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Friday, March 14, 2008

Infanticide Supporter at Villanova

Note: I made my headline include the word "infanticide" because Obama voted against the Born Alive Act which simply stated that a child born alive during an abortion procedure cannot be murdered. That such a law is even needed shows how perverse our society has become. Of course, he also supports partial birth abortion so the principle is the same separated by a birth canal and five minutes. That Villanova welcomes a supporter of such a crime shows how far they will go to cozy up to political power.

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY HOSTS ABORTION ADVOCATE MICHELLE OBAMA

Manassas, VA - In another example of a Catholic university hosting a pro-abortion political figure, Michelle Obama spoke before 2,500 people at a political rally for her husband, Democratic presidential candidate Barak Obama, at Villanova University's Jake Nevin Fieldhouse on March 13.

Mrs. Obama, an abortion advocate, endorsed partial-birth abortion in a 2004 fundraising letter for her husband. Senator Obama supports Roe v. Wade, partial-birth abortion and embryonic stem cell research. He has voted against parental notification and for increased contraceptive funding for teenagers.

Joseph A. Esposito, director of the Cardinal Newman Society's Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, said, "The Obamas' record on abortion is clear and unequivocal. We are disappointed with Villanova University. For a Catholic university to provide a platform for a pro-abortion figure in the midst of a political campaign is simply wrong."

The Cardinal Newman Society had a lead role in drafting a "Statement of Principles Regarding Catholic Institutions, Sanctity of Life and Political Engagement" last month. The statement was endorsed by 18 major Catholic organizations, including the Cardinal Newman Society, Catholics United for the Faith, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

The statement reads, in part, "We call on Catholic institutions to join us in refusing to honor or provide a public forum for any political leader or candidate who acts 'in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.' This includes any politician who undermines a 'culture of life' by advocating public policies to permit or support abortion, physician-assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, or any other threat to human life."

This initiative was undertaken in response to an alarming trend of pro-abortion politicians using Catholic college campuses for political rallies during the presidential campaign. In January, Senator Obama appeared at a huge rally on the campus on Saint Peter's College, a Jesuit institution in Jersey City, N.J. Senator Hillary Clinton appeared at St. Norbert's College in Wisconsin and St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Tex., in February.

In objecting to Clinton's visit to St. Mary's University, Archbishop Jose Gomez said, "Our Catholic institutions must promote the clear understanding of our deep moral convictions on an issue like abortion, an act that the Church calls 'an unspeakable crime' and a non-negotiable issue."

Esposito added, "It is important to let Catholic college leaders know that such disregard for Catholic Church teachings is morally wrong and ultimately impugns the Catholic mission and integrity of the institution. Faithful Catholics may want to contact Father Peter Donohue, president of Villanova University, to indicate their outrage."

He also said, "It is important, too, to thank Catholic leaders who do stand up for Church principles regarding campus speakers. The Cardinal Newman Society recently praised the University of St. Thomas, Houston, for their top administrators barring the speech of a Latina activist with a record of abortion advocacy from speaking on campus."

Father Donohue, the president of Villanova University, can be reached at president@villanova.edu.

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posted by Theophilis at 11:21 AM

16 Comments:

  • I am a student at Villanova and if you did a little more research you would know that the administration of Villanova did not bring Mrs. Obama here, a student group did. Villanova has not endorsed Barack Obama for president. If you knew anything about Villanova, you would also know that while it is a Catholic university, it welcomes different religious backgrounds and views,catholic does mean universal, by the way. Furthermore, you conveniently left out the fact that Barack Obama is against the death penalty, which is in line with Catholic teaching, then again pro-lifers only care about life when its inside the womb, right? I think it's safe to say that if Villanova would have had someone speak that was pro-life and was also pro-death penalty, blogs like these wouldn't be posted all over the internet, even though the death penalty also goes against Catholic teaching. We the students who spend a tremendous amount of money should decide what offends us, not outside people who could care less about us or our well being. We also have the right as Americans to choose who we want to be the next president, and that means listening to both sides of the aisle. If you would like to engage in an intellectual discussion that is possible because of my "Catholic" education, please contact me.

    By Blogger Anthony, At March 17, 2008 6:26 PM  

  • Anthony, Anthony, Anthony. Where di you go so wrong? Or rather where did those responsible for your faith formation and Catholic education go wrong?

    The application of the term "Catholic" with a capital letter simply means that the Church is universal, among other characteristics it exists in all places. It is also One, Holy and Apostolic. One means that the doctrines and liturgies are the same everywhere and at all times.

