Holy Cross College Hosts on-Campus Planned Parenthood Workshops, Awards Pro-Abortion Governor

Yet another Jesuit run college violating Catholic Church teaching

By Peter J. Smith WORCHESTER, Massachusetts, September 28, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Jesuit-run Holy Cross, the oldest Catholic college in New England, is hosting the 2007 Teen Pregnancy Institute with Planned Parenthood promoting teenage contraception.

The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy presents the conference every year, but by hosting the conference the Holy Cross Jesuits are sending the message that they have no qualms with its promotion of contraception and the presence of Planned Parenthood, which are intrinsically inimical to the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church.

At this year's conference - scheduled October 24, from 8AM - 4 PM - "Messages that Matter: Strengthening Prevention and Supporting Young Families," Planned Parenthood is scheduled to give 3 "workshops"; one of which includes a seminar on how to "Learn the latest and greatest of protection methods."
(see copy of brochure http://www.massteenpregnancy.org/pdfs/2007_conf_brochure.pdf)

In addition, pro-abortion Governor Deval L. Patrick will appear at the conference to receive a "Leadership Award" and speak to the conference attendees.

Unfortunately Holy Cross has a history of tolerating vociferous promoters of abortion under its President, Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. In 2003, McFarland defended not only Holy Cross' invitation of pro-abortion political commentator, Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC's "Hardball," to speak at that year's commencement, but also bestowed on him an honorary degree despite his univocal statements on several occasions "I am pro-choice." McFarland falsely stated Matthews's views were "a matter of practical judgment" and "allowable in Catholic thought," because he felt abortion was immoral, but disagreed that the government should stop it.

SHOCKER: Catholic Georgetown U. Will Now Fund Law Students to Lobby for Abortion

Oldest Catholic university in U.S.

By John-Henry Westen WASHINGTON, DC, September 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A change of policy at Georgetown University Law Center will permit the University - which is the oldest Catholic university in the nation - to give grants to students who lobby for abortion for agencies such as Planned Parenthood. The Hoya, the Georgetown University newspaper, reports on its front page today about the policy change.

The policy change was announced September 7 by Law Center Dean T. Alexander Aleinikoff in a letter published in the Law Center's student newspaper. The decision comes after the Law Center got flack from pro-abortion students and faculty for directing student group Equal Justice Foundation, which received University funds, to refuse funding to a student who applied for funding to intern at Planned Parenthood.

The Hoya reports that the University Law Center will no longer consider the mission of organizations in determining grants, as was the case for the initial denial of funding for the Planned Parenthood position. "In partnership with the Equal Justice Foundation, the Law Center will provide grants to all students who work on law-related issues at a public interest organization or government agency," wrote Aleinikoff.

Joy Welan the president of the Catholic University Law Center's pro-abortion group - "Law Students for Choice" - rejoiced at the decision admitting that her group met with Aleinikoff several times over the policy. "We think that this compromise is fantastic news, for students who are interested in pursuing careers in reproductive rights advocacy," Welan told The Hoya. "The dean has taken a huge step forward in advancing Georgetown's commitment to public interest law, and we applaud him for it."

Daniel Hughes, president of the Law Center's pro-life group - "Progressive Alliance for Life" - said plainly that the Catholic University was now funding abortion advocacy.

"Aleinikoff has a radically secular, morally relativistic vision for the Law Center," Hughes said in an e-mail to The Hoya. "He and other administrators have crafted a dishonest, legalistic 'compromise' that will allow students to gain assured, extensive Georgetown funding for pro-abortion legal work."

Spokesmen for the University Administration did not return calls from LifeSiteNews.com prior to press time.The Archdiocese of Washington did not comment on the development. Mark Adkinson, Communications Assistant at the Archdiocese of Washington, told LifeSiteNews.com that the Archdiocese does not oversee the university since it is in the control of the Jesuit Order.

To contact Georgetown University

President John J. DeGioia
Office of the President
204 Healy Hall
37th & O Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20057
Tel: (202) 687-4134
Fax: (202) 687-6660
Email: http://contact.georgetown.edu/index.cfm?Action=Mail&NetID=ems62

Ivory Tower - Yes, Heretics - No

The decision by Columbia University to host the president of Iran certainly smacks of the Ivory Tower elitism affecting America's colleges. President Bollinger gave a glimpse into his thinking when he berated his guest in his opening remarks. He apparently felt that he could inoculate himself and his school by stating the obvious reasons why the invitation shouldn't have been extended in the first place. In doing so, he said that only the uneducated and ignorant would fall for the lies told by his guest.

He must have been a little surprised then when some of those "uneducated" and "ignorant" were cheering students and faculty in attendance. But why wouldn't they cheer America's and the West's greatest threat? They've been fed a steady stream of anti-Americanism, Anti-Westernism and Anti-Semitism from the time they set foot on campus.

