been in conversation with Bishop McManus. However, no disavowal or defense of the professor’s writing has been made public.
A statement from the college Thursday says simply that “we affirm the Bishop’s unique role in the teaching of Catholic doctrine.”
The writings of Professor Liew were made public during Holy Week by a student publication, and picked up by various media.
Reaction has been swift and strong, with the bishop saying the professor’s work contains “highly offensive and blasphemous notions.”
Saturday, a couple dozen young people held a counter-protest, calling for academic freedom. They said they were Holy Cross students, but not representing a particular group.
The protesters prayed the rosary, chanted “Reparation” and sang, accompanied by bagpipes and drums.
The counterprotesters chanted various slogans, including “I love Drag Jesus,” and “I love Jesus with my whole heart.” At some point a bagpiper joined them.
“True theology teaches us to love God, and Professor Liew … with his writings, is teaching students to blaspheme God,” Mr. Ritchie told The Catholic Free Press. “We call upon the professor to disavow his writings or resign his post. …
“We really appreciate the bishop’s statement,” he said of what Bishop McManus said in addressing the situation. “Many Catholics were delighted to read it.” (Bishop McManus' complete statement)
On Good Friday Bishop McManus said if Professor Liew disavows these ideas, which were published a decade ago, “then he must state so publicly, so as not to create confusion about the nature of Christ. If he does not, then it is my duty as the Bishop of Worcester to clearly state that such teaching is a danger to the integrity of the Catholic faith and, in prudence, warn the Catholic faithful committed to my pastoral care that such unorthodox teaching has no place in a Catholic college whose mission is to promote and cultivate the Catholic intellectual tradition.”
Mr. Ritchie said he came in from Pennsylvania, where the group is headquartered, with some other people, for this one-time event, and that the rest of their number were local people.
After the protest they were planning to deliver 16,000 petitions, calling for the professor’s removal, to President Boroughs, he said.
At times Mr. Ritchie spoke with the counterprotesters, apparently recording what they said with audio visual equipment.
“You need to step away,” Holy Cross senior Carly Priest, a spokesperson for the students, finally told him. She’d told The Catholic Free Press, “We’re here for free scholarship.”
Mr. Ritchie went further down the line of students.
Instead of giving a comment, Junior Guy Jonah told him , "I want to hear your side.” He’d earlier told The Catholic Free Press that if protesters were calling for the professor’s firing, they should know why; they should have read his article.
Mr. Ritchie told Mr. Jonah, “Our Lord Jesus Christ is God” and deserves all devotion, and it is terrible for a professor to spread lies.
“Thank you for doing what you feel is right,” Mr. Jonah told Mr. Ritchie.
“How do you know he wasn’t a cross-dresser?” sophomore Olivia Pan asked Mr. Ritchie, in reference to Jesus. “What’s so wrong with that?” She told The Catholic Free Press she believed the professor has the right to express provocative ideas.
“I’m representing the desire for academic freedom,” said Patrick Koval, a junior. “I’d like to see expression that isn’t exposed to backlash that includes threatening letters to faculty.”
During the protest, which lasted a couple hours, others who identified themselves as Holy Cross students came and watched.
Collins McEwon, a junior, said she came because she was interested; she saw pictures on snap chat but couldn’t read the signs, and wanted to know what they said.
“You don’t hear a lot of protests at Holy Cross,” she said. “I think it’s a good conversation to have. I haven’t formed a conclusion yet. (I will) probably look into it a little bit more. I don’t think it’s going to go away…until something’s done about it.” She said it’s only right that one should be informed on all sides.
Another student watching, who declined to give his name, said he thought it was great that both sides showed up.
“People standing for something – it’s hard to find nowadays,” he said. “Both have bagpipes – that’s an equalizer.”
“I think it’s just important for younger people to be here, especially across the street from these college students,” Gina Koss-Stephany, of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, told The Catholic Free Press afterwards. “We need to stand up and say it’s not an outdated and antiquated belief system.”
“We need to stand up for our faith,” said her sister Emily Koss-Stephany. She said Holy Cross wouldn’t talk about other religions the way the professor wrote about Jesus
“I’m here because I love my Jesus, and he deserves a lot more respect than this from a Catholic college,” said Joyce Aucoin, of St. Bernard Parish in Fitchburg. “Our young people have enough trouble figuring out who they are and where they stand in this messed up society;” they don’t need to be led astray “in ways that can cost them their soul. I love the youth and the young adults. They’re our future. But they can only build a healthy future with loving and accurate guidance.”
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Tanya Connor | CFP
Gina, Emily and Julie Koss-Stephany of Grafton, participate in protest at College of the Holy Cross Saturday.