A student group at a Catholic university is under fire for affirming traditional marriage

“Love Saxa’s definition of marriage does not include same-sex couples, as we believe that marriage is a conjugal union on every level — emotional, spiritual, physical and mental — directed toward caring for biological children. To us, marriage is much more than commitment of love between two consenting adults.”

That statement was written by the president of Love Saxa, a Georgetown University student group that aims to promote “healthy relationships and sexual integrity” on campus.

That statement is also the reason that students on Georgetown’s campus are calling for Love Saxa to be defunded for fostering “hatred or intolerance."

Sparring editorials

Love Saxa president Amelia Irvine wrote a column for The Hoya, Georgetown’s student newspaper, in September. In it, she discussed her decision to practice abstinence with her boyfriend.

In response to the editorial, which contained Irvine’s statement about the definition of marriage, The Hoya published an opposing editorial calling for the defunding of the organization.

"Love Saxa's advocacy of denying individuals' rights on the basis of their sexual orientations is inherently intolerant," the editorial read. "The club is antithetical to what a university club should be, and it should be ineligible for any university benefits."

The Student Activities Commission will hold a hearing on the matter in coming days, according to The Christian Post.

Conflicting interests

Georgetown is a Catholic university, and the Catholic Church holds to the traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman.

But, like most large universities, Georgetown is home to thousands of students from diverse religious or nonreligious backgrounds, and it has policies in place to protect that diversity.

So, either way the school rules in this case could lead to accusations of hypocrisy because of the competing interests. The university's statement reflected the tension between the school's religious history and its standing as a major institution of higher education

"We strongly support a climate that continues to provide students with new and deeper contexts for engaging with our Catholic tradition and identity. Love Saxa is one of many groups operating on campus with positions that affirm the teachings of the Catholic Church. We also support a climate that is welcoming to all students and supporting of our LGBT communities," Georgetown said in a statement.