Father Simon Harak, S.J., came to Marquette in September 2003 and March 2005 to speak on his opposition to the ongoing Iraq War. Since that time has apparently (but without any announcement I can find) joined Marquette’s Department of Theology as a lecturer, teaching a Theo 001 class. Now, he is co-founding a Center for Peacemaking at Marquette with Theology colleague Prof. Michael Duffey. The Catholics for Peace and Justice January 2007 newsletter lists Fr. Harak as Director of the new program.
When he visited campus in 2005 to talk about Iraq, Prof. McAdams exposed him as an apologist for Saddam’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. He’s also a member of the Free Peltier crowd. He’s been arrested who knows how many times in acts of “civil disobedience” (one, two, three, four, five, 6 and 7, eight).
In an article interview with Fr. Harak, journalism professor Robert Jensen of the University of Texas summarizes Harak’s beliefs thus:
[A]ccording to Harak:
–Justice isn’t possible in corporate capitalism.
–Sexual morality has consumed too much of the church’s attention.
–People all over the world are dying so that Americans can ride around comfortably in an SUV.
–There are many different paths to God.
This raises serious questions. To me, there’s a lot of echoes of Dan Maguire there.
–Maguire does not like capitalism.
–Maguire believes the Church is obsessed with sexual morality.
–Maguire blames America first.
–Maguire does not believe Jesus died for our sins.
(Clearly I am on a Fire Maguire kick this week.)
I just do not see why we need to keep bringing in these far Left activists and giving them faculty positions and avenues for activism.
Lines like this, Fr. Harak speaking on the new MU Center, make me laugh:
Last 5 posts by DanielHarak said he hopes it will be a source of creativity through which students can bring talents together and build peace.
“Students here have talents that you can’t always spot in the classroom,” Harak said. “Poetry, music, sculpting, performance arts, banjos, guitars. These things are about creating, the opposite of war, which is destructive. You can be against the war, but you have to be for something.”
- Tom Barrett's Savings Plan - June 8th, 2010
- C.J. Abrahamson on J. Stevens - April 11th, 2010
- Why always Bill Bablitch? - March 24th, 2010
- Suhr on Nixon on Health Care - February 23rd, 2010
- Did the USCCB Foresee Dead People? - February 8th, 2010
I find the idea that the church is “obsessed with sexual morality” to be curious. Statements from the pulpit regarding homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex, contraception, etc. are few and far between.
On another note, the world would be a much better place if we all got a little more obsessed with sexual morality.
So, war has been declared on left-leaning theology profs or what? Catholicism is about peace, forgiveness and compassion. An arrest after a peace rally isn’t the same as an arrest after breaking into a house or something. Ease up.
I dare anyone to say anything bad about Dr. Duffey. I really do. Except maybe that he’s too nice. Take a class of either of their’s then judge them. Because that’s what you’re insinuating, Dan, that there is something wrong with Duffey–who is one of the most kind an thoughtful people I’ve ever met.
Oh, Logan, I absolutely agree. While I’ve never taken a class, I have enjoyed several opportunities to interact with Professor Duffey. While I’ve never had the pleasure, I am sure that Fr. Harak is a very kind and nice man as well. To say otherwise is far from my point with the post.
Rather, I was saying that based on his public comments and record of activism, Fr. Harak is a very liberal individual. And it seems to me that we have plenty of very liberal faculty members already, including in Theology.
Simon Harak is basically a neo-Communist. I heard him speak here as a freshman. Absolute nutcase. The guy makes Howard Dean and Cindy Sheehan seem rational.
Brian Collar: Making Joe Fadness seem like Chuck Hagel.
[...] want to bet on whether or not Fr. Simon Harak, the newest lecturer in the Department of Theology, has or will pursue a mandate to teach theology [...]
[...] reviewing the record (also) of Fr. Simon Harak, S.J., the Saddam Hussein apologist who has joined our Theology [...]
As a response to Katie, I’m pretty sure the world would be a much better place if everyone had clean water, food, education and the opportunity to live without war in their area. If soldiers coming home had adequate medical coverage for physical and mental distress. If students in the inner city got the same education as those who live in the suburbs. If elected officals of any party did what they thought was best for the world instead of just trying to get elected. When that happens, then lets talk sexual “morality”. Until then, I honestly just don’t think its important.
I met Father Simon when I was an undergrad, over 10 year ago.
Father Simon helped my husband and I prepare for marriage. He made us work on it for a year. He made us each read a book on sexual character and we discussed many facets of what one could call sexual morality. As we watch marriages crumble, we discuss how Father Simon helped us to understand these components of marital life. I now advise my friends who are not Catholic to invest in some kind of preparation with a therapist or member of the clergy.
He’s walked us through many milestones since then (death of parents, loss of a pregnancy, cancer, Baptism of our child…) and is the first person to give a homeless person a cookie. In fact, I’ve been with him, late at night in Baltimore when he got on his knees and prayed with a person who asked for change. I can think of a lot of theologians who people have been called crazy. One whose initials were J.C.
If Simon read your remarks, he’d probably take it as a compliment.
When he comes to town, we make sure he has bail money, and a full tummy.