Bush is the great Satan, right? And Ahmadinejad is anti-Bush so he's our guy? So complete is their indoctrination that even when their guy spews ideas that all liberals oppose regarding sexuality and women in society, they just seem perplexed. They are unable to process it. He couldn't have been serious when he said there are no homosexuals in Iran, could he? He probably thinks they have all been executed.

Bollinger was probably fighting for his job with his diatribe against Iran. But nobody was fooled. As is usually the case, when some light is shined inside the Ivory Tower of academia, it is the so-called intellectual elite that is exposed for the disconnected thinking they practice so well in the shadows.

There is no heretical angle to this incident as Columbia is not Catholic. But they only beat Georgetown and Boston College to the punch by their close proximity to the UN. I'm sure they had the idea too but "lost out."

Kerry "Not Invited" to Catholic U - Scheduling Conflict

LifeSiteNews.com reported last week that Catholic University of America's (CUA) newspaper "The Tower" had revealed that the College Democrats at CUA had received the necessary permission from the administration and subsequently invited pro-abortion Senator Kerry to lecture at the University.

In its current issue released just today, The Tower newspaper is now reporting that according to both the Senator's congressional office and the College Democrats, "Sen. John Kerry will not speak at the University this semester due to scheduling conflicts..."

University of San Diego Hosting Pro-Abortion Speaker

From the University of San Diego website:

"The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic institution committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service."

So how can it be that, as the Cardinal Newman Society reports, "Andrea Smith, a pro-abortion activist, is scheduled to present the 2007 Eugene Labovitz Lecture at the University of San Diego on Oct. 5. It is part of the university's annual Social Issues Conference held during the first week of October.Smith is a co-founder of the feminist group Incite! Women of Color Against Violence. As part of its agenda, the organization advocates that Native American women "have the same access to abortion services as other women."

It seems once again that a Catholic University or College has completely lost its way and forgotten He whom they were founded upon. Look the Virgin Mary in the eye at the foot of the cross, with the blood of Christ running down on her, and explain how you are giving a place of honor to someone who mocks her Son, someone to whom the buthery of 48 million American babies is a "human right". Isn't there anything these Catholic Colleges can think to do that is nin accord with the Holy Roman Catholic Church that they claim to mbe a part of?

Culture of Death at Catholic Colleges in U.S. (Part 1)

3/22/2007 From Catholic Online

Patrick Reilly on the Threat of Pro-Abortion AdvocatesMANASSAS, Virginia, JULY 20, 2004

(Zenit) - The trend of Catholic colleges hosting abortion-rights advocates has grown so much that the U.S. bishops' conference has asked Church-related institutions to refrain from honoring those who act in defiance of Church teachings.

Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, co-authored a five-year study with the group's Erin Butcher investigating inroads made by advocates of abortion, contraception, premarital sexual activity and physician-assisted suicide on Catholic college campuses.

Reilly shared with us the importance of the U.S. bishops' statement and the danger of Catholic schools welcoming high-profile persons who publicly oppose the Church's fundamental moral principles.

Part 2 of this interview will appear Wednesday.

Q: In the recent statement, "Catholics in Political Life," the bishops' conference stated: "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." What was the significance of the U.S. bishops warning schools against honoring dissenters?

Reilly: The statement is laudable, formally endorsing Cardinal Newman Society's long-held position against Catholic institutions honoring or inviting abortion-rights advocates.
Archbishop James Kelleher had already instituted this policy in Kansas City, but most other diocesan policies against pro-abortion honorees and speakers apply only to parishes and Church-owned facilities, as if the Catholic identity of those facilities has different implications than the Catholic identity of legally independent agencies.

The bishops' statement affirms that Catholic teaching and expectations are the same not only for all Catholic individuals -- with no exceptions for politicians -- but also for all Catholic institutions. We hope that diocesan policies will now formally reflect this national statement, which had near-unanimous support in the bishops' conference.

The ban on honors and speaking platforms is far-reaching, applying not only to pro-abortion Catholic politicians but to anyone who acts "in defiance of our fundamental moral principles."
Its reference to "platforms which would suggest support for their actions" could include campus lectures and commencement addresses, especially by politicians in the midst of campaigns, regardless of the speaking topic -- a direct challenge to the prevailing radical notion of academic freedom, which ignores Christian concerns about the truth and the common good.

Q: What is the danger of Catholic schools welcoming high-profile persons who publicly oppose Church teachings?

Reilly: There is always the danger that these individuals could use a platform at a Catholic institution to attack or at least erode support for Catholic teachings, even when invited to speak on a seemingly benign topic.

There are recent instances of public advocates spewing their venom on Catholic campuses, including NARAL's Kate Michelman at Boston College, National Organization for Women president Kim Gandy at Loyola University of New Orleans, pornographer Larry Flynt at Georgetown University, radical feminist Gloria Steinem at Fairfield University, and researchers engaged in human cloning and embryonic stem-cell research at Assumption College and the College of the Holy Cross.

