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Cornell Catholic Clergy Issue Pastoral Letter on Campus Protests
Confirmed
In Short: Catholic clergy at Cornell University issued a pastoral letter encouraging students to engage in 'difficult public discussions' with charity and courage following campus protests over the university's handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.
Catholic clergy at Cornell University issued a pastoral letter encouraging students to engage in 'difficult public discussions' with charity and courage following campus protests over the university's handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.
The letter, titled 'Salt, Leaven, and Light,' reflects on Catholic teaching concerning marriage and sexuality, the theology of the body, and the principles of Catholic moral reasoning.
The clergy emphasized the importance of engaging in discourse prayerfully, thoughtfully, and charitably, and with confidence that the Catholic faith has something true and beautiful to say to the world.
The letter acknowledged the challenges faced by students, stating, 'For some of you, the events of these weeks will cause particular bitterness, anxiety, and sadness, as they bring to mind your own experiences of sexual violence, accusations, sins, and other painful experiences.'
The clergy also addressed the broader community, saying, 'We are called to help our neighbors see more clearly what they may already see in shadow: that human beings are endowed with an infinite dignity; that sex is sacred; that our choices have real moral meaning; that some things are objectively good and some objectively evil; and that freedom is not simply the power to choose whatever we want, but the capacity to choose what is truly good.'
The letter urged students to bear gently and kindly with one another, and to know of the clergy's prayers for them.
The letter also addressed the practical concerns of students, noting, 'Prelims are upon you. The last thing you need is national news cameras filming B-roll as you try to go about your day. Nor do you need 29 paragraphs of extra reading.'
A former Cornell student’s civil lawsuit alleges fraternity members sexually assaulted her at the Ithaca, New York, campus, leading to scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary process.
The pastoral letter aims to provide students with the intellectual and spiritual resources to enter conversations charitably and courageously.
What's confirmed
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