The reporting alleges/implies that young women arent safe at Christendom, that the university has an ongoing culture of assault and harassment toward women which is accepted by the community, and that the University doesnt help women who have been raped. Was there ever a police report filed? Dorman, who no longer works for Christendom, did not respond to requests for an interview for this story. [23][circular reference] The Guide, which seeks to defend and promote Catholic higher education,[24] calls Christendom "a national model of faithful liberal arts education and Catholic formation. Hurt by Catholics? The colleges response is a legal response to an alleged crime. Disclosing abuse and its aftermath is painful and difficult, and it takes a tremendous amount of courage. Vol. Respectfully, I must disagree with your recollection . Its not a matter of my comfort. Its a matter of seeking the common good. It is an extremely difficult crime to convict someone of, and unfortunately, without proof or conviction, legally not much can be done. LEARN MORE. The last thing Christendom needs is a kangaroo court that believes everything that comes out of accusers mouths. However, Im not sure the reporting here accurately reflects of the issues at Christendom, and it certainly doesnt lay out anything that can be done to improve conditions for future students, as the few things suggested have already been implemented. in austria i was still unhappy, decided to leave early with an Associates degree. A handbook that is not going to stop a rape. Be a patron of the (f)arts! This would be a situation in which shed be even less safe as the university would literally have no leverage over him. Out of curiosity, why did they choose to single out Christendom of all places? Because what you have doesnt pass the smell test. 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. This response sounds like a trolling hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! I kept up with a few of my friar classmates over the years. He told me he was often bothered by the question about the purpose of satan's existence as a specifically troubling version of the problem of evil. The wonderful thing is that in America there are thousands of schools that allow all of those things. Opposite sex couples PDA was forbidden, while some young women regularly shared dorm beds with their friends. The students arent punished for drinking off campus, they are punished for being drunk ON campus. He pushed my arms apart with his hands. Which most of us dont want to read. No does not mean yes. No doesnt mean I still want to. Christendom College | Flickr Strolling hand in hand, allowed. Kind of makes you wonder why there are any rapes in the many (50?) Omigosh. Yes! A school cannot beyond a shadow of a doubt prevent rape, but you can reduce the risk of it, and one of the key arguments in this piece is that excessively strict PDA rules result in private, remote areas being the normal location for healthy romantic affection. We are in this as a team and pointing fingers at the other sex gets us nowhere. duplicitous. Bear in mind I never heard of anybody calling security if they were at a party in South Bend that got out of handbut I didnt run in very party-like circles. Whose testimony is more consistent and believable? I also disagree with your assessment that author doesnt have a clear stance on whether the student should have been expelled. As I informed you at the meeting, I do not find these interactions with Adele to be acceptable, appropriate, or in keeping with our Code of Student Conduct. It is a Catholic college. The town has over 14,000 people, so the college isnt a large part of it. A family member of mine is a graduate and while at Christendom, knew a few students that went to the police about sexual assault. In all likelihood it would not have happened on campus because they would not have been alone together. 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. While I am not a Christendom graduate, I know many graduates. absent more data (im just going off of what Ive read here so far) how exactly is a school supposed to punish someone for a violent felony for which they have Z-E-R-O evidence for? The clear goal of the piece is to call the school on to a more truly Catholic approach to handling this topic, and it does so effectively. Sure, they could get threatened by the student with a lawsuit, but accusations of rape could then be brought up in court, and such accusations are much easier to prove in a civil suit, so there would be protection for the college. Her focus and concentration were gone. I had been waiting for marriage. The fact that little can be done in this tragedy is very much a fallen world problem, a human nature problem, and a justice system problem. She developed Crohns disease, a disease exacerbated by severe stress. That whole place was dressed in golden robes lined with lead. Please be assured that Christendom College is committed to maintaining an academic environment free of discrimination and all forms of coercion that impede the academic freedom, security, or well-being of any member of the community. This is a legal matter, and the school is right to wash its hands clean of that responsibility as they are not qualified to deal with such accusations on their own. And no-one can really know the statistics. If Simcha cant openly accuse the guy of rape, how can the school? It sounds like from what the article describes, that they had to dig deeper to find a situation in which they could implement a punishment on the guy, and they told them that they understood their anguish. [17] The actual reason was that, because the colleges all refused to take federal funding, they did not report the data used to compile the scorecard to the federal government. It felt like a human zoo.. Rest assured, I've cast off my own self-imposed shackles; it's much easier to approach the world and the people in it without worrying that they're not living up to Catholicism's impossible standards. You are taking down the good name of a college because two students left campus in a car and a rape occurred. They can work *with* local law enforcement, but thats as far as it goes, because theyre federal. The students dont know Fro Ro very well. O.o. Calling down secular Title IX laws onto a place like this is stupid and illogical. The inaccuracies you mention are minor. Oct. 12, 202201:21. However, if