To the Editor:

I recently heard a piece on NPR regarding SLU’s attempts to gain public money for the new arena. In light of the Masons (our neighbors on Lindell) challenging this funding in court, the NPR article stated that SLU claimed to not be a Catholic university.

As a former student and a Catholic, I am outraged. Fr. Biondi and his crew are so intent on preserving the “Jesuit Heritage” of the school but claim not to be Catholic. Is that something that the Jesuit forefathers would have liked to hear? Would St. Ignatius Loyola or St. Francis Xavier be pleased to hear this? Being a Jesuit undeniably means being Catholic. To say otherwise would be like a Frenchman claiming not to be European.

And what are Fr. Biondi’s motives for this disgraceful denial? Money for a sports arena? Biases aside, (I attended one SLU basketball game in my four years at SLU and believe, to this day, that the Blue Crew should be disbanded and reprimanded) I think that more efforts should be put toward further funding of academic interests at SLU.

In this Lenten time, I am reminded of story of St. Peter, and how he denied the name of Jesus three times before the crowing of the cock before realizing his error. How many times must Fr. Biondi deny his Church before he realizes his shame?

Your pal,
Nick Selm
Alumnus, Arts & Sciences Class of 2006