The University of Toronto recently distanced itself in a press release from a Catholic group that aims to help young adults experiencing homosexual urges to live a chaste lifestyle.
The group known as Courage operates through the Newman Centre Chaplaincy, that is supported by the Archdiocese of Toronto.
According to a statement provided by Bill Steinburg, communications manager of the Archdiocese of Toronto, the group received a request on Dec. 7 from the University of Toronto’s vice-president of human resources and equity, requesting that their publications and website display the Newman Centre’s distinction from the University.
Courage works to provide spiritual support for young adults who experience same-sex attractions and who desire to live chastely, according to their mission statement. Courage teaches that though a same-sex inclination is not inherently wrong, acting upon these inclinations is morally wrong as those actions belong within the covenant of marriage, defined within the Catholic Church as the union between one man and one woman.
Erica Butler, programming co-ordinator for Carleton University’s GLBTQ Centre, agreed with U of T’s distancing from Courage.
“I doubt that it’s in keeping with their equity policies as a university, the idea that a certain segment of the population should have to subscribe to chastity over anyone else,” Butler said. “I don’t think that groups like that really end up accomplishing anything positive for the people attending them and that they just tend to encourage a lot of shame and stigma that just doesn’t have to be there”.
People should have the right to seek whatever kind of help they want, said third-year English, communications and economics Carleton student Diana Brown. “I don’t think that it should be a program that should be forced on anyone but it doesn’t seem to be.”
Courage immediately responded to U of T’s request on Dec. 17 by proposing a meeting of representatives from the Newman Centre, the Archdiocese of Toronto, and the University in the near future, according to Steinburg.
Though Butler remained sceptical of what this meeting could accomplish, she remained hopeful that it could lead to a greater sense of acceptance from both groups.
“I think that if a certain group like that wants to continue existing, that’s their prerogative,” said Butler, “but I don’t think it’s appropriate for a university that is publicly funded to endorse it.”
