NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      SOUTH BEND, Indiana (CWNews.com) - The trustees of the University of Notre Dame voted unanimously on Friday not to include homosexuality as part of its anti-discrimination policy because the law does not recognize the traditional Christian understanding of "love the sinner, but hate the sin."

      Notre Dame's Board of Fellows, meeting in London, said the university "did not believe that the university should leave to civil courts the interpretation and application of Church teaching." A group of homosexual students had said they planned to challenge the school's policies on homosexuality if they had included the lifestyle choice in the discrimination policy.

      In 1995, the school refused to grant official recognition to a homosexual and lesbian student group and would not allow them to meet on campus. But administrators sought a means to uphold Church teaching on the immorality of homosexual activity while condemning harassment or violence against them. In 1997 the university instituted a "spirit of inclusion" policy that welcomes homosexual and lesbian students and faculty.

      "This issue has been studied very closely by the administration, and we've made what we think is the best choice institutionally," said university spokesman Dennis Brown. "At the same time we have the spirit of inclusion on record to indicate that discrimination will not be tolerated here."