The Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio has come under fire from LGBT activist and its own Franciscan Gay Alumni & Allies group for describing Homosexuality as a “deviant behavior” in one of its course offerings.

The University’s Social Work 314 Deviant Behavior course lists homosexuality, along with along with mental illness, murder and drug use in its description.

The Franciscan Gay Alumni & Allies group released a statement saying: “The alarm must be raised that psychology and mental health graduates from Franciscan University are less prepared than graduates at other universities and colleges, being taught ideological falsehoods in the classroom rather than solid, proven research and evidence. Further concern must be raised that such classifications feed cultural biases and promote hatred for lesbian and gay individuals and runs counter to official Roman Catholic teaching on this matter.”

In reply university officials said, as a Catholic university, they stand by the teachings of the Catholic Church and to do otherwise would be a violation of their mission.  “Franciscan University follows Catholic Church teaching in regard to homosexuality and treats homosexual persons with “respect, compassion, and sensitivity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2358) while holding homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered” (Catechism, No. 2357).”

“Intrinsically disordered” thats sensitive alright.

In reality the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) DOES NOT include homosexuality as a disorder or form of deviant behavior. All major professional mental health organizations have gone on record to affirm that homosexuality is not a mental disorder or deviant behavior and the continued classification of homosexuality as deviant behavior is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the professional psychological community.

Benedict Groeschel (pictured above left) of the University’s Board of Directors, who was recently honored with the Franciscans highest award, the Poverello Medal shocked the nation a few weeks ago when he stated in a Catholic newspaper  that “youngsters” were often to blame when priests sexually abused them and that priests should not be jailed for such abuse on their first offense.

Now lets REALLY talk about deviant behavior, shall we?