Dear Editor:
it is my hope that as you had the courage to put in print so much inappropriate information in your Sex Survey article–that you’ll have the courage to put in print my response. Needless to say I was shocked, deeply disturbed and dismayed reading your St. Valentine’s Day article and how you brought love down to a primal urge. In a way I’m thankful that the article made me and the parish aware of the terrible and sacrilegious acts that have been going on in our church. To think that anyone would do such things in any place of worship is unconscionable. And your making a map and key to all the places on campus indicating where students have gone and go to have intercourse is condoning and glorifying their actions to have done it in a church. St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel has been here for many years to support the University of Connecticut and its students, professors and staff. I would be writing to you no differently if any other place of worship along North Eagleville Road had been mentioned in your article and map. You as a university paper have a responsibility to the university’s efforts to educate its students in the ways of respect of and in all things. In that you’ve failed terribly. For the information of all involved it needs to be made known that steps have been taken and will continue so that St. Thomas Aquinas chapel can no longer be desecrated. Unfortunately many good students have to suffer for a few bad ones because the church can no longer be left unlocked throughout the night. Believe me I am as saddened having to do this as I am having been made aware of what had gone on in the church. St. Thomas Aquinas was a safe place for students to go to find peace and comfort in God’s house regardless of the hour. Now the doors will be locked at the end of the day. Security cameras are installed and more will be added so that every part of the church and basement will have 24 hour surveillance. As important as it is to secure our place of worship, it’s also important for our parish to pray for those students who violated our trust, faith and church. Thank you for taking the time to read and publish this response to your Valentine’s sex survey article.
Sincerely,
Fr. John Antonelle
Pastor
St. Thomas Aquinas Church
University of Connecticut