No is no is no. I considered Christendom, but that seemed a bit too much for me at the time. Well said. Imply that what they did was nothing. Its just a natural human need to connect with someone youre in a relationship with, Smith said. We should demand it be better. Honestly, that is all I hear for the first half of the article. And it is these serious issues which led the Fishers to dedicate a great deal of time and energy into researching and writing this article. Or are you saying that governmental control might make this sinful/violent act not happen. Glad to hear everyone still hates those fountains. BUT you say it with a sigh and throw your head back the man interprets it all as an indication that you actually want him to keep going. The message delivered was clear, according to Smith. I also think men need to be educated, be kept accountable, and step up their game. Explore Christendom College's 105,099 photos on Flickr! I can tell you personally when I read the hand holding policy I thought it was a paper rule, I had no idea the lengths of its enforcement. The problems with rape at Christendom are the problems with rape anywhere. I dont doubt that injustices have been done in the past and will be done in the future: this is a fallen world. As a campus dedicated to following the teachings of the Catholic Church, we strive to foster an environment where every student feels safe and respected and where the dignity of the human person is upheld and honored. In April of 2011, Smith decided to tell the police about the rape. Contact the Site Admin. Regarding specific inaccuracies, one source has come forward to say her quote was taken out of context to imply something that she never meant it to. If Front Royal is a tiny rural town, as these articles say, then a college, even a small one, is a large part of that town. I am not only respected by my peers but also my teachers. Off campus. She had no objection, as they had kissed before. DCNM, can you please explain a context, any context, in which that quote isnt damning? Why not the new policy? This subreddit is for any and all ex-Catholics to talk, educate, discuss and maybe even bitch about their experiences within the Catholic Church. ), Master of Arts (M.A. Adele has no bad girl reputation on campus. Maybe because I studied theology and philosophy I did not experience this? Accordingly, its students have less recourse when the schools policies drastically fail to adequately protect them against such assaults. When someone returns to campus drunk there is solid proof, and it is easy to immediately punish the person for the offense. I propose for your consideration numerous scenarios of young women and men wherein even if the woman is saying no with her voice, her body language is communicating something entirely different. As far as our criminal judicial system people are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Hes the one who lives in fear of me and my devious feminine allurements, right? If that happens, hopefully the young lady will have a CRKT S.P.E.W. Now though, I can confidently say I turned it around. That takes a lot of strength to write to them like that. Protected: Podcast #19: Parking meters, mixed greens, and other UNBEARABLE SCOURGES. Respect and honor for women was at the heart Christs mission and therefore it is at the heart of the mission of Christendom College. Having the campus always on lockdown? In 2021[46] and 2022,[47] the men's rugby team also received the #1 national ranking from National Collegiate Rugby. However, if you combine Christendom, Seton Home Study, and the many Christendom grads who have settled around town, its a sizable bloc if they actually all agreed that something should be done. This story was researched and reported by Damien and Simcha Fisher. Im in no way excusing behavior, but I think women need to understand a little bit about the way which men are wired and step up their game. Sure, maybe. More concern for an institution than for victims. Vol. All I do have is the perspective of a dumb young adult who thought he'd found Heaven's outpost on earth. I want to know the rapists name. It isnt Christendoms fault this happened they can only learn as fast as the culture encroaches..that young man should have kept his hands to himself period. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I feel respected by my fellow classmates, male and female. Your opening arguments point to the dorm situation on campus as a cause for a students rape. And Im grateful to the pastor there because my alcoholism had descended to frightening levels while I was there, and he ended up 12th-stepping me and making sure I had a copy of the AA meeting schedules in the area. It is a Catholic college. When you have an educational institution; especially a residential one that does not have an explicit sexual assault policy on the books in 2010, its absolutely reasonable to criticize the institution and its actions. