Charles Curran

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.”