Pope Rebukes Colleges, But Was Anyone Listening?

Pope Benedict Tells Catholic College Leaders to Uphold Pro-Life Values
4/17/2008 9:17:00 PM
By Steven Ertelt -LifeNews.com

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As pro-life advocates expected and hoped for, Pope Benedict XVI told leaders of Catholic colleges and universities that they need to uphold Catholic values. The speech is considered a great help for pro-life advocates concerned about college hosting pro-abortion speakers and candidates.

The Pope said academic freedom on college campuses has "great value" but that it does not justify abrogating Catholic teaching about the value of human life in the face of abortion and concerns on bioethics issues like euthanasia and stem cell research.

The pontiff said Catholic teaching should shape the direction of Catholic colleges and that teachers and university officials have a "profound responsibility to lead the young to truth."
"I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom," Benedict told hundreds of Catholic university representatives at the Catholic University of America speech.

"Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission," he said.

Though he didn't mention abortion issues or pro-abortion speakers specifically, attendees couldn't mistake the implications of his comments.

"Teachers and administrators, whether in universities or schools, have the duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice," Benedict said.

"Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and, far from advancing freedom, inevitably leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual or spiritual."

For pro-life advocates who have complained about the rash of recent pro-abortion speakers on campus -- such as Hillary Clinton at St. Mary's University and St. Peter's College hosting Barack Obama -- news of a "rebuke" from Pope Benedict is welcome.

Some of the recent concerns about pro-abortion speakers at Catholic Colleges include:

* Pennsylvania-based Mercyhurst College agreed to host a rally for pro-abortion candidate Hillary Clinton.

* King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania hosted a rally for Hillary Clinton

* University of St. Thomas (TX) President Robert Ivany had to cancel a scheduled speech by pro-abortion Latino leader Dolores Huerta.

* St. Mary's University, also in Texas, came under fire from pro-life advocates for hosting a rally for pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

* St. Louis University officials came under fire for not disciplining basketball coach Rick Majerus after the pro-abortion comments he made at a rally for Clinton.

* Trinity University in Washington, D.C. got heat from Reilly's group for continuing to extol two of its pro-abortion alumnae, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

* St Peter's College, a Jesuit Catholic institution, allowed pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to hold a rally there.

Catholic University Extols Pro-Abortion Alumnus Nancy Pelosi

Note: "Pro-abortion" doesn't even begin to express the anti-Catholic and pagan "values" of Speaker Pelosi. There is nothing suitable about her public persona from a Catholic perspective. If there are any alumni of Trinity who still remember with any fondness their authentic Catholic upbringing or their conversion to the faith, they really need to express outrage about this sacrilege. The leaders of Trinity now join the club of Ivory Tower Heretics.

Catholic University Extols Pro-Abortion Alumnus Nancy Pelosi

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Despite its Catholic mission, Trinity University in Washington, D.C., continues to extol two of its pro-abortion alumnae, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Both public officials identify themselves as Catholics, but reject Catholic teaching on serious moral issues.

"It runs contrary to the very purpose of a Catholic university to applaud the pursuit of power for gravely immoral ends," said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. "By deliberately associating itself with vocal advocates of what Pope John Paul II called a 'Culture of Death,' Trinity University has taken the low road."

Featured on Trinity's website is an announcement of Sebelius's Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union address on Monday - which Trinity President Patricia McGuire attended as Pelosi's special guest. Also posted are an alumni magazine profile of Sebelius, a 2006 news release announcing her selection as head of the Democratic Governors Association, and a news release on TIME Magazine naming her a top governor.

But nowhere on the Trinity website is Sebelius's support for abortion mentioned. Instead, the site quotes Pelosi, who claims Sebelius "epitomizes the leadership that is moving America in a New Direction." The site links to a "blog" on which McGuire praises Sebelius as "an amazing political leader" who "has been able to build bipartisan coalitions around issues of importance to people in Kansas" - but not including the defense of innocent human life.

In 2003, Trinity honored Pelosi and Sebelius with honorary doctorates at a gala dinner. In November 2006, Trinity hailed the reelections of both women to their posts. In January 2007, Trinity again hailed Pelosi's selection as House Speaker with a press release. Then Trinity endured a barrage of criticism from The Cardinal Newman Society and other concerned Catholics when it hosted a special Mass for Pelosi on January 3, the day before she was sworn in as Speaker.

Worse still, the celebrant of the Mass requested by Pelosi was Jesuit Father Robert Drinan, a former member of Congress who had supported abortion rights and publicly defended President Bill Clinton's veto of a bill to ban partial-birth abortion. In his homily, Father Drinan had the audacity to recall "Christ's personal love of children and His affirmation that 'whatsoever you do for the least of My brethren you do for Me.'" When Father Drinan died three weeks later, Trinity posted a tribute to him.

Of Sebelius's pro-abortion views, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City said in September 2006, "It is difficult to find a single instance, either in a procedural or substantive vote, where she acted in a manner that would afford unborn children the maximum protection. ...Sebelius voted to weaken or eliminate even such modest measures as parental notification, waiting periods and informed consent." He spoke on the occasion of her veto of a bill banning certain late-term abortions.

To express concerns contact:
Trinity
125 Michigan Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-884-9000
webmaster@trinitydc.edu