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Christendom College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Bear in mind I never heard of anybody calling security if they were at a party in South Bend that got out of handbut I didnt run in very party-like circles. For example, Dr. Divietri is just mentioned in passing but it did not say which side the author put him on, so you are left to assume that all names mentioned were complicit in the negligent handling of this case. Anyway, campus police are a whole different bear. Six months after graduation, the members of the Class of 2022 had an overall success rate of 98.9%, based on a survey with a 100% knowledgerate. Im not sure I agree with this. Its portrayed here as poorly as possible but you cant just go ruining guys lives like this. A private institution that is not subject to federal collegiate regulations has such flexibility. Our countrys policies right now generally say yes for potential terrorists, but no for potential rapists. I learned to feel simultaneously persecuted, superior, and self-hating in that bizarre Catholic mix; I learned little about the actual human experience or the world around us. It is not the victims terrible story that we dont believe, it is just the illogical conclusions that the author jumps to and the careless damage she is causing that are wrong. It is endorsed by The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College and has been characterized as a conservative Catholic liberal arts college. I would go down the road to the convenience store, and hed be sitting outside, and I couldnt walk in. Misogyny is woven deep into the schools culture. Elaine Gunthorpe - Christendom College February 28, 2023 Dissident LGBT Catholic group praises university as 'model' for promoting agenda. 3) Reinforce this impression with nebulous allegations of serious problems in the current environment. All PDA-rule-free. And they need to get rid of those moldy carpets! She is very careful not to mention the perpetrators name without permission, but this courtesy given to the attacker is not given to any of the teachers and staff at the school. we have reports that indicate that you have violated the Code of Student Conduct by harassing another student and causing emotional harm. Recently, one of the priests who was a major force on campus has charged with rape of a mentally-ill woman. A longtime economics and political science professor at Christendom College in Virginia has been charged with solicitation of a minor under the age of 16 and two counts of . It can, however, cost people their livelihoods and smear the reputation of people and universities. I havent given it a lot of thought. Or maybe she actually is a sophomore right now? Christendom College, a small, Catholic, liberal arts school in Front Royal Virginia, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. Maybe you didnt mean to imply this to be the case for her, but using her name in the example makes it seem so. i ended up choosing Franciscan University instead because it was my parents choice. Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan donated 19th Century wooden stations of the cross to the Chapel, and it was dedicated by Cardinal Jan Schotte, Pope John Paul II's Secretary-General to the World Synod of Bishops. Carroll decided not to accept federal funding at the college, choosing instead to rely on generous benefactors. Back at the time, when I was an 18-year-old fresh convert, it was EXACTLY the kind of place I wanted to be. Never, under any circumstances, admit that it was a complicated process that involved implementing a parallel judicial system. Christendom is not perfect, as far as I can tell, they are doing the best they can to foster an environment of spiritual and educational growth. My legs were tightly closed. If you think this article was largely about how the dorm set up is responsible for this rape, you didnt read the whole article. The reality is men can say no, men can control their actions and they are humans with free will. If I didnt know better (and you know, I actually dont) it sounds like you dont like Christendoms brand of Catholicism, and so youre more than happy to treat them unfairly from your rapidly shrinking bully pulpit, using the #metoo zeitgeist to do your dirty work. In regards to the 2018 sexual assault and harassment allegations, Luckey was one of several staff members that a college administrator mentioned as having been "transitioned out. And meanwhile, you get a certain thrill from seeing that now youve unleashed his passion and he DOES love you a la folie. are honey nut cheerios high in oxalates. Never mind the mental health agony I endured in thinking I had brought on myself same-sex erotic involvement. What I found was the opposite, the longer a person had been at Christendom the less likely they were to show Christian charity, or even a spirit of evangelization. The upperclassmen represntives of what Christendom molded you into slapped my hand away. Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, located in the Shenandoah Valley. The other allegations against him were also by hearsay, and they put those allegations in writing and asked him to defend himself. Protected: Podcast 38: In which we hit rock bottom. He responded by calling her a bitch and a prude, and saying, You know you liked it. She blocked his number. It was up to me to avoid him, she said. PDA rules that no longer exist, criticizing faculty that no longer are there? Clearly the college doesnt think it is patently false. The men with whom I interact at school have consistently shown me respect whether it be through opening doors for me, saying good morning, supporting my academic pursuits, or courteously taking part in a discussion. And so on. First, Christendom College could have made their own report to the police. Here is another crazy thought. I was working maintenance as a student between the times of these incidents. It was the same with the guys open house, except theyd have TVs and video games. And Im sure you also understand our need to be loved an accepted. The young man was charismatic, well-known, and well-liked on campus. The reporting alleges/implies that young women arent safe at Christendom, that the university has an ongoing culture of assault and harassment toward women which is accepted by the community, and that the University doesnt help women who have been raped. However, Im not sure the reporting here accurately reflects of the issues at Christendom, and it certainly doesnt lay out anything that can be done to improve conditions for future students, as the few things suggested have already been implemented. In the example, they decide to fornicate, but then the young woman regrets her choice, and decides to claim the young man attacked her. For me, I recoil when I think of the frankly horrible things I used to say and believe, especially to LGBTQ+ people. