LGBTQIA+ RESOURCES

Villanova's LGBTQ Employee Resource Group has written the following statement to express our care and support for all LGBTQ members of the Villanova community. We sincerely hope that together we can continue to create a Villanova community in which all persons are seen, celebrated, valued, and loved exactly as they are.

We as students, faculty and staff of Villanova University are dismayed by the recent statement from the Vatican that names same-sex unions as a “sin” and suggests that it is a choice to love someone of the same sex. This statement reduces humans in relationships to a single dimension, negating the wholeness and dignity of LGBTQ+ persons in the process. This is a heartbreaking, disaffirming statement that has the potential of doing grave physical and spiritual harm to LGBTQ+ people, particularly youth, who already occupy a vulnerable place in the world. It is especially hurtful considering the Catholic Church’s longstanding exclusion of LGBTQ+ people.

To all LGBTQ+ members of the Villanova community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, and visitors — we see you, we stand with you, and we celebrate you and your love.

Villanova is a place where we respect the dignity and sacredness of each person. The University’s Mission Statement affirms that we “seek to nurture a concern for the common good” and “an enthusiasm for the challenge of responsible and productive citizenship in order to build a just and peaceful world.” We are passionately committed to that mission and embrace the opportunity to stand against words and actions that run counter to it. As a community engaged in an antiracist movement, we recognize the need to acknowledge that identities are not singular and that we must advocate for all marginalized communities.

The Catholic faith teaches us that all people, including those of all sexual orientations, genders, gender identities, abilities, races, ethnicities, languages, religions and immigration statuses, are created in the image and likeness of God and that we are all created to love ourselves, one another, and our creator. The faith tradition of our University, as our President made clear in his letter to us, calls us to affirm and love all people without reservation and free from all shame and fear. We are all called to become with God co-creators of ourselves and our relationships in order to build up a society of love and justice on earth that eagerly awaits the fullness of God’s love for all of creation.

We join with Villanova students in their calls for the creation of a diversity center and the enhancement of the resources for LGBTQ+ people on campus. We ask Villanova leadership to continue speaking out and affirming the LGBTQ+ community. Villanova is a loving place, and these actions will further serve to spread that love to all members of our community. We offer below a prayer for all marriages, adapted from one created by Equally Blessed, a coalition of Catholic organizations, and hope that it may provide some healing to those impacted. We invite and encourage all Villanovans to explore and support the LGBTQ+ resources at the university and local and national resources, including emergency resources.

A Prayer for All Marriages

Loving God,

You who created each of us in Your own image

and who called us together in community,

We give You thanks for the gift of marriage

and for the many couples

whose love and commitment to each other reminds us

of Your never-ending love for humanity.

We thank You for all the different types of marriages in our world:

young couples beginning a life together, as well as couples celebrating decades of love,

re-married couples and those who found each other later in life,

couples whose marriages are recognized by our state and our Church,

and same-sex couples who are denied that recognition

but who continue to bravely model love and commitment in the face of discrimination.

We thank You for the many kinds of families that are strengthened by these marriages:

families of biological children and adopted children,

blended families and families of choice,

as well as couples without children who work together to nurture communities of love and justice.

We ask You to pour Your blessings onto every marriage

regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Make each marriage one of love, respect and peace.

Guide each couple as they strive to be an example of your love in the world

and surround them with family and friends who honor and celebrate their commitment.

Help us support marriage and family in all of its diversity

and guide us as we speak out against oppression in our Church.

Lead us toward the day when all loving unions will be seen as sacred

and all couples will have the support and recognition of their faith communities.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, who called us to love one another as we love You,

Amen.

 

Signed,

 

Villanova Staff and Faculty

 

Adam Smith, VISIBLE

Alex Iannucci, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Alexander Diaz-Lopez, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Alexandra Delboy Zenteno, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Amanda Constable, Office of Financial Assistance

Amber Viescas, CLAS IT Department

Anne Fink, Fitzpatrick College of Nursing

Atiya Love, Office of Intercultural Affairs

Bobby Nichols, Campus Ministry

Brian McCabe, Campus Ministry

Candice Post, University Counseling Center

Carly Cohen, Campus Ministry

Carly Gulasarian, Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, Villanova School of Business

Catherine Stecyk, Center for Research and Fellowships & Presidential Scholars Program

