Seminary gives witness
The University of Minnesota is currently staging the communist Dario Fo's play The Pope and the Witch. For background information, there is a good report at Catholic Online News: ‘Pope and Witch’ draws Catholic protests. The play is a mouthpiece for the usual evil anti-Catholic spleen (delusional Pope, Vatican involved in drugs trade, starving orphans protest against the Church's moral teaching, blah blah blah, you get the picture.)Adoro te Devote from Minneapolis, who often comments on this blog, has a moving account of a Holy Protest against the play last weekend. She describes that feeling many of us have known when involved in a public protest: we wonder how people will react, worry about our small numbers, grit our teeth and chase away those thoughts that tell us to be sensible and go home. On this occasion, the cavalry arrived: 100 seminarians from St John Vianney Seminary, Minnesota, some dressed in white choir (cassock and surplice) to sing hymns and pray the Rosary.
Fr Zuhlsdorf, is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota. He wrote to them suggesting that they report themselves to their own Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. This Office states:
"PLEASE LET US KNOW if you, someone you know, or a group within our university community, has experienced bias, discrimination or hostility. We are concerned about incidents based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, gender identification, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status and/or sexual orientation. The University of Minnesota is ready and willing to provide support, and address disrespectful bias and discrimination within our community. We need to know what happens and how often, so that we can respond and help those who are targeted. By reporting incidents, you become part of the solution."I wait with bated breath to see the mental gymnastics and squirming that enables the University to say that Dario Fo's play is not an example of "disrespectful bias" against Catholics. Perhaps these equal opportunities statements that are now so common in the UK and US are going to have to include "except Catholics" somewhere in the text.
Adoro Te remarked on the power of the group of men singing together. Their seminary Rector, Fr William Baer, had some fine words about singing:
At the Seminary, I teach the men that singing in the Scriptures is often associated with victory in battle. In particular, the "new song" of the Psalms and, especially, of the Exodus, is no willowy, but a triumphal song following the LORD's victory over the Egyptians and other opponents. Mary's Magnificat is a victory song, acclaiming God's triumph in raising the lowly, including His lowly handmaid, to glory, while casting down the proud and powerful of this world. In heaven the martyrs and saints will sing a new song, "the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb."The seminary website is interesting reading and has some good articles on priestly formation.
