Same sex fundraiser at Catholic college

The following is from the front page of the current issue of The Irish Catholic (not available online). I should be shocked but I'm not.

A fundraising campaign has been organised at one of the country’s largest Catholic colleges for a lesbian couple taking a High Court action to have their ‘marriage’ recognised in Ireland.

A senior lecturer at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, the Catholic teacher training centre, has defended his decision to fund-raise for the action being taken by Dr Ann Louise Gilligan and Dr Katherine Zappone.

Dr Maurice O’Reilly, a lecturer in mathematics at the college, told The Irish Catholic that he had “no problem” in using the college, which is under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin, to fundraise for the case.

Dr Gilligan, who is also a lecturer in St Patrick’s, and Dr Zappone are fighting to have their gay marriage in Canada recognised in Ireland. The case is currently before the High Court.

The Irish Catholic has obtained a copy of an e-mail sent by Dr O’Reilly asking staff at the college to contribute to a fund in support of the case.

“I am sure,” Dr O’Reilly writes, “there is much goodwill and generosity in the College which can be harnessed in their support.”

When contacted by The Irish Catholic Dr O’Reilly said that he had “no problem in supporting the campaign, no problem in supporting a colleague in this”.

The email goes on to list fourteen members of staff who have agreed to co-ordinate the fundraising campaign in the college.

When asked by The Irish Catholic about the appropriateness of such a fundraising campaign in a Catholic institution Dr O’Reilly said “I have nothing more to say to you” and ended the phone call abruptly. Subsequent phone calls and e-mails from this newspaper went unanswered.

According to St Patrick’s Mission Statement the college “is committed to creating a community of learning in which Catholic religious values are promoted.”

A source at the college confirmed to The Irish Catholic that there is “considerable discontent” among a number of staff at the fundraising campaign.

When contacted by this newspaper a spokesman for the Archbishop of Dublin, who is Chairman of the college board, said he was “not aware of the e-mail, and therefore, am not in a position to comment”.

Meanwhile, Dr Pauric Travers, President of St Patrick’s was unavailable for comment despite repeated requests.