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of. Now with thoughts regarding sexual assault, I dont think it bad for a school to have a policy, but the presumption that that must mean they condone it, or dont care about it, isnt realistic. Could it be because the policy might show the school in a favorable light? False accusations may be relatively rare, but they are still real. There was nothing to stop this from happening again, Smith said. I must charitably assume (another term I learned there) this must have been chaste, but it still looked extremely odd. Hurt by Catholics? I also attended Christendom in the early 90s and while I loved it there I finally heard the truth about what the Church teaches student life was neurotic. This is America. So despite all their classes and aves and skirts they are going to burn with Luther. Starting in September 2016, Christendom College launched an ambitious project called the "A Call To Greatness Campaign" to raise $40 million for the college's endowment, the annual fund, and a construction project to build a new 750-seat medieval gothic chapel featuring a 130-foot tower and eight prayer altars. Others have already addressed most of my concerns here though I would point out sexual assault is something that must be reported promptly. All the fancy theology was useless for anything except further torturing myself for not being a good enough Catholic, not following the rules enough, and not being spiritual enough. Not everyone who is 18 or older fits the definition of an adult. I understand that everyone has a different experience at college. Higher rates of rape, according to USNews&World Report. During his tenure, the college increased the number of buildings on campus to over 20, including St. Lawrence Commons, St. Francis, St. Benedict, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Clare Hall, St. Louis the Crusader Gymnasium, and St. John the Evangelist Library. Rather, it is a guide the way, the truth, and the life.[26], By refusing to accept most forms of federal funding, Christendom College is exempt from many federal guidelines concerning sex-based and other forms of discrimination (e.g., Title IX), investigations into accusations of sexual abuse, and the sharing of information about on-campus crimes. Ugh, how vile. Carroll remained as president until 1985 when Dr. Damian Fedoryka was named as the second president. hope youve finally found happiness as well. Enjoy a visit to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! The College is actually small enough, and physically remote from the built-up town center, that it is more ignored than anything. Is there a clause in the student handbook prohibiting murder? Graduates can choose from three theological concentrations: Systematic Theology, Moral Theology, and Catechetics. Its not that a policy would prevent the problem but rather that it would provide grounds for discipline within the schools jurisdiction. A recent blog, which contains misleading information and serious inaccuracies, was posted about Christendom College. According to records of the minutes taken at two local school board meetings, one of which was held on July 15, 2021 and another on August 5, 2021, multiple public employees at Riverside Unified . I mean, if men are more rational and authoritative and have more of the image of God in them, why would I be afraid to be alone with this superior being? My criticism of this article is blaming Christendom for not doing the same thing this article can not; openly accuse the man in question of rape. While not commenting on this particular scenario, it got me musing (once again) on the whole problem of sexual assault and the current #metoo movement. To you fellow women out there, Im sure you all know the feeling of power that we experience over a man who is attracted to us. Please post in r/excatholicDebate for further discussion, Press J to jump to the feed. Protected: Podcast #16: Reporticus Shutupicus! Overview Christendom College is a Comprehensive institution located in Front Royal, VA, in a rural setting. Strolling hand in hand, allowed. Use your words to express the difficulty of what you are feeling. This is bad reasoning and I dont see it as incumbent on the school to drop its strict standards on sexual morality, in order appease people who think it might help with the problem. Error thrives in darkness. It is this faith that has been the guiding beacon during some difficult and seemingly hopeless times, even when I had turned my heart against Him and turned my back on [faith]. All the people who are asking if Christendom girls could really be that naive, yes! My condolences for all the victims. Meanwhile, these suggestions that its the no PDA policy thats to blame, really is bizarrely pseudo Freudian. Theyre usually published in any article Ive ever read regarding assault. In one way, Im glad I have this information. Rapists should be tarred and feathered (or worse). reads