The Bells Of St. Mary’s Are Ringing Again
The Bells of St. Mary’s is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies. It’s one of around ten movies that I consider a must watch over the holidays. If you’re not familiar with the story, Bing Crosby plays an unconventional priest named Father Charles (Chuck) O’Malley. He has been called to try and save the St. Mary’s school which is rundown and in need of repair. He is joined in his efforts by Sister Benedict played by Ingrid Bergman. There are many sub plots, but in the end a brand-new building is donated to take the place of the old school by Horace P. Bogardus, a businessman who has constructed a modern building next door to the school on land he had bought from them. Another bit of interesting trivia about the movie, Crosby played the same character a year earlier in the movie Going My Way, for which he won the Academy Award for Best actor. He was nominated again for The Bells of St. Mary’s making him the first actor in history to receive two nominations for portraying the same character in different films.
Ok, so you now probably know more than you ever cared to about a great Christmas film, but what does that have to do with the present day? Well just like in the old film when St. Mary’s school was saved, another St. Mary’s was recently saved as well.
It was just last month when Turning Point USA covered how Saint Mary’s College, a Catholic women’s school in Indiana, quietly revised its non-discrimination policy to allow trans-identifying individuals to apply for undergraduate admission. The policy stated that the college would consider admitting applicants who “consistently live and identify as women,” not just biological women.
At the time the college hid under Title IV of the education Amendments which was enacted in 1972. A policy that reached for compliance with anti-discrimination laws. The Idea of Title IV was essentially to protect the rights of women, and now here was a Catholic women’s school using the same argument to circumvent those rights.
However, critics argued that the Department of Education has clarified that Title IX exemptions apply to private undergraduate colleges, which would include Saint Mary’s College. The ruling created a lot of backlash, so much so that the school has decided to reverse its decision and to return to its previous admission guidelines.
Saint Mary’s College President Katie Conboy released a statement announcing the reversal, acknowledging that the policy went against the Catholic identity of the school.
“As this last month unfolded, we lost people’s trust and unintentionally created division where he had hoped for unity. For this, we are deeply sorry. Taking all these factors into consideration, the Board has decided that we will return to our previous admissions policy.”
“There have been many voices responding to us from many places and perspectives. We have listened closely, and we have heard each of you.”
She went on to say that Saint Mary’s College had underestimated the community’s desire to be involved in policy-decisions of the university.
The Turning Point USA (TPUSA), chapter at St. Mary’s which has yet to be officially recognized by the school, had vocally criticized the new transgender policy. Chapter President Claire Bettag characterized the policy as anti-women and anti-Catholic and applauded the efforts of the TPUSA students who pushed for change.
“I am so proud of the women in our chapter who stood up against the school to fight this anti-women and anti-Catholic policy. The truth of God will always win,” Bettag said.
So once again the Bells of St. Mary’s are ringing proudly. Just like in the movie, the school was saved from deterioration, not from physical collapse, but from the moral collapse of the left’s infiltration into its foundation.
