Catholic School Reclaims Identity

One Catholic university has cancelled a speaker who is pro-choice on abortion. “Saint Francis University, a Catholic college in Pennsylvania, has canceled the campus visit by pro-abortion activist writer Ellen Goodman after complaints by the Cardinal Newman Society, a Catholic educational watchdog,” Steven Ertelt wrote on lifenews.com on September 26, 2011. “According to the Saint Francis University website, Goodman was scheduled to deliver the ‘25th Furlong Lecture’ in October.”

“After complaints, the web site was taken down and the college eventually posted a notice saying the event was canceled.”

“You can imagine how stunned I was to receive your email,” Ellen Goodman herself wrote in an e-mailed response to the cancellation. “I have been making speeches for over 35 years—including many on Catholic campuses.”

“Never before have I been cancelled for any reason, let alone for my beliefs.”

Indeed, other Catholic universities employ people in key positions whom are, at best, equivocal on abortion. Sometimes they wear collars.

Daniel Maguire at the Jesuit Marquette University is not a member of the order but Boston College’s David Hollenbach is. Both have been, to put it mildly, less than forthright in condemning abortion. As it happens, one of the Catholic colleges Goodman alluded to was none other than BC, where Hohlenbach teaches.

Meanwhile, the president of St. Joseph’s College will be honored at a ceremony alongside an official of Planned Parenthood. “While St. Francis is receiving kudos from CNS, the pro-life group is upset that Saint Joseph College in Connecticut is publicizing the fact that its president, Dr. Pamela Trotman Reid, will be honored by the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWELF) alongside the President of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England,” Ertelt wrote. “The Family Institute of Connecticut first noted the planned honor, saying, ‘The event’s financial sponsors include St. Joseph College, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, CT AFL-CIO, Goodwin College, and the law firms of Day Pitney LLP, McCarter & English LLP, and Livingston, Adler, Pulda, Meiklejohn & Kelly PC.’”

“FIC, a pro-life group, added: ‘CTWEALF is a Hartford based non-profit with a long history of promoting abortion on demand in the name of ‘women’s rights.’”

Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.

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