Province Nixes Bishop Rule at St. F.x.
The Chronicle-Herald
It was a tradition steeped in 160 years of history at St. Francis Xavier University. But that tradition is no longer. The province passed legislation on Thursday that removes the requirement for the bishop to serve as chancellor at the Antigonish university, thereby opening the door for the first time to women and non-Catholics to fill that role. “It is respectful to the church,” Kim West, chairwoman of the university’s governance committee, told MLAs on Thursday. “It is responsive to the concerns raised by students, alumni and others, and it strikes an appropriate balance. It will enable the university to move forward in confidence to meet the challenges of the 21st century.” The movement to make the change began about four years ago when students on campus protested the bishop’s role after former bishop Raymond Lahey was caught at an Ottawa airport with hundreds of pornographic images of young boys on his computer. Lahey was sentenced to 15 months in jail and was later stripped of his clerical powers. But students also felt the bishop’s automatic appointment as chancellor was not representative of a campus where 60 per cent of students are female. At Province House on Thursday, Rev. Douglas MacDonald, a pastor at the Margaree Family of Catholic Churches, spoke against the legislation. “Indeed, we all hold our heads in shame as priests with what happened with the Raymond Lahey scandal,” MacDonald said. “But a decision of this magnitude, when we’re dealing with 160 years, needs time and serious reflection. “The actions of one do not negate 160 years of virtuous living. And as they say, one case does not make good case law.” He suggested that the chancellorship could be filled by the bishop or other representatives of the Catholic Church, including the Sisters of St. Martha and the congregation of Notre Dame, two bodies with historical ties to the university. MacDonald warned that passing the legislation could have a negative impact on recruitment and fundraising, adding that he knows of major donors who are “pulling the plug” after hearing news of the bill. He argued that the university could also be passing up a golden opportunity to advertise itself to Catholics, or what he called a “niche market.” “What we need to do is celebrate that marketing gift that we have, that we’ve built up over 160 years,” he told The Chronicle Herald just before the bill passed its third reading. “Most institutions would die for that kind of niche, that kind of brand and asset. Instead, here we are, trading it in, diluting it.” The pastor said the university had not conducted broad enough consultations before the board of governors handed the proposal over to the province. “I’m from Antigonish. Nobody in Antigonish really understood this was happening. Major benefactors had no clue.” West said the issue was debated widely on campus and that the school consulted with stakeholders and received little negative feedback. And when the changes were explained to detractors, they generally accepted them, she said. Under the legislation, the bishop will continue to serve the university in a newly created position called the Vicar of the Founder. He will not be excluded from consideration for the chancellorship. West said the chancellor plays an increasingly important role in fundraising and promotion, and that the bishop isn’t a natural fit. Bishop Brian Dunn could not be reached for comment Thursday. He helped draft the changes and even helped come up with his new title, West told MLAs. Although he declined to speak on behalf of the bishop, MacDonald said the bishop’s involvement in the process doesn’t mean he fully supported the changes. “Sometimes when you’re backed into a corner, maybe you just try not to cause scandal for the good of the school. I know he certainly wanted to remain the ex-officio chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University.”
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.