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Some groups of Roman Catholics regularly criticize Catholic colleges and universities for not being (in the views of these groups) Catholic enough. And plenty of bishops have from time to time criticized certain commencement speakers or campus events. But in what may be a new tactic, William Peter Blatty, best known as author of the novel and film The Exorcist, on Friday filed a complaint against Georgetown University with Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who oversees the archdiocese of Washington. In the complaint, Blatty charges that Georgetown is so insufficiently Catholic that the cardinal should either force changes or force the institution to stop calling itself Catholic. The complaint has not been released, but is 198 pages and 124 "witness statements." The Cardinal Newman Society, which pushes Catholic colleges to closely adhere to what it considers to be Catholic teachings, also supplied a 120-page "dossier" on Georgetown, also not released. In a statement, Blatty said that Georgetown has become a "Potemkin village" of Catholicism.
A spokeswoman for Georgetown said that the institution has not seen the complaint and so can't comment. But Georgetown officials -- when faced with similar criticisms in the past -- have noted that Georgetown has masses every day (up to seven on Sunday) and a wide range of programs that reflect the university's Catholic and Jesuit identity.
