More than a year after a drag performance mocking the Catholic Mass drew condemnation from Church authorities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln leaders met last week with Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln to discuss reforms in response to the incident.
In an April 24 pastoral letter, Bishop Conley said he met with university leadership, including Jeffrey Gold, the president of the university, and members of the Board of Regents to assess how the institution has addressed the controversy.
University officials had earlier issued an apology for the performance, with Gold confirming new oversight measures would be implemented, according to The Catholic Herald.
The meeting comes after months of criticism over the April 12, 2025 “Mass of Perpetual Indulgence” performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which mockingly depicted central elements of the liturgy, including the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, according to The Catholic Herald.
In his letter, Bishop Conley said university officials acknowledged failures in oversight and communication surrounding the project and outlined steps taken to prevent similar incidents, including the creation of an advisory group to address ethical concerns.
He said the group of ethicists, attorneys, and academic leaders is intended to guide the university on complex issues.
The bishop also said university officials also indicated that new “guardrails” have been put in place and that the advisory group will remain available to help address similar concerns moving forward.
As CatholicVote previously reported, Bishop Conley condemned the performance as “disturbing and appalling” and a “blatant public display of faith-based discrimination.”