as if composed by a hypnotized 5 year old. Thats precisely what happened when Smith was raped by her then-boyfriend, a fellow Christendom student. I understand the argument that Christendom had their hands tied due to the lack of criminal prosecution. In my head I thought he was able to walk away does he really love me? We women all love being loved, and physical intimacy is such a natural sign of love and acceptance. The exhilaration is so much that you cant think straight, you get dizzy. Having said that, I have fallen away from the Church now and whenever I look back I have a sense of bitterness to temper the sweetness of the memories. That's no coincidence. Small, comfy (by Catholic standards), friendly, followed Church rules, Catholic-focused academics (theology classes, everything oriented toward Europe and Church history, etc.). Consent is not nebulous. I didnt say they should immediately assume hes a rapist, call him a rapist, and publicly expel him as a rapist. When the administration said they would look into the matter, it seems like thats exactly what they did. How unCatholic and how tragically demeaning! The school does not accept federal funding. Smith says the school claimed it takes a long time to implement changes in school policy. On the other hand, you encouraged us to hate ourselves and hate the world around us in pursuit of an impossible, harmful ideal, an ideal which crumbled whenever it met reality. When I was at Christendom, it bothered me that the standard setting for dates was the backseat of a car or a lonely bench in the middle of the woods, but . I remember loving the lushness of the area. Is it worse to let a rapist remain on campus or expel an innocent student? Simchas piece was very specific. National Congress On The Word Of God: A Two-Edged Sword By WILLIAM H. MARSHNER. You dont like the sense it makes, you disagree with it, but your disagreement does not make it illogical. In essence, the earliest vision of Christendom was a vision of a Christian theocracy, a government founded upon and upholding Christian values, whose institutions are spread through and over with Christian doctrine. When I tried to figure out what had happened, I would say, He had sex with me, but I didnt, she said. In addition, the article didnt clarify that the college has gotten rid of many of the policies and rules that are being blamed in this article for the assaults (e.g., the no-holding hands rule was jettisoned a while ago). However, a private institution has some flexibility in such matters, and it is not entirely dependent upon the acts of civil authorities. Obviously they wouldnt escort us if we wanted to, say, walk across the road to Notre Dame, because that was going outside the campus bounds, but there was a nice shuttle bus system running between SMC and Notre Dame. I am having trouble understanding how policies against public displays of affection and against men & women being in each others dorms contributes to rape. Karen, But hes also smart enough to skate around any blame when there isnt any proof. None of us were involved in the off campus drinking by the riveras were all the Trad kidsand no doubt the sexual assault that went with it. She said, Im not comfortable with that, and he said, Okay.. [8], During Fedoryka's seven-year tenure as president, Blessed Margaret and St. Joseph's Halls were constructed, and the college became fully accredited in 1987. So she drove them down the mountain and back to campus. We now have a formal grievance policy students can use to make a complaint against any campus community member who is not covered by the student policy (e.g. They say your views are dangerous, hateful, fearful, or racist . Students to Spend Spring Break on Mission Trips, Womens Basketball Takes Runner-Up in Conference Tournament, Christendom Rugby Punches Ticket to Nationals. The victims always blame themselves.. Adele Smith, class of 2012, experienced some culture shock when she arrived at Christendom. They explained to her that a prosecutor would take her case, but that the chances of going to trial, much less of the young man being prosecuted, were very low. You can see it, you can feel it on the campusWhile some colleges in this Guide may match its Catholic commitment, it is unlikely that any exceeds it. The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. Or even if he left Front Royal, this would not guarantee the safety of other women. They brought the skills of their craft to shining a light on the dark underbelly of this college. It says she felt like the provost didnt care which is entirely subjective, and wasnt able to respond promptly, especially since extra duties were imposed on him and probably didnt have an exact answer ready for them anyway. Its not good enough, for some because the school didnt have the authority or the power to adequately punish someone for rape, and I personally have no problem with the rapist receiving a degree, and being forced to stay off campus with a restraining order. Vol. Additionally, throwing out names of administrators and teachers as part of this story (good or bad) without their permission taints their reputation. You spoke to the parents of the graduating students gathered there of the profound sense of responsibility you felt of acting in loco parentis for our children and your gratitude that we, as their parents, had entrusted our children to you . Never, though, would I equate that with saying rape is OK. As a cis dude, I found the dress code obnoxious, but never harsh. You should realize how awful it is to give the impression that the woman who was raped merely