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Anonymous wrote:

Hi, guys —

I am a Junior at Texas State University. I am also a Catholic who attends Church every week. I also say my Rosary on a regular basis.

I plan on pursuing an occupation in the medical field. I have always heard that college is
who you know and that your resume is very important.

I am interested in joining an African American Greek fraternity. They seem to interest me and it would look good on my resume. I looked into the frat and I feel like they promote a lot of positive social work.

Is it un-Christ like to join a fraternity?

Anonymous

  { Is it un-Christian for a Catholic that goes to Sunday Mass and says the Rosary to join a fraternity? }

Eric replied:

Hi, Anonymous —

Whether you should join a fraternity depends on the fraternity and the chapter. Ask yourself the question:

  • What is the chief goal of the fraternity and its members?

    • If all the members share your devotion to the principle of social work, that's good.
    • If their social work consists of a single project they do every year as a band-aid to cover all the partying they do the rest of the year, then maybe it's not such a great idea.

  • Will the member's behavior tempt you away from living a Catholic life, for example, in the area of avoiding drunkenness and illicit sex?
  • Will it be an occasion of sin where you're constantly faced with pressure to engage in immorality?

Talk to brothers and find out the kinds of things they do. Hang out with them, if possible, and carefully observe what's going on. Judge whether this particular chapter will make it easier or harder for you to live out your faith.

If I may make a recommendation, there is a fraternity that does no drinking and very little, if any, partying that is totally devoted to community service (if that's the kind of social work you have in mind). It's called Alpha Phi Omega, and while it is not an African American fraternity, it's a service (not a social) fraternity dedicated to serving people. There is a chapter at Texas State University — San Marcos. I don't know if that's where you are. If there are other campuses of TSU they don't have chapters there.

Eric

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