He kept saying, Hit me. He kept grabbing my hand and trying to make me slap him, Smith said. Beyond that, it is about how Christendom failed this student and failed others students, and in so doing, failed their Catholic mission. An RA friend, Elizabeth Foeckler, also encouraged her to go to the administration. Her phrasing seems to imply that there was no second year at this secular college. It was very much like a museum, like an exhibit. If not, then how is the school supposed to levy public punishments that would permittly alter this guys life if the woman would not go forward to authorities? This sexualization makes things particularly difficult for men because on men simply of the way men are wired. Were charged ever filed? And I think the criticism of the PDA policy is quite apt. Then, one day during her senior year, her friend texted her that Marshner was talking about her in his moral theology class, using thinly veiled language. I think both sexes can rise to a greater standard. The fact that you view consent as nebulous is a personal problem. I miss the sacred music program there. We will continue to do so in fidelity to our mission: to restore all things in Christ. 1) Paint a picture of the college not doing crap to help victims. ), Protected: Podcast #48: Accidentally unnamed, Protected: Podcast #46: Mamas little snakey loves bananofee pie, Protected: Podcast #45: Sharples and cocaine, Protected: Podcast 44: Some degree of martyrdom, One long dad joke: My interview with EOTTs S.C. Naoum. I understand it is difficult to do so, but if justice is to be served publicly, accusations must be made in public. Christendom College was founded in response to this cultural revolution, providing a fully integrated liberal arts education in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church. And spent half his classes monologuing about personal-life stuff nobody else cared about. Was there ever a police report filed? I wonder what people do with degrees from schools like Christendom. @ChristendomVA. "[9] Fedoryka resigned in 1992, in order to pursue other educational ventures, including stints at Franciscan University of Steubenville[10] and Ave Maria College in Michigan (later Ave Maria University FL.[11]). What drives couples off campus is the desire to do things that are prohibited on campus; things which the college prohibits precisely because they can lead people to tempt themselves and each other. Therefore, you are being charged with violating the Code of Student Conduct., A disciplinary conference was scheduled for July 28 of 2011. Not super romantic. In 2010, after the church sex abuse scandal, the air force academy sexual assault scandal, among others, its horrendously negligent not to have these policies. Front Royal Police told her it was out of their jurisdiction, since it had happened in a national park. I dont wish to discredit those who are appalled by the rape epidemic and Adele Smiths case, as it is horrific matter; but there are campuses where this stuff is much more frequent, and its not because they arent Catholic in a nominal sense, nor is it because they endorse rape, but its because theres not always a clear procedure as to how to address it. The alleged assault did not occur on campus. von | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | I am a 92 graduate, and my oldest is a graduate, and I have three other kids currently there. Smith herself says these rules drive couples off campus. We cant be legal positivists and simply assume anyone 18 or older is an adult. We need to be realists and recognize that being an adult has objective meaning. Smith claims they are dangerous. . A private institution that is not subject to federal collegiate regulations has such flexibility. It seems to be a bigger problem now that the sexually charged culture doesnt help young men and women relate to each other without sexual overtones in every encounter. That is a fundamental principle of justice. And, of course, they could have gone for a walk down the road if all they wanted was to hold hands. I've got complicated memories of the place. LOL, the chastity policy was a joke when I went there. I remember him once going on a rant about how tattoos are marks of psychological disorder and moral perversion. Money should not stand in the way of your dreams, Those looking at Catholic colleges frequentlyask: How can I afford this education? Whenit comes to Christendom College, the realquestion families should be asking is: Howcan I afford not to attend Christendom?. As far as our criminal judicial system people are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Statute of limitations on many crimes, among others. But what jumps out at me is that this happened not because of following the colleges policies, but because of disregarding them. Its not a matter of my comfort. Its a matter of seeking the common good. Its handling of the case may not have been malicious, but it was certainly pusillanimous. Simcha, Im not quite sure what any of the rape allegations have to do with Christendom College. You may think thats not what Simcha is actually advocating for, but her complaint comes across as about as realistic. But hes also smart enough to skate around any blame when there isnt any proof. Within a month of the fundraiser's launch, roughly 70%, or $28 million, had been raised for the campaign. And, as I said, they were more balanced than the others. I like this new group and their message about this whole ordeal: http://cascoalition.org/. Her subsequent behavior is entirely consistent with that of someone who has been traumatized and assaulted. When was the last time you heard of a lie or series of lies a journalist told being prosecuted? A handbook that is not going to stop a rape. You use false logic and your pen is sadly misdirected this time. Im so sorry you were raped, Jenislawski said. I feel challenged, respected, and loved by my teachers and am so grateful to be their student. