Catholics Battle Blasphemy at College of the Holy Cross
Pro-homosexual ring leader chants: "What do I study? Blasphemy!"
You know it's a dark day for Catholic education when blasphemy passes for scholarship. Unfortunately, the Jesuit-run College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., is standing by its theology Prof. Tat-Siong Benny Liew, who penned horrific blasphemies, claiming that Our Lord was an erotic cross-dresser with "queer desires."
Scores of complaints condemning the blasphemous writings of Prof. Liew, including a statement from the Most Rev. Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester, did not prompt any meaningful response from the Jesuit college so far. Instead of upholding fidelity to their baptismal vows, college officials are hiding behind "academic freedom" to justify blasphemy within their religion department. Therefore, as long as young souls are exposed to Prof. Liew's twisted interpretation of the Bible, the scandal continues.
Protest at the Gates of Holy Cross
"Reparation, reparation, reparation!" echoed down College Street on April 7, 2018 as a throng of fervent Catholics from Massachusetts and neighboring states gathered to express their outrage at the gates of the Catholic college. Pro-life advocates, Holy Cross students, college alumni all joined forces for the TFP-sponsored rally on the sidewalk that cold Saturday morning.
Large 12-foot banners expressed the purpose of the peaceful protest. "Prof. Liew: Disavow or resign" read one, and another featured a quote by Bishop Robert J. McManus: "Clearly the biblical conclusions that Professor Liew has reached in his writings are both false and perverse."
Twenty-seven TFP Student Action volunteers drove in from Pennsylvania with banners, signs and bagpipers to oppose the blasphemy. The rosary was prayed over a bullhorn and the faithful lining the sidewalk responded while they displayed signs such as "Why the endless insults to Jesus?" "Stop Queer Theology" "Crusader mascot is 'offensive,' but blasphemy is OK?"
Ban Crusader, but Allow Blasphemy?
In a March 14 statement, Holy Cross president Fr. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., decided to do away with crusader imagery that might offend others. "... the visual depiction of a knight, in conjunction with the moniker Crusader, inevitably ties us directly to the reality of the religious wars and the violence of the Crusades.... the College will gradually phase out the use of all knight-related imagery."
As campaigns of legitimate self-defense, the crusades were convoked and promoted by numerous Popes and Saints. Why is it that Holy Cross decided to ban innocent crusader imagery, while allowing its theology department to showcase pro-homosexual blasphemy against Our Lord?
Students Who Support Blasphemy
It became sadly apparent how the blasphemous mindset trickles down from professor to students. Shortly after the rosary of reparation began, some twenty Holy Cross students came out to counter-protest in favor of Prof. Liew's blasphemous writings. Waving rainbow flags, the pro-homosexual activists interrupted the recitation of the rosary with chants such as "Love thy neighbor” and “Who are you to judge?” At least one student carried a blasphemous sign mocking Our Lord: “I (heart) my drag Jesus.”
The ring leader of the group was heard shouting:
"What do I study? Blasphemy!
"When do I study it? All the time!
"Where do I study it?
"Right here at the Cross!" (pointing to the Catholic college)
16,422 Anti-Blasphemy Petitions Presented
More than 16,422 people have signed TFP Student Action's anti-blasphemy petition, urging the College of the Holy Cross to dismiss Prof. Tat Siong Benny Liew. Those petitions were presented by TFP volunteers before the gates of Holy Cross in the hope that Fr. Boroughs will correct the scandal and restore moral values on campus.
While at the gates, TFP volunteer Zechariah Long talked with two Holy Cross students. One had a rosary wrapped around his hand and lamented the state of his campus. "Here, if you try to do anything good and stand up for the truth, you will be persecuted," he said.
Why Blasphemy is Worse Than Murder
Saint Thomas Aquinas explains why blasphemy is such a grave offense.
"If we compare murder and blasphemy as regards the objects of those sins, it is clear that blasphemy, which is a sin committed directly against God, is more grave than murder, which is a sin against one's neighbor. On the other hand, if we compare them in respect of the harm wrought by them, murder is the graver sin, for murder does more harm to one's neighbor, than blasphemy does to God. Since, however, the gravity of a sin depends on the intention of the evil will, rather than on the effect of the deed, as was shown above (I-II:73:8), it follows that, as the blasphemer intends to do harm to God's honor, absolutely speaking, he sins more grievously than the murderer." (Summa: 2-2, q. 13, a.3)