More commonly, speakers and honorees do not challenge Catholic teaching while on campus. Colleges select these speakers and honorees because of their legitimate expertise and accomplishments, which are unrelated to their more-harmful activities. Cannot a pro-abortion politician give a campus lecture on taxes or the military? The argument put forward by many college officials is that such an event is proper because no one explicitly advocates immorality.

Take this to the extreme, of course, and a Catholic college could invite Hitler to speak on the merits of German music and art. It is doubtful that any Catholic college would host or honor Louis Farrakhan or David Duke because of their views on race, regardless of the speaking topic.

How did Catholic college leaders come to so easily disregard speakers' public advocacy of abortion, homosexual activity or "marriage," fetal experimentation, physician-assisted suicide and a host of other serious problems?

An award or speaking platform places an individual in an honored and respected position, regardless of what they discuss on campus. Honorees and lecturers differ from college faculty only in degree: despite the brevity of their presence on campus, they temporarily share professors' special status as educators and models for students. Canon law rightly insists that Catholic institutions expect "probity of life" outside the classroom for professors, and the same might be expected for lecturers and honorees.

The primary concern is scandal. Once an individual has publicly acted "in defiance of our fundamental moral principles,""that person is identified with that action regardless of the reason for the campus visit.

When a Catholic institution freely chooses to invite that individual to lecture or receive special honors, the institution publicly declares a lack of intensity in its commitment to Catholic teaching, disregards those who have been harmed by the individual's actions, undermines efforts to expose and oppose the individual's harmful behavior, and confuses students about the responsibilities of faithful Catholics.

When asked "Why not?" I cannot help but ask "Why?" The simplest argument against hosting honorees and lecturers who advance the culture of death is that humanity has not sunk so low as to necessitate such invitations. On any lecture topic, experts can be found who do not raise these concerns.

When choosing prominent commencement speakers and honorees, there are thousands of good options. Whereas college leaders tend to characterize any restriction on their freedom to select speakers and honorees as a death knell for quality scholarship, there is no such plight.

Creighton U "Family" Researchers' Heresy

From Catholic Citizens:

"The June 2007 issue of U.S. Catholic magazine contains an article titled "A Betrothal Proposal." It is written by Michael J. Lawler and Gail S. Risch, who are described as "two respected family ministry researchers" at the "Center for Marriage and Family at Creighton University, Nebraska, where they also teach theology." The article's headline asks, "Are cohabiting Catholics always 'living in sin'?" Lawler and Risch's answer has two parts: (1) not always, and (2) let's change the rules so that they never are."

ITH View:

What is it with some people? I guess the term "Ivory Tower" about sums up what these folks are all about. They think they can do their idiotic "research" in some sort of vacuum where no one will notice that they've not just "wandered off the reservation" but have move to another planet. If it wasn't so cliche and so disgusting, it would be funny. Do these people even know the basis for Church teaching on human sexuality and marriage? Have they even read or considered the theology of the body? And once again. why are these heretics even allowed a place in a "Catholic" institution in the first place? In a Church where lines of authority are clearly delineated, this shouldn't be happening. It's time for the good Bishop to exercise his apostolic authority or risk being marginalized by these nuts.

More on Catholic U and John Kerry

As we reported a few weeks ago, Catholic U has invited pro abortion Senator John Kerry to speak on campus. Kerry, who boast of a 100% rating from NARAL and has never seen abortion funding legislation he didn't like, was singled out during the last presidential election cycle as the perfect example of the Catholic politician with a anti- Catholic voting record who should be denied communion according to canon law. Apparently, some eager educators can't seen to help themselves when given a change to schmooze with power.

Lifesite News has picked up the story and sent it around to their many supporters and bloggers. Time to turn up the heat at Catholic U?

"Inclusive" St. Anselm College

In a recent speech to faculty and staff, St. Anselm College President Father Jonathan DeFelice stated that he wanted St. Anselm to be a "more inclusive" college. In fact, he used the word "inclusive" or its forms no fewer than seven times in the same speech.

The words "Jesus", "Christ", "Sacraments", and "Eucharist" were not used at all. So its clear what he was trying to get across. To this Catholic however, the whole point is puzzling. The word "Catholic" itself means universal and by its meaning and mission, intends to "preach the Gospel to all nations".

The need for more inclusiveness seems redundant for any Catholic institution.

Elsewhere in the speech the president mentions the addition of courses on Islam and uses the word "Mohammad". So this inclusiveness is not necessarily in accord with the prime directive of the Church at all but rather the usual secular blather that is so common these days.

Fr. DeFelice is not appealing to the catholicity of the college but to the cliche diversity he wants so badly to be recognized for.

