Pro-Homosexual Clubs at 96 Catholic Universities

Survey Finds Pro-Homosexual Clubs at 96 Catholic Universities in the United States
Catholic group challenges university presidents to disband pro-homosexual groups

By Michael Baggot

SPRING GROVE, PA, March 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Volunteers for the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) found that 45% of the websites of 211 major Catholic universities contained information about pro-homosexual clubs.

"Many of these clubs share in the movement's radical goal - to force social acceptance of unnatural vice on Christian America, and gag expressions of free speech that oppose the movement's ideological agenda," warns an official TFP statement.

The TFP statement cites two concrete examples of Catholic universities suppressing the free speech of critics of the pro-homosexual clubs.

In November 2003, members of the TFP Student Action group were kicked off of campus for handing out flyers detailing the Catechism of the Catholic Church's teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual activity.

In October 2005, Duquesne University cited Sophomore Ryan Miner for a violation against the school's anti-discriminatory policy for posting comments on his own blog opposing the formation of a "Gay-Straight Alliance" group. When Miner refused to write a 10-page paper presenting viewpoints for and against homosexuality, he was threatened with expulsion.

Some Catholic universities with a history of pro-homosexual club activity have increased support for the homosexual movement. Georgetown University, for instance, agreed in October 2007 to open and fully fund a center for homosexual students.

"Georgetown hosts mock same-sex "weddings," grants health benefits to the partners of homosexual employees, and provides services for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth and their Families," notes Thomas Peters, on his American Papist blog. The Georgetown GU Pride website even includes photos of students of the same sex kissing at a campus event.

The TFP report also lists other prestigious Catholic universities, including Boston College, Fordham, Marquette, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and Villanova.

The TFP report attributes the growth of the homosexual movement on Catholic campuses to "a gradual blurring of the distinction between good and evil, a generalized loss of the sense of sin, declining standards of public morality, and, as seen above, the persecutory actions taken by college officials against those who do voice their loyalty to Church teaching."

In response to the growth of pro-homosexual activities on Catholic campuses, the TPF is organizing a petition to Catholic university presidents calling on them to disband pro-homosexual groups on campus.

The TFP report also encourages personal phone calls and letters to Catholic university presidents. In addition, TFP is launching a Purity is the Answer Campaign to promote purity, modesty, and temperance as the antidote to disordered passions.

Reaffirming TFP's opposition to the hateful treatment of individuals with same-sex attractions, its report states, "In doing this campaign, we have no intention to defame or disparage anyone. We are not moved by personal hatred against any individual. In intellectually opposing individuals or organizations promoting the homosexual agenda, our only intent is the defense of marriage, the family and the precious remnants of Christian civilization in society."

"As practicing Catholics, we are filled with compassion and pray for those who struggle against unrelenting and violent temptation to sin, be it toward homosexual sin or otherwise," the report adds.

(news tip courtesy of Thomas Peters of American Papist blog)

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.

Boycott Amnesty International on Catholic Campuses

Ivory Tower Heretics Blog is calling on Catholic Colleges and Universities to discontinue affiliation with Amnesty International over their policy to support abortion.

Amnesty International supports abortion. In their twisted logic, they believe abortion should be available due to violence against women in cases of rape and incest.

The Catholic Church teaches that ABORTION IS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN! Not only is the procedure itself harmful to women, causing elevated risks of infertility, bleeding, breast cancer and psychological trauma, but in many countries abortion is used for sex selection, with females the intended victims. Abortion is murder of an innocent human baby, plain and simple.

The Vatican and Catholic Bishops have condemned AI's position and have even resigned from their board over this issue.

Note: Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace said that Catholics worldwide would boycott AI if it didn’t reverse the position at their biennial meeting."If in fact Amnesty International persists in this course of action, individuals and Catholic organizations must withdraw their support because, in deciding to promote abortion rights, Amnesty International has betrayed its mission," he said.

Amnesty International seems to propose that only some types of abortion can be advocated while excluding others such as forced abortions and sex selection. This is intellectually dishonest since there is no evidence that once the abortion industry sets up camp, greed isn't the prime motivator. In our own country, it is actually the rapist and family abuser who benefits most from the abortion industry as seen in Kansas where a lawsuit alleges that Planned Parenthood has covered up abortions of minors where rape and incest likely occurred. In fact, this seems to be standard procedure for Planned Parenthood as a core constituency is husbands, fathers and boyfriends who force women and girls into abortion as their "free choice".

Amnesty International was founded by a devout Catholic but has turned its back on Catholic faith and morals as the basis for human rights. They should have no place on Catholic college campuses.

We'll be listing Catholic colleges and universities in the coming days that have active AI chapters or affiliations. Here is the list today:

Georgetown University
Notre Dame
Boston College
Catholic University of America
DePaul University
Seton Hall University
Villanova University
St. Louis University
St. John's University
Santa Clara Law
University of San Francisco
Holy Cross College
Duquesne University
Creighton University
Providence College

Catholic Villanova U Hosts Pro-Abortion Amnesty International

The event is titled, "The NAFTA-caused crisis in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the roots of migration" and appears centered around how the NAFTA trade agreement is causing illegal immigration, though the term illegal is left off.

More importantly, Catholic leaders have been calling on Amnesty International to repudiate their recent policy change in support of abortion as a human "right" to no avail. Some Catholic bishops' conferences have gone as far as to withdraw financial and public support for AI. Apparently officials at Villanova are either unaware of unimpressed by Amnesty International's policy shift. Much press has been generated about it and some excerpts are included below.

See:
Second Catholic Leader Quits Amnesty International Over Abortion Stance Second Catholic Leader Quits Amnesty International Over Abortion Stance

The head of the Catholic Church in Scotland wrote the director of the group and said it gave him "great sadness" to renounce his membership but he can't support a group that opposes a "basic right to human life."

"As a matter of conscience and with great sadness I have decided to resign from Amnesty International having first joined as a student and supported it over many decades," Cardinal O'Brien wrote about his decision.

"In recent years I have spoken out strongly on pro-life issues including our necessity to ensure life for the poorest people of the world and have shown my care and concern by visiting some of those poorest countries especially in Africa and Asia," he explained.

"Sadly now Amnesty International seems to be placing itself at the forefront of a campaign for a universal 'right' to abortion in contravention to that basic right to human life," the Catholic official said.

and:
Founded by a Catholic in 1961, Amnesty International Reaffirms Pro-Abortion Position

Before the vote, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, promised Catholics worldwide would boycott the human rights group.
"If in fact Amnesty International persists in this course of action, individuals and Catholic organizations must withdraw their support because, in deciding to promote abortion rights, Amnesty International has betrayed its mission," he said.

Bishop William Skylstad, president of U.S. Catholic bishops' conference, echoed the call for a boycott in July.

He said the decision to endorse abortion "undermines Amnesty's long-standing moral credibility, diverts its mission, divides its own members (many of whom are Catholic or defend the rights of unborn children), and jeopardizes Amnesty's support by people in many nations, cultures and religions."

Once again, there are directives against giving platforms to people or organizations that are in opposition to the mission of the Church. Amnesty International seems to fit the description.