CHARLES CURRAN

SECULAR JOURNALS

From THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/19/86. "VATICAN STRIPS THEOLOGIAN'S

CREDENTIALS FOR HIS DISSENT. The Vatican on Monday (81/18) stripped the

Rev. Charles Curran, a leading liberal sexual ethicist, of his stays as an

official theologian. He is no longer suitable or eligible to teach Catholic

theology.

"The decision was approved by Pope John Paul II on July 10.

"Curran has been under investigation since 1979 by the Vatican's Sacred

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - formerly known as the

Inquisition - for publicly dissenting from the church's official position

on abortion, contraception, masturbation, premarital intercourse and

divorce.

"A statement by Archbishop Hickey of Washington said Curran would be

granted due process in the proceedings."

From THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/21/86. "THEOLOGIAN VOWS TO FIGHT VATICAN.

Curran says he is undecided on appeal to school or court. Curran further

stated he has as tenured contract with Catholic University and that he and

his attorney believe the contract allows him to teach theology."

From THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/23/86. "SCHOLARS SUPPORT, OUSTED PROFESSOR. He

has some support, mostly quiet, among Roman Catholic bishops.

"Rev. Richard McBrien, head of the theology department of Notre Dame,

says the Curran case is puzzling because he is `singled out and punished

form taking positions taken by many other moral threologians. If similar

restraints were applied to other Catholic institutions, they would stand to

lose many, if not all, of their moral thelogians and many other factulty

members besides.'

"However, Washington's Catholic University has a particular status as a

`pontifical' university, thus being under oversight of the church

hierarchy, unlike other U.S. Catholic colleges.

"Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago proposed a compromise that Curran

stay in his post but not teach sexual ethics. This was rejected by the

Vatican, although several scholarly groups had also recommended this

course.

From THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/25/86. "VATICAN OUSTER COULD DRIVE AWAY

TEACHERS. Appearing with Curran on NBC-TCV's MEET THE PRESS, Archbishop

John Foley said thsat Curran's opposition to the normal Catholic teaching

on birth control and abortion has meant some `scandal is given and

confusion is sown' among church members.

"Curran indicated he is still prepared to fight the ouster."

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