Campus play at Notre Dame triggers venue change for bishops' seminar

Published: 2008-02-13

NOTRE DAME, Ind. (CNS) -- A Feb. 10-12 theological seminar for U.S. bishops initially scheduled to take place at the University of Notre Dame was held at an off-campus location because of objections over a scheduled student production of "The Vagina Monologues." The play, which explicitly discusses women's sexuality, is to be performed March 26-28 in a campus classroom. The meeting was moved to the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Mishawaka. In a Feb. 7 statement, Bishop John M. D'Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend said the bishops made the decision to change the meeting location "because they disagree with the university administration's decision to allow a student performance of the controversial play." He added, "Because of the likelihood of the presentation of the play 'The Vagina Monologues' at Notre Dame this year, the bishops made a collective decision to move the seminar off-campus." The seminar was co-sponsored by the bishops' Committee on Doctrine and Notre Dame's Institute for Church Life.

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