you combine Christendom, Seton Home Study, and the many Christendom grads who have settled around town, its a sizable bloc if they actually all agreed that something should be done. Holding hands, a warm hug, perhaps even a peck on the cheek totally sins against chastity. I left at the end of my freshman year (wouldve been class of 17 if I stayed). I believe Adeles story 100%. Now with thoughts regarding sexual assault, I dont think it bad for a school to have a policy, but the presumption that that must mean they condone it, or dont care about it, isnt realistic. The article makes the following claim without proof or attribution, and it has been contended with by several students, But current students and alumni say the school has a boys will be boys attitude which allows the male students to harass and grab at the women. No more specifics are given, but the implication is that men are allowed to grab womens arses, etc., without repercussion even to their reputations. He told her her back might be more comfortable in the back seat, and they could put the laptop in the center console to listen to music. 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. If it was patently false, the college would have grounds for a law suit. It is endorsed by The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College and has been characterized as a conservative Catholic liberal arts college. And I did end up seeing that friar once for counselling but he activated several gut feelings to stay away, and so I did. This is America. The school restraining order, if properly enforced(which I suppose to the authors credit, could very rationally be called into question), should at least be acknowledged as an attempt to guarantee her safety. It creates an unhealthy culture. Good. The matters of consent and power (and agency and autonomy) are at play here with parents as well as with dating relationships. Having said that, I have fallen away from the Church now and whenever I look back I have a sense of bitterness to temper the sweetness of the memories. I'd imagine that (patriarchal misognynists being patriarchal misogynists) the experience would've been a lot worse for those folks. And if the woman involved was going to say yes anyway to whatever he suggested in terms of where they were going, as she said in the article, how would this have been any different even if there were different or no PDA rules? It wouldnt quite be in keeping with her recent essay about letting go of anger. In 2015, Christendom was left off of President Barack Obama's College Scorecard, which was created to help high school graduates pick schools. 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. Ugh, how vile. 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. Everyone knew., Smith complained to the school, and she says they gave Marshner a slap on the wrist.. Christendom is very diligent in making sure that it provides a safe campus for the education of our students.. It isnt nebulous. Justice, and not just criminal secular justice, but justice from our institutions, is a part of Catholic moral theology. Ive told him three times not to. Christendom College Reviews - Niche Misogyny is woven deep into the schools culture. And your describing it as such in the comments on a piece about rape is insulting and denigrating. I've got. I agree with you, they need to recognize the issue and address it more head on. The man was not charged, let alone convicted of rape. The fact that they used a separate situation to impose a restriction on him should give you a sense of how they had to act within their own evidentiary boundaries to avoid being sued. Rob, earlier in the comments, gave wonderful suggestions as to what the school could do, and what he would expect them to do(that they did not), but its still worth noting that the article itself mentions things the school DID do to try to protect the students. I havent given it a lot of thought. Another tangential point: I dont understand the outrage communicated by so many that the standards for women are so much higher than the one for men, and that a great amount of responsibility rests on our shoulders to keep men chaste. The College offers two/three daily Masses; daily Confession, Rosary, and Eucharistic adoration; and celebrates together many liturgical and cultural feasts. Accusing someone, officially, with a VIOLENT FELONY, particularly one that even absent a conviction, or even if done falsely can utterly destroy people, is not something you can just get away with. Its just a natural human need to connect with someone youre in a relationship with, Smith said. i believe that the world outside of CC understands that sexual assault has many./.. an infinite number of manifestations. It would be difficult for Christendom to have a fuller Catholic identity. You could have discussed it without illustrating it so clearly. Its also a great way to smear the innocent and destroy reputations or get legally sued into bankruptcy. #4. do we know/ do you know who is funding CC??? 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. Catholic or nonCatholic, If one interprets this as a endorsement of rape, the fault is on them. He encouraged her to get counseling and to tell the school administration what had happened. The Bishop scandal was about the Bishops taking the law into their own hands and trying to cover up and cure people with their own minor penalties, without reporting anything. Hardly seems fair to hide behind a university and blame it for this problem. Christendom College. They have further to go to create safe environments for women. 