Celina Alexander, Intergroup Relations Program

Charles Ashley, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Chelsea Benincasa, Center for Research and Fellowships & Presidential Scholars Program

Chelsea Romito, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Cheryl Morris, Digital Fundraising

Chesley Turner, Center for Church Management

Christa Bialka, Department of Education and Counseling

Christie Vuoto, Career Center

Christina Butler (she/her), Career Development & Pre-Law Advising

Rev. Dr. Christy Lang Hearlson, Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Dana Jacob, Alumni Relations

Danielle Ross, McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership

Dillon Eppenstein, Director for Residential Programs - Office for Residence Life

Dominic Canzanese, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Ed Sloane, Campus Ministry

Edward Wahesh, Department of Education and Counseling

Elisa Wiley, CLAS IT

Elizabeth Sokolowski, Music Activities

Eloise Berry, Office of Intercultural Affairs

Emily Wetzel-Ulrich, Office for Undergraduate Students

Eric Goins, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Evan Schares, Department of Communication

Gayle Doyle, College of Engineering

Gerald Beyer, Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Gloria Angel, Moran Center for Global Leadership, VSB

Gregory Hannah, Office of Disability Services

Janice Sylvester, Learning Support Services

Jared James May, Office for Mission & Ministry

Jasmine Thornton, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Jesse Frey, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Jessica Taylor, DiLella Center for Real Estate

John Edwards, Campus Ministry

Jordan Toy, Office for Undergraduate Students

Joseph Calderone, OSA, Campus Ministry

Joseph Hohman, Office of Residence Life

Judy Duroseau, Alumni Relations

Julia Sheetz, Campus Ministry

Kaitlin Gottuso, Office of Research Protections

Kate Giancatarino, Campus Ministry

Kate Szumanski, Office for Undergraduate Students

Kathryn Getek Soltis, Center for Peace and Justice Education

Katie Haymaker, Department of Mathematics and Statistics         

Kelsey Fenner, Center for Research & Fellowships

Kevin Donahue, University Information Technology (UNIT)

Kevin Grubb, Career Center & Office of the Provost

Kim Cahill, Moran Center for Global Leadership

Kimberly Kane, VSB Graduate Admissions

Kirstin DeFusco Houtz, College of Professional Studies

Krista Malott, Department of Education and Counseling

Lauren DePiero, Center for Research & Fellowships

Lauren Higgins  

Lauren Ward, Center for Access, Success and Achievement

Leigh Stewart, University Advancement

Leslie Castrejon, Center for Access, Success & Achievement

Liesel Schwarz, Sustainability Manager

Linda Jaczynski, Center for Worship and Spirituality

Luciana MacNamara, University Counseling Center

Maggie Songer,                Career Center

Mark Levand, Theology & Religious Studies

Maureen Fitton, Campus Ministry

Melanie Subacus, Classics

Michael Levitan, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Michelle Sherman, Campus Ministry

Mike Westrate, Center for Research and Fellowships & Presidential Scholars Program

Mimi Moran, Student Involvement/Fraternity and Sorority Life

Natalie Sheridan, University Counseling Center

Nicholynn Keefer, Office of the Bursar

Nick Tumolo, Dean of Students Office

Nicole Subik, Learning Support Services

Olivia D'Aiutolo Mendenall, College of Professional Studies

Olivia Farkas, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Patrice Soares, Learning Support Services

Peter Chi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Peter Muller

Rachel Skrlac Lo , Department of Education and Counseling

Randy Weinstein, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning

Rita Di Carlo, VSB Graduate Programs, Career Services

Robert Jantzen, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Sage Milo, Center for Research & Fellowships

SaraBeth Baker, Office for Undergraduate Students

Sarah Hernandez, Office Fraternity and Sorority Life

Sean McElwee, Campus Ministry

Shalyssa Smith,  Office of Residence Life

Sharon Centers, Villanova School of Business

Sheila Doherty,  Experienced Career Services

Shonna Kydd, Alumni Relations

Stacy Andes, Health Promotion

Stefanie Knauss, Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Suzi Wentzel, Office for Mission and Ministry

Sydney Lobosco, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Sydney Scheiner, Dean of Students Office

Tom DeMarco, Dean of Students Office

Trudy Pacella, Office for Mission and Ministry

Victoria Ostroff, University Counseling Center

 

