News

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

  NOTRE DAME, Indiana, December 23, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A press release from The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), an organization dedicated to renewing and strengthening Catholic identity at America’s Catholic colleges and universities, says that the director of the Notre Dame Center for Social Concerns, Father William Lies, has formed a task force to investigate a university sponsored outing during the fall break where students attended Mass at a parish run by a dissident priest and later spent the evening at a homosexual bar while watching a sexually graphic play.

  Last week LSN reported on the scandalous outing (See “A Catholic U Outing: Dinner at a Gay Bar …” https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/dec/08121807.html), which resulted in many LifeSiteNews readers expressing their concern to the administration of Notre Dame University.

  In the CNS report, Father Lies wrote that the concerns are “well founded”, that he shares them, and offered an apology on behalf of the University.

“Several significant aspects of the programming for the seminar were entirely unacceptable, and we take full responsibility for failing to monitor the plan created this year by the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture,” Father Lies wrote. “Be assured that in the future there will be direct University oversight of the programming and we will no longer work with the Chicago Center.”

  Fr. Lies indicated that when faculty and staff from Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns became aware of the itinerary of the school trip and the consternation expressed by concerned individuals, an investigative task force was immediately established.

“Thanks for your prayers for us at Notre Dame as we strive to stay true to our Catholic character and identity,” Father Lies concluded.

  To contact Father Lies:
  Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C.
  137 Ctr. Social Concerns
  Notre Dame, IN 46556
  Phone: (574) 631-3002
  Email: [email protected]

  To contact the Notre Dame University please:
  Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
  President
  University of Notre Dame
  400 Main Building
  Notre Dame, IN 46556
  Phone: 574.631.3903
  Email: [email protected]