CNA: Catholics begin ‘ongoing dialogue’ after university’s porn screening canceled

CNA has a thorough report on the "movie flap" at College Park and the role of the Catholic Chaplain, Fr. Kyle Ingels, in helping to present the Catholic side to the campus at-large:

CNA spoke with Fr. Ingels in a Thursday phone interview.

He said the Catholic Student Center had been “very involved” in the “ongoing dialogue” about the event. He reported that the center had engaged in many calls, e-mails and conversations with students, parents, faculty and administrators about the controversy.

Explaining the purpose of the student center’s programs on Catholic sexual ethics, Fr. Ingels said:

“We want to promote a healthy dialogue about human sexuality. We believe it is a beautiful gift from God.”

He explained there are Bible studies run by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) which address the “big three” issues: sobriety, chastity and excellence.

A student center group named “Triple X” discusses Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. According to a Catholic Student Center bulletin, the Xs in the group’s name refer to the words “Exposed, Expound, Example.” The bulletin says the group helps students “discover the truth of REAL love.”

Another student center group, “Girls Gone Mild,” is a women’s discussion group focused specifically on chastity and purity, Fr. Ingels said. The group started last year and is currently reading a work by Bishop Fulton Sheen, the famous Catholic evangelist.

Fr. Ingels challenged the notion that collegians generally accept pornography, telling CNA:

“We have to be careful about assuming that this is just a normal part of what students accept in being on a college campus.

“There are a lot of students on campus who don’t find this acceptable and find it insulting They were very insulted that the university and the student panel find [pornography] a ‘normal, fun activity’.”

“Living in a world that is often saturated with ‘inappropriate’ expressions or degradations of sexuality, it can be tough for students,” he continued, explaining that the Catholic Student Center helps support them.

“The students, especially the Catholic students, are very supportive of each other. They’re really challenging each other to live the Church’s teachings and to share those teachings with others.”

Please read this story. And, kudos to Fr. Ingels, the Catholic Terps and FOCUS for their Witness on campus!