2008 Woodie Awards
Cernera sets record straight
Ashley Winseck
Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: News
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A Connecticut Post story that ran last Thursday opened the floodgates to endless comments on Cernera's decision. Contrary to the popular opinion that this information would bring to Cernera and the university, the comments Cernera received were nothing less than praise, according to Cernera.
"We have been flooded with letters, emails and phone calls from people saying thank you for doing this, what a wonderful example of Christian integrity," Cernera said in an interview this past Monday.
This is not the expected reaction.
"I immediately thought [that] this is going to give out horrible publicity for our school and is going to look like our school promotes that sort of thing," said Nicole Hubbard, junior, Valley Stream, N.Y.
Hubbard clearly stated the general opinion of the student body. What Cernera wants students and others to see is not that he was taking in a child molester, but that he was doing a favor for a friend.
"Without condoning any of his actions, when he needed a place to go in order to transform his own life, we made a personal, family decision to come to his assistance," Cernera said in a personal statement.
Stubbs, accused with molestation charges, was never convicted, although he was formally defrocked in 1997. Despite the allegations, Cernera and family have been close friends with Stubbs for 18 years now, and have provided him with a home for the past three years.
The house where Stubbs resides is the vacation home of Cernera and his wife, which, Cernera explained, is vacant the majority of the year, aside from various summer weekends and other holidays. When it came time to make the decision to assist Stubbs, there was no question.
"It would have been inconceivable to us to say that we could not help," Cernera said, "What would my children, or even the students, think of me if I did not offer my hospitality?"
The reputation of the university is always a concern to Cernera. In this case he never foresaw it becoming an issue. For him, this was not about Stubb's past; it was about helping him attain a new future.
Unfortunately for Cernera, that was not the message conveyed, particularly by the Connecticut Post's story.