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Openly. But honestly what is Smith talking about when she refers to the only cafe in town?? An authentically Catholic college that prepares you for the future The cultural revolution of the twentieth century continues to take its toll on the world and on Catholic higher education. Perhaps could have been goaded into admitting he forced her against her will via text if tweeked in the right way. Protected: Podcast 28: The beast with one back, Protected: Podcast 27: My interview with Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa of New Wave Feminists, Protected: Podcast 26: sorryFOR FUCKS SAKEsorry, Protected: Podcast 25: On the tip of my tongue. This article sounds like Stephanie Meyer had a hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! This really sucks because it probably means hes going to get away with it. [12] Construction began in 1992, and was completed in 1995. College students are able to refrain the same as monks, office workers, single adults and most adults in public life. It felt like a human zoo.. The school promised to conduct a complete and careful investigation.. . If she feels so strongly about it now and is willing to come out publicly and smear the College, bring him forward as well. It sounds from the way the witnesses say he behaved that this guy probably is a sociopath and I believe probably did rape her. In the 1990s, Reverend William Saunders became president of the Institute and moved it to its present location in Alexandria, Virginia, in addition to leading it to full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. You cant tell a Catholic girl to be suspicious of her fellow (male) students because that would make her a man-hating feminazi. People are fallible and improvements can always be made but Im sorry, how would anyone miss that rape falls into the category of mortal sin .and yes Moral Theology is covered freshman year. The article linked directly to the current handbook.. want more proof of sexual assualts? Youve been completely infected by the porn saturated culture we live in. ' into the handbook. The accused have rights the right to an assumption of innocence, for one. And St. Peters church (or rather the organ there). Her point is absolutely credible and relevant. The fact that students are taught that men can not say no and are nothing less than animals is degrading to the male gender and puts all responsibility on the woman without holding men accountable. I still have very fond memories of my time there and still actively keep in touch with my classmates and friends there, despite living across the country from most of them. And they need to get rid of those moldy carpets! Good. It does truly permeate the campus. Carroll decided not to accept federal funding at the college, choosing instead to rely on generous benefactors. Ive been guessing and guessing whoever it is seems to still have his good reputation intact. This is bad reasoning and I dont see it as incumbent on the school to drop its strict standards on sexual morality, in order appease people who think it might help with the problem. They should be able to express themselves romantically in a public setting, which is a safer setting to learn how to navigate as a couple.. That is no small feat. Im not sure what the point is, later comment by Simcha was that the college should be held accountable..How are they not being held countable? Feb 5, 2018 / 15:45 pm. [3] In 2002, Fr. The fact that their anger is not directed towards say the park police, the legal system, but at a school that issued the ONLY punishment(however minor), is basically proof of this. I dont doubt that injustices have been done in the past and will be done in the future: this is a fallen world. Seriously how is this possible? That is not an easy thing to set up, yet the article claims that adding a sexual assault policy to the handbook is as easy as, opening a word document and writing it up: Dont rape people.'. This is such a difficult and upsetting situation it is helpful to read your perspective. Best of luck! The message delivered was clear, according to Smith. the Administration could and should have done better here. She didnt want to accept that something so ugly had happened to her. This whole story made me so sad, especially reading it as a Christendom graduate and now mother who is raising sons and daughters in this confused and fallen world. I don't have any traumatic stories of being bullied for being LGBT, secret Church pedophiles, or other abuse tragically common for many here (though, for all I know, that stuff might've been happening where I didn't look.) Guess the best cure for christianity is learning what christianity is actually about. It has been hard to process that and it is hard to look back without having suspicions towards many of even the "well-meaning and reasonable" authorities on campus. Higher rates of