I wonder how many bill paying Catholic parents are on board with his mission?

DePaul Hypocrisy

They can get rid of professors when they want to. No need to hide behind the usual "academic freedom" mantra after all when it comes to a violation of political correctness. But if you survey the other anti-Catholic activities going on at DePaul, you can clearly see that their exercise of authority is selective.

Holocaust denial is repugnant. But so is abortion and the promotion of homosexuality and other deviancy to human rights status. DePaul would do well to get their values straight and become the Catholic university they set out to be a long time ago.

You removed one problem. Now lets see you clean house in the other areas that have received attention the last few years.

Is Saint Anselm College Catholic?

Recent disturbing developments at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire call into question whether the college is taking a direction away from its proud Benedictine heritage towards a more secular feminist nature.Criticism was leveled recently in the Manchester paper and on some blogs regarding the decision to move to coed dorms. The reason cited by the school was that the demographic shift towards a higher female population percentage necessitated this move for more efficient use of space. Of course, the school controls whom it accepts in the first place making the claim curious to say the least.

But this belies the real agenda which is to continue the trend towards the feminization of the school. Other indicators like the hiring in recent years of a female as Dean of Student Affairs and another as Executive Vice President show an increasing strategy to turn the school further away from its traditional Catholic roots towards a modernist, secularist and especially feminist ideology. The Catholic credentials of these hires are never really mentioned or emphasized. The result? The college now has a rampant hedonistic under culture, lack of enforcement of visitation rules, epidemic underage drinking and most of all, a declining spiritual character as the school moves closer towards the secular world around it. Indeed, the school now shows open hostility towards white Catholic males and the social structures like fraternities that support them.

Other indicators of this shift can be found in the increasing decline in the percentage of Catholic faculty and staff as well as in the student body at large. The school makes no attempt to screen for Catholic students in admissions or in faculty and staff hiring. These changes largely have come about during the reign of Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., as President of the School. Fr. DeFelice seems more comfortable moving in political power circles than ecclesiastical ones. A quick perusal of the Saint Anselm website and blog shows a heavy tilt towards left-leaning democrats as campus speakers. In one recent on-campus speech, presidential candidate John Edwards even had the audacity to welcome Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Fr. DeFelice was in attendance and issued no statement of repudiation. Indeed, attendees reported he greeted her with polite applause.

In the fall of 2004, a prospective student wrote to Fr. DeFelice about a news story he saw where that great political intellectual, pro-abortion feminist activist Sharon Stone had held a pro- John Kerry rally at Saint Anselm College. The rally seemed to include Saint Anselm faculty, staff and students. DeFelice claimed neutrality by the college in the campaign in a typically condescending reply. Might this exchange have set the stage for future events? It's one thing to encourage spirited debate and civic involvement on a Catholic college campus, but quite another to promote the side of the debate most at odds with Catholic moral teaching.

In a letter to parents in the Spring of 2007, Fr. DeFelice announced that the presidential debates at the college would be held during Holy Week. Though he didn't get specific, one was actually scheduled for Holy Thursday. It was a wonderful confluence of two traditions at the college, he said, civic involvement and Catholicism. He didn't recommend one activity over the other but in fairness, the students would be on break anyway and would likely be nowhere near the campus for the event. Bet they didn't mention that when they recruited the politics majors. It was in the same letter, buried at the bottom of the second page, that he announced the change to coed dorms.

Then there's the area of theology. One theology professor explained to his class that he didn't believe God was active in the temporal sphere but had merely put creation into motion and then sat back and observed in a "Seven Days of Rest" manner. So much for scripture and tradition. Another stated confidently that God never "really spoke" to men. It wasn't clear which heresy this was, that Jesus Christ wasn't God made man and that when He spoke He wasn't God speaking or that the words recorded in Gospel weren't His. Either way, its a reflection of where this college is going.

In the area of literature, having exhausted all the classics from Virgil to Aquinas to Milton, the students are required to read Virginia Woolf, the famous bisexual feminist author who committed suicide. Most students have already had her "literature" crammed down their throats in public high school but St. Anselm College wants to make sure it isn't missed.

In a telling article in the school newspaper in 2006, DeFelice was reported to have polled the faculty on whether to adhere to the requirement that classes open with a prayer. When the result turned out negative, all Fr. DeFelice could bring himself to do was "strongly encourage' that they continue the practice anyway. He's learned well the leadership method of the world. Take a poll and defer to those you are supposed to be leading.The National Catholic Register asked Catholic Colleges to fill out a survey to indicate their fidelity to the Church. Those responding affirmatively are listed on their website. Saint Anselm is not listed.

Under Fr. DeFelice, it appears Saint Anselm has gone the way of too many other apostate Catholic colleges. It's a shame. The Benedictines had worked so hard to build something good.