    Another point I would make is that the Church does not hold that the death penalty and abortion are morally equivalent as you say. Rather the concept of innocence, absent both in your appeal and your upbringing comes into play.

    The person tried and convicted of a crime and receiving the death penalty did recive due process. The unborn child, or in the case of Mr. Obama's position even the born child, has not recevied any process at all. They have been asessed the death penalty for the "crime" of living. People supporting such gruesome murderous ideas not only don't belong on a Catholic college campus, they should be driven from society at large.

    Finally, if you read the article I posted you'd see it was sourced from the Cardinal Newman Society, a very respected organization responsible for setting up countless campus ministries. (though I couldn't resist commenting on it).

    I think you should spend some time with the Catechism and a real priest, not the counterfeit ones found on apostate campuses across the land.

    And lastly, i won't contact you directly. The point of a blog is that I post, you comment and I counter. It's fun don't you think?

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 17, 2008 6:55 PM  

  • I wasn't referring to "Catholic" with a capital C, I was referring to catholic, with a little c, which does mean universal. At Villanova, being catholic also means embracing people of different races, social classes, religious backgrounds, etc. When you have a diverse campus, people are going to have different views on different issues, thus the need for speakers such as Mrs. Obama.

    How are you so sure that the person convicted received due process? What happens when innocent people are put to death. Barack Obama actually did something to help make sure this doesn't happen: (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/12/obama.death.penalty.ap/.) And isn't God supposed to decide who is innocent or guilty? Better yet, isn't God supposed decide who lives and who dies? Even if that' s not true, here is the Church's position on capital punishment,

    http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/fifth.html

    The death penalty is permissable only when the aggressor poses a threat to human lives, and the Church says these cases are "very rare and practically non-existent"

    I wouldn't consider living a crime, but I have to say sometimes it feels like it is. 37 million people in the US live below the poverty line and 1 out of 5 Americans doesn't have health care. My point is, if your going to care so much a bout life before it is born, care as much or even more after it is born. Villanova holds the largest student run Special Olympics in the country. We are very service oriented with students going on mission trips every single break. There's more to living out the Christian mission than just opposing abortion.

    The Catholic Church just made causing social injustice and poverty mortal sins. Social injustice and poverty are just as gruesome and people that cause it don't belong on college campuses or in society.

    I don't think that I need to spend time with a "real priest," unless they are different from the ones I've encountered all my life, which would mean they don't see the world realistically, and that wouldn't be a very productive meeting.

    Yes it is fun...

    By Blogger Anthony, At March 17, 2008 7:49 PM  

  • Wrong again Anthony. You dodge the question of what the Church teaches about abortion and hide behind your perception of the pro-life movement - that it doesn't care about life after the birth. What evidence do you have for that? It's just plain wrong. All human rights derice from the right to be born in the first place. once that's been obrogated all other rights are jeapordized. Am i really debating with a Catholic about that?

    The Church didn't create any new sins. Everything the bishop stated, and he did so in no particular official capacity like a Pope, has always been a sin. It was just a statement of emphasis or clarification, a modernization of terminology.

    Cetainly there are activities that enhance social justice. The point of the origianl post remains that Mr. and Mrs. Obama adavance laws that are directly opposed to Catholic morality. They are also self-defeating to their cause since minorities suffer a disproportionate abortion rate, perhaps by design of the founders and current leaders of Planned Parenthood.

    Her appearance was not for a debate on the subject but to promote her husband's candidacy. Such an appearance is in direct opposition to Ex corde Ecclesiae and the USCCB document Catholics in Political Life.

    As a Catholc institution, Villanova is part of THE Church that believes its teaching is authoritative. They are bound by it if they are to continue marketing themselves as Catholic. It's not a relativistic doctrine whereby if you do more good deeds in one area to offset grave evil in another.

    I never claimed to be in favor of the death penalty, not do any true pro-lifers. But being against it and for abortion is not only inconsistent, it's twisted.

    I can never understand charity towards the poor or disabled by folks who would rather that these people were wiped out in the womb in the first place. Jesus taught that we'd always have the poor with us - so that our charity would shine through and we could be like him.

    Open your heart to the fullness of the faith and place your faith in Him, not flash-in-the-pan politicians with their empty promises.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 17, 2008 8:30 PM  

  • Show me evidence that pro-lifers do care about life after birth. I've at least tried to provide evidence for some of my statements, but I haven't seen any for your assertions. Perhaps you can change my perception although it seems to be pretty accurate. You say that all human rights are derived from the right to be born, but the problem is that pro-lifers tend to forget about other human rights after birth. Give me evidence that pro-lifers are actively involved in the movement to end poverty. All other rights are jeopardized whether an abortion takes place or doesn't.

