Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex/Morris), chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, issued the following statement on Tuesday regarding Rev. Warren Hall’s dismissal from his position as director of campus ministry at Seton Hall University:
“College campuses in New Jersey, in addition to providing spaces for academic growth, facilitate the social and moral development of our students. As a trusted adviser to students at Seton Hall University, Father Hall played an instrumental role in that process.
“While the information available regarding Father Hall’s dismissal is limited, it is troubling. That he reportedly was terminated for voicing a message of love and acceptance is thoroughly inconsistent with the basic tenets that form the foundation of the Catholic Church and our state’s oldest and largest Catholic university.
“Seton Hall is a stellar institution of higher learning, and the students who graduated Monday afternoon represent some of New Jersey’s best and brightest. The Archdiocese of Newark’s decision to dismiss Father Hall, however, if it is indeed tied to his belief that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students deserve respect, is nowhere near an accurate reflection of all that for which the university stands.
“On behalf of the student body at Seton Hall and a vast network of alumni calling for his reinstatement, I stand with Father Hall as an advocate for the LGBT community and hope that the university can continue to promote the respect for diversity and inclusiveness inherent in Catholic teachings.”