The Catholic Worker Of Worchester Launches A Broadside Against Holy Cross Jesuits

......flyers that were handed out was a list of the many alumni who had signed a petition to remove ROTC on campus.  It seems that The Catholic Worker of Worcester has a problem with ROTC on campus because they feel it violates Jesuit values and philosophy.  This begs the question, "Should a Catholic institution, such as Holy Cross, sponsor an ROTC unit, which trains military officers who, by definition, may be called upon to be warriors?"

   The answer is yes, and for a couple of reasons.  First, when the Holy Cross faculty voted in the 1980s to keep NROTC on campus, it was under the condition that there would be an ethics class that every midshipman had to take.  "At an institution like Holy Cross, all students, especially midshipmen, receive an excellent education, are exposed to a variety of viewpoints, and are educated in religious and ethical tradition," says the chaplain for NROTC, Paul Covino.  "This is something that may not be offered at other institutions, which is why it is vital that future military leaders receive this education.  Our new Commanding Officer, Captain Ron Harrell, for example, is reaching out to the Chaplains' Office, the Jesuit Community, and others on campus who can assist in the midshipmen's ethics course to make sure that they receive the best possible training for the situations that they will be facing as officers."

   By exposing our future military leaders to a variety of viewpoints, they become well-rounded military men and women, who will have a background in ethical decision-making from a Jesuit institution.  This will help them make better decisions down the road and enhance their leadership capabilities.  When midshipmen are called on in a time of war, it will help them greatly if they have been educated in religion and ethics on a Jesuit campus.

   The second reason that Holy Cross should sponsor NROTC on campus is, in the words of sophomore midshipman Lawrence Bovich, "because the Navy is making itself known as ‘a global force for good.'  We are just as much of a humanitarian force as we are a military force.  This was demonstrated by our assistance in Indonesia after the tsunami in 2004."  America prides itself upon having a navy that can not only defend the nation, but also help countries that are dealing with a humanitarian crisis.  "Men and women for others; that's the Jesuit slogan," said Bovich. "That's what the Navy is; a group of people that defends others and helps others."

Link (here) to the full article at the Crusader.