    In this article it clearly states them as "new sins"....

    http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL109602320080310?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

    I thought Mrs. Obama was Mr. Obama's wife, not a fellow legislator. She holds no political office, she is simply campaigning for her husband. Politicians on the other side of the aisle also advance laws that are against Catholic morality, but I don't see the same outrage from pro-lifers. What cause is self-defeating? Barack Obama actually voted for funding to increase sexual education to reduce teen pregnancy.

    http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Barack_Obama.htm

    Self-defeating? Barack Obama is for all people not just minorities, I would hate to think your trying to bring race into this. Your right, Mrs. Obama wasn't there to debate abortion, probably because her husband's candidacy has little to do with either supporting or abolishing abortion rights.

    Villanova is a Catholic institution, but your forgetting that it is a university with students. We have a right to have different speakers with different views, even if the university doesn't agree with those views. Last year, we had 50 Cent perform, and I'm almost sure that the university doesn't agree with him on some things. You have to understand that there are many student groups on campus that are independent from the university itself. Last time I checked, there weren't abortions taking place on campus, so I don't understand how we are "offsetting grave evil" through our service. I guess it's easy to diminish our years of service because of one speaker.

    You never said you were in favor of the death penalty, but you said the Church was not against the death penalty, which leads me to believe you would have been fine with someone that was pro-death penalty speaking here. The church is against the death penalty, so I proved you wrong there. Really,there aren't any pro-lifers that are pro-life and pro-death penalty? Do some research one of them is a candidate for president. It's more twisted when someone says their pro-life and then forgets the consistent ethic of life and supports the death penalty. Many people that are pro-choice and against the death penalty don't use life as a basis for having their view.

    You seem to think that people that are not pro-life are pro-abortion. This is completely false. I don't think there is anyone out there that thinks that abortion is a good thing. You don't see people jumping around singing that they just got an abortion. It is about the right of a woman to choose what to do with her body. Here are the views:
    Pro-lifers: the right to life of the unborn has more value than the mother's life, therefore abortion is wrong.
    Pro-choice: the unborn is using the mother's life to stay alive, the mother should be able to choose whether she wants to support this life, therefore abortion is permissible

    Lastly, like I've said, remember there are students here and they aren't all Catholic. Do we not have a right to vote for the candidate of our choice? We are Americans trying to engage in a democratic process. The university functions because of the students, we are in charge, in a way. As long as this is the case, we will continue to have speakers with different views no matter what anyone has to say.

    By Blogger Anthony, At March 17, 2008 11:23 PM  

  • If you really wanted to know what pro-lifers do, you'd read a little from their own sites.

    A few blocks from Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA where they held an abortion and birth control fest, is a place called Visitation House. At this facility young mothers-to-be and new mothers who had no other place to go and could not fend for themselves are cared for free of charge on donations from pro-lifers like me until they are able to take care of themselves and their babies. A dozen or so have been cared for so far.

    This is not unique. Across the country thousands of crisis pregnancy centers have been set up the same way. Also there's Birthright, where clothing and baby care supplies are donated.

    You would know this if you wanted but you've bought into the propoganda from NARAL and Planned Parenthood and the left wing of the Democratic Party.

    Reuters has a known anti-Catholic bias as does AP and most mainstream media outlets. If you want to know what the Church believes, go to a Church site like Catholic News Agency, Zenit or Catholic World News.

    I did not say that the Church is not against the death pernalty. You accurately stated the position as though you had read a part (obviously not all) of the Catechism. But the rhetoric you are using is from enemies of the Church and you have not looked into the activities or postions of pro-lifers.

    You constantly confuse politics with religion, probably due to the depictions in the media. The Church doesn't tell you who to vote for and neither did I. It sets moral guidelines based on objective truth. One guideline is that Catholic institutions are barred from providing a platform or honor for a pro-abortion political candidate. Villanova violated that.

    Come into the light, Anthony. Work for justice. Add being in favor of life as God created it and work for Him instead of false political movements meant to decieve you.

    You are wrong about another thing. The politicans who accept millions of dollars in campaign money from Planned Parenthood and NARAL think abortion is a great thing.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 18, 2008 7:31 AM  

  • To address the issue of non-Catholics on a Catholic campus, I like to use the analogy of studying at a Muslim university overseas. If a Catholic attended such an institution, they would expect to see women wearing veils, hearing the call to prayer 5 times a day, seeing students fast for Ranadan, and having a different holiday calendar. They would not expect the college to compromise their beliefs to accommodate the visitor.