Villanova Students

 

AB         

Aidan Fecko

Ajani Martin-Abascal, Student Government Association

Alexa Thompson              

Alexis Price, Student Government Association

Allison Bajada   

Allison Baroni

Amanda Adams, Department of Education and Counseling

Amanda Piazza

Amanda Rappa, Student Body President

Ana Valentina Wey

Anabel Waplinger

Andrew

Andrew Kline, SGA College of Engineering Senator

Angelica Garcia, Campus Ministry

Austin Glass, SGA Class of 2022 Senator

Bilge Deniz Kocak            

Beste Bilen, Villanova School of Business

Bonnie Pulla      

Brandon Catanzaro

Bridget

Caroline Levine, Student Body President

Casey Driscoll

Catherine

Catherine I, Student Government Association

Cathy Nguyen   

Cheyenne Z, Department of Communication

Chloe Benson, Class of 2021

Chloe Cherry     

Christiana Holguin          

Christina Tillinghast

Christine Onder

CJ                         

Claudia Pineda, College of Engineering

Colette Termaat, Presidential scholar

Diana Gabriella Hume

Emma   

Elise Pelletier, Peer Minister

Elizabeth Greco, Student Government Association

Elizabeth Vaughn

Emily Jaenicke

Erica Marciante

Erin

Frank Frabizzio

Gabriella Loftus, Student Government Association

Gigi Schimpf                     

Grace Cook        

Grace Pawelczyk, Campus Activities Team President

Greg Smith         

Harry Wasnak, SGA Class of 2023 Senator

Holly Hanson     

Irene Koch, SGA Internal Communications Chair

Isabel Langas    

Ivanica Skalko, Incoming Student Body Vice President

Jacob Janavel    

Jenna Fazio        

Jessica Marasco

Jessica Sardina, Peer Minister

Josh Busch

JT          

Julia Wolfthal

Juliana Cosenza

Kaitlin Hahn       

Kate Flynn          

Kathryn Keough, Class of 2022   

Katie Canning, Class of 2022

Katie Jordan      

Katie Kelly, Student Government Association

Katie Lynch        

Kristine Rivera, Office of Intercultural Affairs Ambassador

Lily Bui

Lindsay Gallagher, Class of 2022

Lucy Baxter, SGA Class of 2022 Senator

Lucy Cobble       

Madeline Scolio, Global Interdisciplinary Studies

Marcus Rose

Mark Wheeler, Graduate Arts and Sciences

Mary Swikle       

Matt DiCaro      

Michelle Ky

Nicole Cain

Qing Hu              

Rita Harrobin    

RC

Ryan Batkay, College of Nursing

Ryan Cullum, SGA Director of Public Relations

Ryan Dery          

SAF        

Sadia Decastro  

Salina Berhane  

Samuel Forray (he/him/his), IFC Senator

Sarah McAvoy, Student Government Association

Taleen Postian

Taylor McDermott

vedith reddy      

Yolanda , College of Arts and Sciences

 

As a Catholic university, Villanova respects the dignity and sacredness of each person. The University’s Mission Statement affirms that we “seek to nurture a concern for the common good” and “an enthusiasm for the challenge of responsible and productive citizenship in order to build a just and peaceful world.”

Towards that end, all people, including people attracted to members of the same sex, are deserving of pastoral care. All of us need the redemptive love of Christ. Pastoral care puts its focus here for all of us. Love of neighbor, of all neighbors, is a Gospel demand in accord with which all of us will be judged.

Oasis is a confidential, small group opportunity where a safe zone is established to engage in an open dialogue about the issues relevant to queer or questioning individuals. Participants share their experiences and connect with one another during the biweekly meetings.

Oasis is open to students who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and wish to connect with others through the topics of sexual orientation and gender identity. These meetings offer relief from feelings of isolation and an opportunity to find true friendship and the authentic Augustinian community that results from a common dedication to the truth and a shared vision of the dignity of the human person.

Oasis meets regularly in the evening throughout the semester. For further information contact Father Joe Calderone via phone (610-519–7477) or email. We will discreetly respond to all earnest calls and emails with the location and time of our next meeting.

Students can also find resources within Student Life through VU Pride and Safe Zone.

The It Gets Better Project's mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.