Catholic university offering 'safe haven' for Jewish students amid rise in anti-Semitism
Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis, Franciscan University has opened its campus to welcome new Jewish students who have been subjected to bigotry.
'[A]t Franciscan, our radical fidelity to Christ and the Catholic faith demands of us fraternal charity toward our Jewish brothers and sisters, as it does toward all people.'
As Jewish students across the country experience growing anti-Semitism, a Catholic school in Ohio is expanding opportunities for such students to transfer.
Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis, Franciscan University of Steubenville has opened its campus to welcome new Jewish students who have been subjected to bigotry around the U.S.
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“But with too many universities preaching tolerance but practicing prejudice, we feel compelled to do more,” Franciscan president Father Dave Pivonka said in a press release. “We are witnessing a very troubling spike in antisemitism and serious threats against Jewish students. We want to offer them the chance to transfer immediately to Franciscan.”
According to the statement, Franciscan has put forward scholarships and an expedited transfer process for Jewish students to transfer immediately despite the university already having record attendance.
“Our community will welcome them with generosity and respect,” Pivonka also stated. “Our religious differences will not cause any conflict. On the contrary, at Franciscan, our radical fidelity to Christ and the Catholic faith demands of us fraternal charity toward our Jewish brothers and sisters, as it does toward all people.”
Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, the vice president of student affairs at Franciscan, told the Catholic News Agency in October that the university had been arranging with the local community to ensure a place of worship for Jewish students as well as developing kosher food options.
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“My guess is that some of them, especially if they’re suffering persecution, might want to have the safety of home but have the opportunity to continue their education, so we have the ability to run online courses that we could start in the middle of the semester,” Hildebrand told the news outlet at the time.
Hildebrand also stated that “the Jews obviously have a special place in the Christian heart and the Christian mind, the Christian dispensation, but when you read the Vatican II teaching on these sorts of things, our fraternal obligations, do not stop at our Jewish brethren even though we have a special bond with them.”
Campus Reform has contacted the Office of Admissions and the Office of Community Relations at Franciscan University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