    In America at Catholic colleges, though, instead of demonstrating the richness of the Catholic faith, do everything they can to hide it. A visitor who is non-Catholic would come away not knowing a thing about the Catholic faith after 4 years on campus. In a way, the non-Catholic is being cheated by the experience.

    Indeed studies have shown that Catholics attending Catholic colleges and universities are less likely than their counterparts attending secular schools to become churchgoing active participants in their faith. The Catholic school sucks the faith right out of young people.

    Villanova and your arguments provide a prefect case study for this phenomenon.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 18, 2008 8:12 AM  

  • First of all, none of my views are influenced by planned parenthood. I don't know where you got that idea from., I've never even been to their website. Second, I could easily tell you not to listen the propaganda of the right wing republican party, you have to admit some of them are just crazy. If pro-lifers are dedicated to human rights after birth, why do they continue to support politicians that aren't?

    What evidence do you have of an "anti-Catholic bias?" News wires of all news agencies probably have the least amount of bias when reporting a story.

    Here is an article from the a source that you said is reputable. It says that the Church is indeed against the death penalty.

    http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=5192

    They aren't an enemy of the church are they? I know the positions of pro-lifers by the politicians they support which totally contradict Catholic teaching.

    I don't confuse politics with religion. I have a good understanding of what the separation of church and state means. It's easy to blame the media for a particular perception instead of looking at the perception that you're giving yourself.

    For the last time, Villanova did not bring Mrs. Obama here, an independent student group that has nothing to do with Villanova did. Your argument now is that Mrs. Obama spoke on the grounds of the university. If she would have spoken in a house next door, would that be ok? This is simply ridiculous and I'm tired of having to explain the same thing over and over again.

    You can try and twist thing around all you want, but there is no proof that any politicians favor abortion. Sorry, supporting certain bills and receiving money from certain organizations doesn't count. If this is the case, there are politicians on the other side that would not be in the position they're in.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At March 18, 2008 6:08 PM  

  • Are Muslim universities overseas actively trying to recruit non-Muslim students? That argument is just completely false. Catholic universities actively try to recruit non-catholic students because the respect the differences in people and value the diversity that different students offer. If you want to see only Catholics go to Villanova, I suggest you give a very very large donation that would have enough influence to change the admissions procedures.

    I would be careful about what you assume about Villanova. You clearly know nothing about it's mission or values. Is offering mass three times every Sunday trying to hide the Catholic faith? What about the crosses that are in every single classroom? What about the theology requirement that every student must fulfill? What about the daily prayers of St. Augustine that are on the university website? What about the mission trips that students go on? I could go on and on about how Villanova demonstrates the Catholic faith. You judged Villanova without even knowing anything about it. And you say Catholic universities are the one with the problem? You're wrong, Catholic schools don't suck the faith out of people, it's judgmental people that know nothing about faith.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At March 18, 2008 6:21 PM  

  • Are you even Catholic? How do you know? What makes it so?

    Pro-lifers are always forced to choose between two evils. Since the greater (-est) evil is support of unrestricted abortion on demand and infanticide, we are left supporting candidates who may be unsuitable in other areas but not the preeminent one. You are actually doing the same unless you actually believe that the Democratic candidates present perfection on Catholic issues in which case you are just deluded.

    I have at least twice said that I agree that the Church is against the death penalty and yet you persist in trying to convince me of the same. I simply said it does not rise to the level of abortion as stated clearly by the Vatican and the USCCB. I've clearly explained the distinction.

    What would be wrong with both sides agreeing to teach and promote chastity, declare a moratorium on abortion and work so that every mother and child are given the support and love they need? Why must we devolve into the corrupt business of conceiving and slaughtering unborn and unwanted babies? Couldn’t Catholics then debate the other issues of the day and legitimately vote for any candidate? Abortion has divided this country and has forced a wedge between Catholics and their Church, indeed pushed them away from God. You are a prime example of that, if you are Catholic.

    Villanova "provided a platform". That students chose to violate sound judgment and invite Mrs. Obama is no excuse. The university has an authority structure. The president should have simply said no. He abdicated his responsibility to Church directives.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 18, 2008 6:27 PM  

  • Offering Mass 3 times on Sunday? I hope and believe they do more than that. I'm sure they also offer daily Mass somewhere on campus.

    You have perfectly described relativism, the idea that as long as something isn't all bad, it's good on balance.

