A CNS member, who is also a Notre Dame alumnus, contacted the director of the University’s Center for Social Concerns after learning from The Cardinal Newman Society that over a sponsored fall break, students attended “Mass in a parish whose pastor refuses to take orders from Cardinal George . . . and then to spend the evening at a gay bar for dinner in Chicago while watching the vulgar play ‘the Ville.’” Father William Lies, the executive director of the Center for Social Concerns, gave permission for the alumnus to share their correspondence with CNS.

In his response to the alumnus, Father Lies wrote that the concerns are “well founded” and that he shares them. He apologized to the alumnus on behalf of the University. “Several significant aspects of the programming for the seminar were entirely unacceptable, and we take full responsibility for failing to monitor the plan created this year by the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture,” Father Lies wrote. “Be assured that in the future there will be direct University oversight of the programming and we will no longer work with the Chicago Center.”

According to Father Lies, faculty and staff members from Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns immediately formed a task force to investigate when they learned what had happened over the University-sponsored fall break.

“Thanks for your prayers for us at Notre Dame as we strive to stay true to our Catholic character and identity,” Father Lies ended.