Over the objections of many Catholics, Georgetown University had Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speak to its Public Policy Institue graduates at their Tropaia ceremony on life lessons in public policy.
“My first hope is that you hold your commitment to the common good,” Sebelius said. Sebelius also encouraged students “To see issues from other points of view and to be true to your own moral compass.”
“Murderer,” a protester shouted in the wake of Obamacare regulations she promoted which mandated that religious institutions such as the Catholic Church, provide contraceptives, abortifacients and sterilization on demand.The crowd booed the protestor as he was escorted out of the conference center and cheered Sebelius as her speech continued.
Although Catholic herself, Sebelius has been at odds with the Catholic church because of her stance on abortion and contraceptives throughout her career. While serving as governor of Kansas, she was asked not to participate in communion by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
“I’m a feminist (who) learned that girls can do anything,” Sebelius said.
There were multiple protestors around the Georgetown campus that day. One protestor’s sign read, “We need Catholic role models, not pro-abortion speakers.”
Georgetown prides itself on being the oldest Jesuit and Catholic university in America despite a series of controversies such as the Sebelius contretemps.
Due to the response of many Catholics on the concerns of having a speaker in favor of legislation condoning practices against their faith, Georgetown President John DeGioia released a statement on the university’s webpage.
“The Secretary’s presence on our campus should not be viewed as an endorsement of her views. As a Catholic and Jesuit University, Georgetown disassociates itself from any positions that are in conflict with traditional church teachings,” DeGioia said on the university’s webpage. “We are a university, committed to the free exchange of ideas. We are a community that draws inspiration from a religious tradition that provides us with an intellectual, moral, and spiritual foundation.”
Indeed, DeGioia unequivocally refused to alter the university’s insurance policy despite the well-publicized objections of Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke. Students from the Public Policy Institute of Georgetown echoed a similar notion in a letter to DeGioia.
“Many of our students may disagree with some of the speakers who come to Georgetown, but we all feel lucky to attend a university where we hear directly from top leaders in our field of studies,” students from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute said in a statement to DeGioia and the dean of the Public Policy Institute.
According to Georgetown’s webpage, public policy students nominated Sebelius as a potential speaker due to her role as a leading policy maker and in the health care legislation. The Tropaia ceremoney was held Friday, May 18 at the Leavey Center.
Kate Powley is an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia.
If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail mal.kline@academia.org
