Univ. St. Thomas Law School to host natural marriage debate Thursday

Maggie Gallagher,  President of The Institute for Marriage and Public Policy and Dale Carpenter, University of Minnesota Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law will present their views on the Same Sex Marriage Amendment at the Murphy Institute's inaugural debate on public policy issues for the 2012 elections.

Reception following in Board of Governor's room.

The Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law and Public Policy is pleased to present a new speaker series at the School of Law that explores both the Catholic positions and some challenging perspectives on major policy issues likely to be the focus of debate in the upcoming 2012 election. Each program will consist of two expert speakers respectfully engaging in one of these hot topics.

Details

HT Stella Borealis

St Thomas U professor writes op-ed supporting natural marriage

Many religions recognize a natural law

Kudos to a recent letter writer who called for a return to first principles in the same-sex marriage debate, and to two others who answered the call. We're not on the same page, but we're closer.

One responder misunderstands the use of the term "nature" in "natural law." As any physician can tell you, many things occur (infections, functional failure) that violate the nature of the thing affected. It happens in nature that human beings are born without hands, but this violates the proper nature of the human being.

This is how doctors tell the difference between health and disease. Same-sex desires and acts literally make no sense given our embodiment as sexual creatures. The fact that they happen does not make them fitting to our nature, fully understood.

The other responder claims that the fundamental issue is equal rights. The Catholic Church is second to none in championing equal rights. But the recognition of rights must be based on the truth.

Any man who is capable can marry any woman who is capable. The letter writer is not asking for equal rights; he is asking for a redefinition of the nature of marriage, and thus for repudiation of our human nature, properly understood.

This is akin to saying that I have a right to fly, but I want to fly in my car. Calling a car a plane won't make it fly, and neither society nor the state have any reason to get on board.

Star Trib

Huge turnout for St. Thomas at Center for Catholic Studies opening event

Walking around the UST area on the first Tuesday of the school year, passerbys were most likely taken aback by the abnormal amount of people hanging around talking and playing yard games behind a huge house on summit. Little do they know, that huge house is the Center for Catholic Studies, and that large crowd was there for the Fall Kick-Off event for the year.

This year’s kick off event held true to its usual Ice Cream Social theme complete with CS Faculty and Staff. However, Catholic Studies decided to mix it up by adding a substantial food element. Clearly, this was a smart move because Famous Dave’s had nothing on Sitzmann Hall with the amount of people that showed up for some good ol’ BBQ. The attendance at this event was very high in relation to previous years (at least 200) and no one would probably deny that it was a success. To prove this perhaps undeniable statement even further, the event ran out of food. Twice. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, within the first half hour the BBQ and ice cream had run out. And then, when the thin red line of Davanni’s pizza kicked in, the food was again gone within the first 15 minutes.

As passerbys looking at the crowd and perhaps hearing murmers of Catholic theology, an inordinate amount of “Praise Gods”, or just seeing  general air of joy, they may have been asking themselves: I don’t know what that is, but there is something going on.

And in fact, there is something going on. Catholic Studies is providing education, experience, and community for yet another year for so many Catholics and Christians on (and off) campus. If the kick off event is to give any sign as to what this year entails, then UST better brace themselves because the Spirit is moving: Catholic Studies is back.

 St. Thomas U

HT Bliss