Catholic Villanova University features LGBTQ-affirming 'Prayer for All Marriages’

Despite its Catholic roots, Villanova University is using its influence to affirm a definition of marriage that runs contrary to Catholic teaching.

On its “LGBTQIA+ Resources” page, the university has made a “statement affirming LGBTQ+ Villanovans.” 

“To all LGBTQ+ members of the Villanova community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, and visitors — we see you, we stand with you, and we celebrate you and your love,” the statement reads.

“We join with Villanova students in their calls for the creation of a diversity center and the enhancement of the resources for LGBTQ+ people on campus. We ask Villanova leadership to continue speaking out and affirming the LGBTQ+ community. Villanova is a loving place, and these actions will further serve to spread that love to all members of our community.”

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Following the message is an LGBTQ-affirming “prayer for all marriages.” 

“We thank You for all the different types of marriages in our world,” reads the prayer, “young couples beginning a life together, as well as couples celebrating decades of love, re-married couples and those who found each other later in life, couples whose marriages are recognized by our state and our Church, and same-sex couples who are denied that recognition.”

“We ask You to pour Your blessings onto every marriage, regardless of gender or sexual orientation,” the prayer continues. “Lead us toward the day when all loving unions will be seen as sacred and all couples will have the support and recognition of their faith communities.”

The prayer concludes with, “We pray this in the name of Jesus, who called us to love one another as we love You, Amen.”

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The prayer is signed by 108 Villanova faculty and staff members and 96 Villanova students.

The school justifies its support of same-sex marriage by stating that “all people, including people attracted to members of the same sex, are deserving of pastoral care.”

“All of us need the redemptive love of Christ. Pastoral care puts its focus here for all of us. Love of neighbor, of all neighbors, is a Gospel demand in accord with which all of us will be judged.”

In addition to this prayer, Villanova affirms transgender-identified community members by giving “students, faculty, and staff” the opportunity to use “a name that better represents the individual’s gender identity or expression” for “university records and systems that do not require use of an individual’s legal name.”

Campus Reform has reached out to Villanova for comment and will update accordingly.