GWU's Newman Center fights back against effort to throw priest off campus

Catholics at George Washington University are confronting an effort to expel a priest from campus because of his adherence to Catholic teaching on homosexuality — and they’re not folding under pressure.

The Daily Caller reported today that two students are launching a campaign to force Father Greg Shaffer, the chaplain at the campus’ Newman Center, out of his job. Their primary reason for doing so: He held to the church’s official teaching that homosexual acts are immoral and encouraged gay students to pursue celibacy. Shaffer’s pro-life stance was also cited as a motivation.

Last May, Shaffer wrote in a blog post that “[e]very single rational person knows that sexual relationships between persons of the same sex are unnatural and immoral. They know it in their hearts.”

The Newman Center, which represents the university’s Catholics, is standing by Shaffer — and many tweeters are upset by such an open assault on freedom of thought.

@DAGreiner68 thank you for your support of our chaplain and our ministry. We preach the Truth in Love!

— GW Newman Center (@GWCatholics) April 4, 2013

Thank you to all who have expressed support this morning for our ministry! http://t.co/1G3DG3Itto #religiousliberty #Jesus

— GW Newman Center (@GWCatholics) April 4, 2013

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https://twitter.com/bymags/status/319845917090017280

As a progressive, I'm embarrassed by this. Priests should have the right to be Catholic in a public university. http://t.co/EBXFNYP1AM …

— Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) April 4, 2013

I think this went way too far. Students try to banish Catholic chaplain from campus for his stance on gay issues.http://t.co/EBXFNYP1AM

— Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) April 4, 2013

https://twitter.com/taylofquist/status/319825629476438016

https://twitter.com/WendyOnsted/status/319890449890422785

Kudos to the Newman Center for standing up to the bullies. Regardless of anyone’s view on the issue, no one should be run out of a university because of his or her religion — especially a chaplain!