only implied 50% no. Protected: Podcast 23: Look at that s car go! How clear is our no, really? Assuming the research you have done here is all reported accurately (which the college disputes), it doesnt exactly make the place a hot-bed of sexual assaults and sexual harassment issues. The college has strict rules about students of opposite sexes being alone together. But at the same time, Christendom was a dream in a bubble. The fact that they used a separate situation to impose a restriction on him should give you a sense of how they had to act within their own evidentiary boundaries to avoid being sued. I am a 92 graduate, and my oldest is a graduate, and I have three other kids currently there. [13], Since 1992, student enrollment has grown from 144 undergraduates to nearly 550 students, not including graduate school students. He further harassed her, had told several of his friends that she had seduced him. Smith continued to call the school after graduation to see if they had changed the policy. I went to an elite secular college and had a pretty bad experience. I can understand completely the reasons behind not having visitors of the opposite sex in the dorms, however the upstairs magazine reading room in the library was also dubbed the Romeo and Juliet room since couples would go there to make out. Its way too small. Rights to presumption of innocence meaning the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. Case in point, when I started going off the rails I would have expected my fellow Catholics to guide me back, especially the older more experienced upper classman I tried to lean on. It isnt nebulous. Was there ever a police report filed? It is also about how Christendom needs to have safe, open, visible places on campus for men and women to interact. Um, no. I graduated in 08, did I know him? His punishment: He could not live on campus for one semester, and he could not contact Adele Smith. I didnt feel like the article clearly painted a picture of how she was personally treated poorly. Right. The other items linked ARE quoted and described in the article. Read More. After graduation, she went to a catholic high school that was run by nuns. Like that has never happened before on a less stringent campus. Because these issues are so very serious, and it would be negligent to look the other way. It is a call to be honest about their mistakes, so they can address them in a properly Christian manner. hanging alongside her brown scapula. [27], On January 16, 2018, Catholic blogger Simcha Fisher broke the story of three rape and sexual harassment allegations by students of the college. Having said that, the culture on campus is not what caused the rape. Calling down secular Title IX laws onto a place like this is stupid and illogical. Hardly anyone went down there for any good reason; it was the closest thing to a crypt. . He kept saying, Hit me. He kept grabbing my hand and trying to make me slap him, Smith said. I just dont think they could afford it. The young man left Christendom in Smiths senior year. We cant be legal positivists and simply assume anyone 18 or older is an adult. We need to be realists and recognize that being an adult has objective meaning. If it isnt its that much harder for anyone to investigate or deal with. We do have a great deal of responsibility. It was very much like a museum, like an exhibit. Simcha is right on in insisting that consent be taught at Christendom and in Catholic bubbles. So we expect sexual intimacy to be all nice and clearly delineated? Sure. He pushed my arms apart with his hands. Few go this far and remain unharmed. Karl Petrick Assistant Director of Advancement Services This gives women more of an opportunity to share a concern or incident with a staff member they trust. However, then the college has to be careful not to be encouraging a back seat car scenario in their recreation rooms. Neither of which am I suggesting. Christendom College is a private Catholic college in Virginia. It was still seen that women should be revered for other reasons by these men. 1) Christendom is very small and a step off campus puts one right back in the non-PDA world. They had a legal responsibility to investigate throughly, and a moral responsibility to respond appropriately, which they did not do. Casting aspersions on the Fisherss motivations reveals much about the commenter. Up until that point, I considered myself fairly knowledgeable, she said. Their response was a poor excuse for an apology. Perhaps they did mention it. In 1997, Warren Carroll acknowledged the debt Christendom College owed to L. Brent Bozell Jr. and Triumph magazine in his obituary for Bozell: In 1979, the College acquired its new campus in Front Royal, Virginia, overlooking the Shenandoah River. She developed Crohns disease, a disease exacerbated by severe stress. They havent apologized for the harm caused by their negligence in failing to treat these matters as serious. She has nightmares about the incident. Finally comfortable in my own skin, as long as I avoid the dreaded Catholic bubble. are not understanding anything entirely, except this article provides good understanding yet. There was always a (subtle enough that it could be gaslighted away if you tried to talk about it) sense that women just dont matter as much at Christendom. This was really well-written. Throughout the letter, ODonnell refers to the young man by his last name, but refers to Adele Smith by her first name. If they had to leave public areas to show affection, then they might as well go to the prettiest. To those students who have been harmed, I am deeply sorry.