Editor’s note: We have updated the article to reflect the group’s name change after its original Valentine’s Day event. The original article reported that students were “passing out” condoms; the condoms were available for passersby. A quote from the University of St. Thomas was also added.
On Valentine’s Day, students from the group now known as “The Condom Good” made condoms and chocolates available to passersby on the corner of Summit and Cretin avenues, promoting reproductive and sexual health.
“The Condom Good,” similar to St. Thomas’ well-known slogan “All for the Common Good,” is a new independent student-run coalition. On the day of the event, the group was named “All for the Condom Good,” but the group decided to change the name on Feb. 17.
“The university had a little bit of hesitation when it came to us using their slogan,” group member Julia Wickham said. “We thought this would be just a little more respectful.”
The condoms were donated by Family Tree Clinic in St. Paul, which is not affiliated with the university.
The students who started the coalition, Katie Foy, Karl Buttel, Julia Wickham, Sierra Tentis and Jake Sexton, want classmates to feel comfortable about sexual and reproductive health issues.
“Generally we agree that people are having sex on campus, so in order to protect the students and make sure that they’re doing it in a healthy way, you have to give them resources,” Wickham said.
“Fifty percent of the student body doesn’t even identify as Catholic … and of the 50% that does, it’s a practical observation that many are sexually active,” Buttel said.
Other students responded to the availability of condoms differently.
Senior Mary Carlson, a peer minister, was “discouraged” by the campaign.
“Reproductive health and sexual health and awareness of STDs, STIs, all of that, is so important, especially as a bio major I see the need for education,” Carlson said. “The church has such a beautiful teaching about the human person and human sexuality, and it’s so supportive of it in the right context, that perhaps this campaign is a little short-sighted in its approval of those practices.”
Several students were angry at the group’s original title, “All For the Condom Good.” Senior Madeleine Busch did not like the play on words.
“It just kind of diminishes what we hold as our values and kind of turns it into a joke,” Busch said.
The university responded to the event in an email to TommieMedia.
“As a Catholic University, we support the teaching of the Catholic Church which prohibits the use of artificial contraception. We do not distribute condoms at the university,” the university said. “We respect the rights of our students to join outside groups as individuals and believe this activity falls within that context. Activities on public property are outside the purview of our control.”
While there was pushback on campus, the group members talked with those who had questions.
“While there certainly will be voices of opposition, it does not mean the majority of students will not benefit from this,” Buttel said.
“Women’s health care isn’t radical and health care around sex isn’t radical. It’s like taking care of the human being as a whole,” Foy said.
The group members encourage students to get involved to keep the group running after they graduate. They can do so by attending group meetings at the Luann Dummer Center for Women and by following their Instagram page @thecondomgood.
Leila Weah can be reached at weah7721@stthomas.edu.
Emily Haugen contributed to this report.
Disgraceful.
“Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.”
-Humanae Vitae
the catholic church might want to consider joining us in the 21st century, where lots of college students have sex (gasp!) and, unfortunately, fail to use the implements meant to protect them because some old book told them they’ll go to hell if they do. cannot believe my college is basically encouraging kids to have unprotected sex 🙄 how embarrassing
Thou shalt not judge… For the Catholic Church to miss the underlying point of the students who understand just how many abortions are being avoided because of their shared, freedom of speech, right to stand up for what they feel strongly about. It takes courage and commitment to dedicate their time for this REAL LIFE issue for all humankind. Be proud, NOT disgraced. Do you have the courage to publicly announce your beliefs and be able to back them up… With truth and open-mindedness. We are to live by His word alone and walk in His light for the benefit of those who do not believe. It is NOT about hierarchy or status. We are ALL the same in His eyes. May God she’d His wisdom for all to see during this time of conflict.
None of the saints interpret the precept “judge not” in the way modern liberals do. It is absurd to think that Jesus meant that it is always immoral to judge the actions of others.
Augustine: “In this passage, I am of the opinion that we are taught nothing else, but that in the case of those actions respecting which it is doubtful with what intention they are done, we are to put the better construction on them. For when it is written, ‘By their fruits ye shall know them,’ the statement has reference to things which manifestly cannot be done with a good intention; such as debaucheries, or blasphemies, or thefts, or drunkenness, and all such things, of which we are permitted to judge.”
Irenaeus: “The meaning is not certainly that we should not find fault with sinners, nor that we should consent to those who act wickedly; but that we should not pronounce an unfair judgment on the dispensations of God, inasmuch as He has Himself made provision that all things shall turn out for good, in a way consistent with justice.”
Thomas Aquinas: On the question whether it is lawful to judge: “In these words our Lord forbids rash judgment which is about the inward intention, or other uncertain things, as Augustine states. Or else He forbids judgment about Divine things, which we ought not to judge, but simply believe, since they are above us. Or … He forbids the judgment which proceeds not from benevolence but from bitterness of heart.”