Open letter to Father Jenkins

Observer - Viewpoint
by Jessica Nelson

"By claiming that 'The Vagina Monologues' are the only vehicles through which such healing can take place, its supporters are demanding that Notre Dame take a position which has clear theological implications. Let me sketch out the ramifications of their argument as follows:

(1) Assuming that 'The Vagina Monologues' are indeed egregiously opposed to Catholic teachings,
(2) and accepting its supporters‚ position that no comparable production, which would include the Catholic perspective, could accomplish the same goals,
(3) it follows that Catholic teachings must be ignored for the said goals to be fulfilled.
(4) If Catholic teachings must be ignored, this must mean that Catholic beliefs about sexuality are not only insufficient (in which case a performance which united both secular and Catholic viewpoints would suffice), but completely wrong.
(5) If the University agrees that 'The Vagina Monologues' do indeed have an irreplaceable impact on campus, and therefore allow them to be performed, the implication is that the University believes statement 4 is true."

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