The Terrence McNally play about a gay Jesus, “Corpus Christi,” will be performed at Florida Atlantic University, March 28-31. Commenting on this today is Catholic League president William Donohue:
“Florida Atlantic University has programs aimed at students who are Thai, Haitian, Chinese, African American, women, gays and Jews. This week it is featuring several events celebrating Caribbean artists. The school also lists faculty experts in such areas as Rastafari, multiculturalism, sexism/racism in language and anti-Semitism. It has no expert in anti-Catholicism and no Catholic studies program analogous to its Holocaust and Judaic Studies program. But it hasn’t forgotten about Catholics, which is why it is hosting a play that depicts Christ having sex with his twelve apostles. No doubt this is what they mean by diversity.
“The commitment that the school has made to various segments of the population suggests that it would not dare offend these groups by putting on a play that assaulted their sensibilities. But when it comes to Catholics, a different standard applies. This deserves an explanation. That is why I am writing to the school’s president, Dr. Anthony James Catanese.
“There is another problem here. Florida Atlantic University is a state school, one that is supported, in part, by Catholics. There is little doubt that if Catholics requested that the school sponsor religious events during Holy Week, cries of separation of church and state would be heard. Yet the school has no problem using state funds to sponsor bigotry. I am writing to the Florida House Committee on Education Appropriations and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education about this matter: they need to know about this duplicity. Maybe they can ask some pertinent questions the next time school officials come looking for more funding.”
