Bishop criticizes production of 'The Vagina Monologues' at Notre Dame

Published: 2006-02-17

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (CNS) -- The bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend said the University of Notre Dame should not have allowed the fifth annual production of "The Vagina Monologues" on its campus this year because he said the play "distorts the beautiful gift of human sexuality." "I regret the sponsorship of this play by Notre Dame again this year, and pray it will be the last time," said Bishop John M. D'Arcy. The bishop said the play "reduces sexuality to a particular organ of a woman's body separate from the person of the woman, from her soul and her spirit. It alienates woman from man whom God has entrusted to her as friend and companion. It separates sexuality and the human body from love." His statement was published in the Feb. 12 issue of Today's Catholic, the diocesan newspaper. The play was staged on Notre Dame's campus Feb. 13-15 although the university's president, Holy Cross Father John Jenkins, stipulated that this year the performance had to take place in a lecture hall instead of a theater and students were not allowed to use the event as a fundraiser for local community agencies.

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