rape, according to USNews&World Report. I marched in the March for Life and protested a DC abortion clinic; for anyone whose lives I made worse by pushing anti-abortion propaganda, I am truly sorry. "[35] Luckey was a professor at Christendom College from 1984 until he retired in 2015, according to a statement on the college's website. Because Christendom is in a rural, isolated spot with few restaurants, clubs, museums or theaters, going off campus generally means going into the woods or into a field. And the sexist views of some professors didnt help us stay safe. Why shes even Catholic I do not understand. I dont know what the college should have done or not done. I will say that no professor I had ever backed up this position, but neither did I see them fight to overturn it. Even if an investigation were not able to definitely prove the guilt of the accused, if the college authorities were to make a prudential judgement that the accuser was guilty or, at the very least, was a potential safety threat, they could have expelled him (with a full refund) without giving any reason or giving a generic reason . Sexual assault by a Catholic homeschooler happened to a person very close to me just recently here in FR. You have just illustrated the way of thinking that is a big problem: women being taught that they are responsible for mens actions. Have girls refuse to be allowed in cars with boys, since it requires cars to go to Skyline Drive? That is not the case at all with rape. But yeah, there was definitely navet in spades. [42], In 2017, Christendom's rugby team won the NSCRO 7's Collegiate Rugby National Championship in its first year of contention. Her GPA slipped to 1.2. They do not invalidate the substance of the story. This actually hurts good people doing their best to make the world a better place every day. If law enforcement is not protecting its students (or at least diligently investigating student claims of assault), Christendom should be making a great effort to effect change. My sympathies. The school does not accept federal funding. Students are prohibited from doing something reasonable on campus. I can understand completely the reasons behind not having visitors of the opposite sex in the dorms, however the upstairs magazine reading room in the library was also dubbed the Romeo and Juliet room since couples would go there to make out. Purity more and more asks for a heroic virtue. Is the suggestion that Christendom should act in the place of the police, even without evidence of the rape? Her article makes plenty of sense. Im glad to see Christendom has made some changes and I certainly hope it will continue to educate its students and do all they can do to minister to needs and address wrongs. It is alleged that a professor offered an example about Adele in class in an effort to smear her, however multiple students have come forward to say that his example was being used many, many years before Adela even attended the university, so it couldnt have been about her. Your charity is overwhelming. Men have the ability to take custody of their thoughts and control their actions regardless of any other circumstance. Its way too small. A complete careful investigation, in their own words. On the day of the rape, she re-injured her back while cleaning her room for Homecoming Weekend, and so her new boyfriend suggested that they have a low-key, relaxing date. So you end up having couples potentially isolate themselves. You can see it, you can feel it on the campusWhile some colleges in this Guide may match its Catholic commitment, it is unlikely that any exceeds it. The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. I knew sooner or later someone would bring up the Novus Ordo Mass. Maybe you didnt mean to imply this to be the case for her, but using her name in the example makes it seem so. In your own words, this article is about how this student should have received better care, and more protection from this guy later. If Front Royal is a tiny rural town, as these articles say, then a college, even a small one, is a large part of that town. The entire town is PDA-rule-free. Catholics are sinners just like everyone else. I went to a small Catholic school in the 80s and knew all students there did not live up to the standards of the college or the faith. [in loco parentis] is not a phrase that I use with any frequency, ODonnell wrote toward the end of his letter to Scott Smith. Hes not stopping. Oh, and I also had the 'privilege' of meeting Dr. William Luckey, a blathering self-important moron who was somehow capable of being an ancap and an anti-French-Revolution conservative Catholic at the same time, despite both stances contradicting each other and observable reality. Actually, if you read what the new sexual assault policy is, it is much more than Smith claims. What is your point really? It was the same with the guys open house, except theyd have TVs and video games. Or are you saying that governmental control might make this sinful/violent act not happen. Christendom College is a small Catholic liberal arts schoolit now enrolls about 500 studentsand has long needed a new chapel. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. His punishment: He could not live on campus for one semester, and he could not contact Adele Smith. While maybe thats small in comparison to rape, its not a small step for a school to take. This was really well-written. While it is true that Cdom, as I understand it, expels people for far less, it is usually for things in which there is more evidence or for matters that are more in their jurisdiction. christendom college racism. [8], During Fedoryka's seven-year tenure as president, Blessed Margaret and St. Joseph's Halls were constructed, and the college became fully accredited in 1987. . As part of this commitment, the College undertakes to educate the student body about sexual harassment and assault. Christendom College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Should rapists be burned at the stake without incontrovertible evidence? Kissing allowed. This puts students at greater risk. Have you seen the alleged rape rate at those colleges that DO accept federal funds?? Or going to the county if the town is not addressing it? Very interesting. Saunders left his position as dean, and founding faculty member Dr. Kristin Burns took over the position. Is there a clause in the student handbook prohibiting murder? So she drove them down the mountain and back to campus. And some of the friends that I made. It was still seen that women should be revered for other reasons by these men. While I fully believe her narrative is true, its not unreasonable to also suppose that a college would have to do a kind of balancing act where legal authorities are absent. Christendom College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Its not that a policy would prevent the problem but rather that it would provide grounds for discipline within the schools jurisdiction. Curious. These are Catholic seminarians. A reasonable process may not have been able to do anything about the situation, but a reasonable process still should have been pursued. I have to wonder why people entrust a liberal arts school board to be able to fairly assess rape allegations, when law enforcement werent able to.. All I do have is the perspective of a dumb young adult who thought he'd found Heaven's outpost on earth. 2) If the college does anything to improve, dont actually describe their efforts in the article. But when he started putting his hand inside her shirt, she told him No, and pushed his hand away. Adele Smith, class of 2012, experienced some culture shock when she arrived at Christendom. Front Royal, Virginia christendom.edu Born September 14 Joined September 2009. The Churchs teaching on this, particularly Pope John Paul II really upholds a woman in her own right and this was taught quite clearly at Christendom. As a woman, a student, and a human being I am respected. For example, the articke states that Prof. Marshner no longer works at the school, as if he left due to this scenario. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. Not a rapist. Can we PLEASE stop framing this as something between women and men and acknowledge that assault and coercion also happen between men and between women, as well as from women to men? Rape is always absolutely horrific and of course a criminal offense. I think she means she transferred somewhere else (maybe Christendom?) The facts state otherwise. But there were many inaccuracies about the school: we never had to get outfits approved for dates, you are allowed to sit next to each other, and we didnt have to wear skirts all the time. The Christendom scandal, is about an administration, who got ahold of a case after the legal authorities were already informed and failed to do anything, and then tried to fix the problem in a very lowkey diplomatic way, that would prevent them from being sued by the kids family. Our time-tested integrated liberal arts education is the ideal education for the future. Simcha is right on in insisting that consent be taught at Christendom and in Catholic bubbles. [13], Since 1992, student enrollment has grown from 144 undergraduates to nearly 550 students, not including graduate school students. The other students were friendly and contributed to a comfy atmosphere (though I say this as someone who earnestly tried to be a good rule-following Catholic; if you were closeted LGBTQ+, for instance, I'd imagine it was a lot less comfy). From its founding, Christendom College has rejected federal funding. And on the outside, this torture of wanting to stay chaste yet wanting to see that a man loves you and wanting to fully embrace him comes across in very vague and misleading body language. If they do, their efforts to grow as a Catholic college will surely be blessed by greater growth in virtue. [T]he alleged assault of Adele did not take place on campus. 2,933 Followers. In one way, Im glad I have this information. But is it really fair to expect men to navigate all the mixed signals? I hate to think theyre covering up what needs to be exposed. : Any other apostate Cdom grads out there, or anyone with a relatable experience of Catholic higher education? I want trying to make things seem like a cheap sex novel, just trying to illustrate that things can happen quickly without us really knowing what is going on, which we can later regret. [20][circular reference] When meeting with College President Dr. Timothy O'Donnell and founder Dr. Warren Carroll in 1991, John Paul II told Carroll that Christendom College is doing a great work for the Church.[21], Pope Benedict XVI also gave his endorsement to Christendom College, saying, I am well aware of the distinguished record of Christendom College and of the outstanding contribution which it has made to Catholic life in the United States.