A federal appeals court ruled last Wednesday that denying funds to UW-Madison religious group Badger Catholic was a violation of the group's First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
Considering this controversy, what does it mean to be a Catholic on a campus as liberal as UW-Madison?
According to Father Eric Nielsen, Pastor of St. Paul Parish and Director of the St. Paul University Catholic Foundation, Madison may be an open-minded place, but not necessarily to all perspectives.
""I think Madison tends to be a very welcoming university, people like other students, nobody likes to put down anyone else, but certain viewpoints don't seem like they're invited into the conversation,"" Nielsen said.
In addition to living in a generally liberal environment, Nielsen also thinks the large drinking culture at UW-Madison is hard for young religious people.
""There is a real party atmosphere at times,"" he said. ""I don't think that really bodes well, it conflicts with a lot of religious values.""
UW-Madison student and Badger Catholic peer mentor Ellen Gapinski sees the diversity on campus as positive as it encourages her to clearly define herself as Catholic.
""It gives you an opportunity to really identify yourself as ‘yes I am this thing and yes I will support it and I do believe in it,'"" Gapinski said.
She said being at UW is very different than her Catholic high school because being Catholic was ""generically expected"" there. Now she has to explain that she is religious.
""It's nice, it's a good opportunity if you want to really say what you believe in"" Gapinski said.
John Carey, UW-Madison student and website and graphic designer for Badger Catholic, said on the rare occasions that Catholicism comes up in conversations or classes, students are generally very respectful of his faith.
""I try to live out my life in a way that's an example, so just sort of hoping that my actions speak for themselves,"" Carey said.
Gapinski said she wants to have a positive relationship with students of all faiths on campus.
""The whole basis of our faith is to love one another and to just be a good neighbor and a good friend,"" she said. ""So there's no reason for us to be shouting or getting in arguments or really worked up or angry with people for just believing for what they say they believe.""
