Peer Educators Organize discussions over a dinner gathering
Holy Cross, a renowned Catholic institution, has been hosting Dialogue Dinners as facilitated spaces for open and respectful discussions on complex topics such as sexual education, sexuality, and morality. These dinners, which bring together students, faculty, and sometimes wider community members, provide a platform for sharing views, asking questions, and exploring challenging issues in a respectful environment informed by Catholic tradition and current realities.
The latest Dialogue Dinner, held on March 18, 2025, was a significant event. It focused on the politics of public health, featuring Dr. Anthony Fauci '62, a prominent figure in the field, as a keynote speaker. The discussion revolved around the role of politics in shaping public health policies and responses to global health crises.
The Dialogue Dinners at Holy Cross are particularly significant given the ongoing debates and tensions around sexual education topics at Catholic institutions. These debates encompass issues like contraception, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and reproductive rights, as seen in the challenges faced by students at DePaul University who were providing contraception information and the evolving church responses to issues of sexual diversity in Germany.
At Holy Cross, sexual education is grounded in Church doctrine, emphasizing morality over secular sex education approaches. For example, Christendom College’s student handbook states that students are expected to conduct themselves in ways consistent with Church teachings, with behaviours or expressions contrary to these teachings potentially leading to disciplinary actions.
The Dialogue Dinners, therefore, serve as crucial forums for navigating the intersection of faith, education, and contemporary sexual health issues. They aim to foster understanding and articulate faith-centered perspectives while acknowledging diverse experiences and questions.
The Dialogue Dinner on March 18, 2025, was one of four events related to Dr. Anthony Fauci's campus residency. Kelsey DeVoe, the head of Health Services, also spoke at the dinner, contributing valuable insights into the role of public health in the current global health landscape.
Molly Landis '27, the News Editor for SPEECH Peer Educators, a group started by Caitlin MacNeil '13 and Dean Michelle Bata, wrote about the event in a news article. Nathan Howard '25 and Julia Kane '27 also wrote about the Dialogue Dinner held on Feb. 13, 2023, and the one facilitated for civilized dialogue surrounding the upcoming 2024 national election, respectively.
The next Dialogue Dinner, not specified in the text, will address the role of politics in public health, featuring a panel including Dr. Anthony Fauci. The students of Holy Cross continue to engage in thoughtful dialogue on sensitive subjects in line with Catholic educational apostolates, fostering an environment of empathy, expression, and civic harmony, as embodied by the group SPEECH.
- Holy Cross University's Dialogue Dinners, influenced by Catholic tradition and current realities, offer a platform for students, faculty, and community members to share their opinions on complex topics such as politics and public health.
- The latest Dialogue Dinner, held on March 18, 2025, focused on the politics of public health, with Dr. Anthony Fauci '62 providing insights as a keynote speaker.
- Debates about sexual education, contraception, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and reproductive rights in Catholic educational institutions, like DePaul University, reveal tensions around these issues.
- In contrast, Holy Cross University grounds sexual education in Church doctrine, focusing on morality over secular sex education approaches.
- The Dialogue Dinners serve as forums for understanding and articulating faith-centered perspectives on contemporary sexual health issues.
- The Dialogue Dinners at Holy Cross represent not only education but also self-development and personal growth, emphasizing lifelong learning and empathy.
- Upcoming Dialogue Dinner events include discussions on the role of politics in public health, with Dr. Anthony Fauci on a panel, continuing the tradition of thoughtful dialogue on sensitive subjects.