    Unfortunately, the Church believes in objective truth. The standard is perfection and we are to strive for it. "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." Half-heartedness is not enough.

    My blog is dedicated to the failings of Catholic universities and colleges. I am well aware of the relative good they do.

    But thank you for participating in this discussion. It's been illuminating.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 18, 2008 6:33 PM  

  • One last comment for my readers.

    I certainly do not suggest that only Catholics be admitted to or employed at Catholic universities.

    I do however believe that they should be given preference or higher weighting in admissions and employment so that the Catholic university retains a Catholic character. At one time this was common practice but no longer seems so.

    The difficulty is finding enough Catholics who actually are Catholic and not just attending to add their voices to the dissent that is so common that faithfulness appears to be on the run.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 18, 2008 7:11 PM  

  • The difference is I don't vote for candidates based on whether they present perfection on Catholic issues. Then I wouldn't be voting democratic or republican. There is one side though, that tends to be more contradictory, and that's where I have a problem. Come on, lesser of two evils? Just like you can't be a little pregnant, you can't be a little for Catholic teaching. If your going to support a candidate based on Catholic teaching, that candidate needs to be totally in line with Catholic teaching, not just a little. Find candidates that are, there are some out there, its all about doing research on where they stand on the issues.

    Whether the death penalty is less or more evil than abortion is not the issue, supporting a candidate that is pro-death penalty is. It goes against Catholic teaching. So if Villanova were to have a candidate here that supports the death penalty (and it is very possible we are), I would expect the same reaction from pro-lifers if they are truly pro-life. That's my point.

    I don't think you know enough about me to talk about my relationship with God, but you do make a point. I would take it further and say why is abortion even an issue to be debated. It would be so much easier to help women so that they don't feel like abortion is their only option. The problem is that one side just doesn't care enough, as long as they toot their pro-life horn, they get the religious vote. It's a scam, really. By the way, I would look at ways the Church itself pushes people away, not necessarily just abortion.

    Students chose to violate sound judgment? It's more like students chose to engage in a democratic process in a historic election, which they have every right to do whether the Church likes it or not.
    You can't say Villanova provided a platform when the administration did not invite or endorse Mrs. Obama speaking here. The president has little or no authority over what facilities are used. You just don't understand that the president had no control over Mrs. Obama speaking here, NO MATTER WHAT HE DID. He could have said no 1,000 times, she still would have spoken here.

    I'm sure there are more masses also, my point was that Villanova does not hide it's Catholic faith in any way.

    I don't necessarily have a problem with you pointing out some of the failings of Catholic universities and colleges, I know very well that Villanova is not perfect, but I suggest that you try and learn something about a school before you are quick to assume things and judge it.

    Yes we should all strive for perfection, but how can you judge when you yourself is not perfect? With all due respect, who gave you that authority? I always thought that only God could judge. And while we sometimes judge others, we should strive not too.

    As for your last comments, the reason why it doesn't happen anymore is because it's discriminatory, remember learning is the ultimate goal of going to college. You need to learn to respect diversity and not be afraid of difference, you can learn a lot if you do. You also should be trying to find out why Catholics at universities and colleges often have the voice of dissent, there are many reasons.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At March 18, 2008 10:17 PM  

  • It is certainly not discriminatory for a private institution to establish and enforce the requirements for membership.

    It is the mission of ALL Church entities, teaching, healing, charitable, to serve the prime mission of Christ, "teach the Gospel to all nations" and "Baptize them in the Name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

    There is no other reason for the CHurch to exist. They do not exist simply for their own "goodness".

    By Blogger Theophilis, At March 19, 2008 8:11 AM  

  • Why is this group called in Defense of Family, Tradition and Property? In defense of property? That doesn't sound very Catholic. Is this some kind of right wing or fundamentalist group trying to pertend their Catholic. Int he U.S. the danger of heresy is just as strong from the right as it is from the left.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At May 31, 2008 2:06 AM  

  • So much to disagree with in a single small post. First, TFP, unlike Villanova, does not claim to be part of or derive benfits from the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Second, the right to private property is a basic human right and one held by the Church but not by left-keaning quasi-communist college professors. So if you attend Villanova, you might have missed it. And third, deflecting attention from the obvious trnsgression by Villanova to allow a guest speaker who's publicly stated position is directly against a core teaching of the Church is a typical tactic of those with a losing argument. Get yourself a Catechism and brush up on what the Church stands for. You might have to go off campus to get one though.

    By Blogger Theophilis, At May 31, 2008 7:19 AM  

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