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. Simcha, Im not quite sure what any of the rape allegations have to do with Christendom College. I would turn around and drive right back. The lack of process in place is about the same for most schools that size and design. I went to a small all-womens college, and we had an excellent campus security force; if you were feeling unsure about walking to your car at night you could call them for an escort. I dont know what transpired during their internal investigation, but the college could have called both accused and accuser (separately) to give testimony in the presence of an attorney. The New Christ the King Chapel at Christendom College Before I went to Christendom I was the head of my diocesan youth council, so to say I was active in my faith was an understatement. [39] Its flexible and accommodating studies allows students of all ages and from all over the world to attend either part-time or full-time, year-round, summers-only, or winters-only, and also to study at a distance through online courses. Shes taken a lot of crap from that quarter and it would be a misuse of her great gift of writing to use it as payback. We have a new sexual harassment and assault policy published in the Student Handbook with instructions on how to report sexual harassment and assault and how to receive resources for recovery (page 29 of the student handbook). I dont think beyond reasonable doubt is a necessary criterion in such a situation. Her commentary is supported by analysis from the Pew Research Institute in 2021, which found 53% of Latinos ages 18 to 29 say they hear racist or racially insensitive comments or jokes about other . The criticism is directed towards how the school handled the matter after the legal authorities failed. Is that whats happening right now?'. Rape is always absolutely horrific and of course a criminal offense. I hope you will also do an expose on colleges such as Notre Damethe wackadoodle attitudes I encountered there regarding women and sex would make your head spin. Now that everyone has cellphones, it would be cool if the school set up a service where you could text for a pickup if youre in trouble for instance if youre at a party where youre being pressured to drink, or alone in a car with a pushy guy. Christendom offered a bulleted list of things they have done which were not reported on by the Fishers, implying that this is basically a smear campaign which is only willing to report on one side of the story. Fedoryka, through his contacts in the Vatican, brought the college into contact with then-Pope John Paul II, who later told Carroll that Christendom "was doing a great work for the Church. I cant stop him, apparently, she recalled thinking. There was no mention of her accusation of rape, either in the charge letter or in the sanction letter. 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. It isnt Christendoms fault this happened they can only learn as fast as the culture encroaches..that young man should have kept his hands to himself period. But the job of the press would be to make me out a liar, Smith said, noting that rape victims often find the trial to be more traumatizing than the actual event. They do not invalidate the substance of the story. 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. Christendom College University of Toronto-Regis College Experience Priest in Residence Christendom College Oct 2021 - Present1 year 2 months Assistant Professor Santa Clara University Sep. There was that one time I got a booty call from an upperclassman with a key to the administrative building. She told her friends, He had sex with me, and I didnt want to.. All the fancy theology was useless for anything except further torturing myself for not being a good enough Catholic, not following the rules enough, and not being spiritual enough. [3] The college also retired nearly $600,000 in debt without disrupting the growth of the college.[8]. [38], Christendom College has two schools offering graduate and undergraduate degrees. The Semester in Rome includes a continuation of the College's core curriculum program for juniors (THEO 301 Moral Theology during the Fall; and THEO 302 Apologetics in the spring), as well as courses in Italian, Roman Art & Architecture, and the Language, Culture, and History of Rome. Finally comfortable in my own skin, as long as I avoid the dreaded Catholic bubble. 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. [2] It still occupies this site today. As a graduate of Christendom, I see no reason why he couldnt have been expelled. 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. How come more worldly girls get raped too?Even from your writing it seems that Christendom did stand up from inside when Miss Smith felt comfortable telling her Theology! There was always a (subtle enough that it could be gaslighted away if you tried to talk about it) sense that women just dont matter as much at Christendom. The PDA does NOT push kids into private remote areas. Ya got me! The college also acquired the Notre Dame Institute during O'Donnell's tenure. You described lust and difficulty mastering it. We care if you drink off campus, but not if you rape off campus, she said. Their donations requests are a joke. All I do have is the perspective of a dumb young adult who thought he'd found Heaven's outpost on earth. Unfortunately sometimes the police are notified and when they investigate the alleged crime they find out that everything does not add up as the accuser states it happened. According to records of the minutes taken at two local school board meetings, one of which was held on July 15, 2021 and another on August 5, 2021, multiple public employees at Riverside Unified . Once the implication is in place and the false picture is painted, insert a link to to one of several things theyve done in order to cya. #3. Banning them from living on campus and allowing a professor to shelter them does not protect other students.. There are a few spots they frequent, but as an undergrad I didnt realize there was much more than the Martins parking lot, where the campus van drops you off. Christendom College. It is not a tether. http://mydailydiatribes.blogspot.com/2017/12/metoo.html?m=1. Christendom College - Tuition and Acceptance Rate - Peterson's 3) Reinforce this impression with nebulous allegations of serious problems in the current environment. This really sucks because it probably means hes going to get away with it. Your opening arguments point to the dorm situation on campus as a cause for a students rape. 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? 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., Six months after graduation, the members of the Class of 2022 had an overall success rate of, based on a survey with a 100% knowledgerate. We will continue to do so in fidelity to our mission: to restore all things in Christ. Starting in September 2016, Christendom College launched an ambitious project called the "A Call To Greatness Campaign" to raise $40 million for the college's endowment, the annual fund, and a construction project to build a new 750-seat medieval gothic chapel featuring a 130-foot tower and eight prayer altars.