Dear Editor,
If this article is how The Maroon represents Loyola as a Jesuit Catholic University, I suggest Loyola save the resources spent on The Maroon and use them to have Catholic theologians straighten out erroneous understandings of the Jesuit tradition. What garbage. It is a shame the writers did not get a Catholic education at Loyola to understand the Church’s position and reasoning.Sincerely,Jack Dardis ’63
Dear Editor,
My husband and I and four of our seven children are Loyola graduates. Is Loyola still considered a Catholic university? After reading the Jan. 26 column by Jodi San Lucas, I will certainly include our alma mater in my prayers at daily Mass and Communion. Perhaps Jodi will interview a member of the Society of Jesus on the existence of heaven and hell and the meaning of fornication, mortal sin and the sacrament of Penance. I am shocked that this column was published in The Maroon. Satan must be very proud of The Maroon. I am ashamed.Sincerely,Rose Mary Charbonnet
Dear Editor,
God invented sex. God blesses this act only within the bonds of the sacrament of matrimony. Why? Because it is only in this selfless act of giving, in the bonds of trust and love, that two people who are committed to each other for life are capable of bringing a life into the world and raising the child in a loving family and creating a loving home.God does not bless sexual intercourse outside of marriage. In fact, it is a grave sin. It is the sin of self-gratification – something you do for the sole purpose of making yourself feel good, without respect for the other person (in this case, your “friend”). You are indeed taking something from that person … their self-respect and dignity. You are slowly taking from that person, all under the guise of “glamour” or some false sense of what it is to be a grown-up (“being ready” or “keeping it classy, Loyola”).You deserve to hear the truth.The truth is that we do live in a world that advocates, in music and media, that sex is fine when you are ready. It’s just out there waiting for you … when you’re ready. But these are all lies, made up by people, to rationalize what is actually a type of theft of the human spirit. And birth control subverts any Catholic teaching because it removes from decision making any concern about bringing life into the world. But this also relieves a “couple” of any commitment to one another, and therefore, subverts the very act of sex itself.The truth is that, in the end, self-gratification is not even gratifying. The physical act is there, but the emotional and spiritual parts are missing. The good news is that within the context of a sacramental and committed marriage relationship, it is a beautiful, selfless act which strengthens the bond between two people in the eyes of God and creates a greater love in the union than either could have individually.If you haven’t heard the message yet, perform this very simple mental exercise: Imagine Jesus, who lived as part of the Jewish community. Outside of his community, there was no prevailing social custom against pre-marital or extra-marital sex. Now imagine Jesus saying He was ready for sex. Can you imagine this? Does this notion make you bristle? If so, then that is the spark of conscience that you must work with. Our mission as Catholics includes treating ourselves with respect and teaching others to respect themselves.Sincerely,Carol B. RooneyB.S. Geology, ’85
Dear Editor,
Welcome to the 21st Century. These are the days of “Sex and the City,” uncensored ready for the world to watch, read, and explore. For all of you that are embarrassed, have you never had a sexual experience, and if you haven’t, have you lived on this planet? Wake-up! To quote my all time favorite band, “Sex is Not the Enemy.” Why should one little article that in all actuality is educating us our ourselves, be so offensive. It takes a clear and educational approach to sexuality. Quite honestly, it’s liberating and refreshing to find that such a fundamental part of our being can be discussed in the open. Our sexuality is a beautiful thing and not one we should shy away from, but rather embrace. I say thank you for writing an article that isn’t afraid to stand up against the puritan ideals we’ve been uncomfortably “pinned to the wall” with for centuries.
Sincerely,Meredith ArnoldMusic Industries Studies junior
