CATHOLIC GROUP LISTS "INAPPROPRIATE" COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS
WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - A Catholic higher education
advocacy group on Wednesday released a list of 14 Catholic
colleges and universities in the US who will have
"inappropriate" commencement speakers address their
graduating classes.
"These colleges have stabbed the backs of the Catholic
bishops, perhaps unwittingly in some cases," said Newman
Society executive director Patrick J. Reilly. "Last
November, the bishops issued very reasonable guidelines for
Catholic higher education after working closely with college
leaders, who assured the bishops of their fidelity. But now
a few colleges go and invite commencement speakers who
undermine our Catholic beliefs. It's tragic."
Reilly said last year 21 of 235 Catholic schools had
graduation speakers who have publicly contradicted Catholic
teachings through their work or public life. This year, the
society has identified speakers at 57 colleges, expressing
concerns about 14 of them.
Many of the speakers are members of the Clinton
administration, including Secretary of the Army Louis
Caldera and Attorney General Janet Reno, former or current
elected officials, or members of the media. Most have
publicly expressed support for legalized abortion.
Following is a list of the speakers deemed inappropriate by
the Cardinal Newman Society with their affiliation or
profession, the reason for the objection, and the college
inviting them:
o UN Secretary General Kofi Annan; UN is leading promoter
of abortion and population control in Third World
countries; University of Notre Dame.
o Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera; as California
assemblyman 1992-1997 supported abortion and gay rights;
St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.
o Ida Castro, chairman of US Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission; former lobbyist for pro-abortion groups; St.
Joseph College, West Hartford, Connecticut.
o Marian Wright Edelman, president, Children's Defense
Fund; CDF promotes school health clinics that emphasize
contraceptive services and abortion; Duquesne University in
Pittsburgh.
o US Ambassador to Italy Thomas Foglietta; as Pennsylvania
congressman had pro-abortion voting record; Cabrini
College, Radnor, Pennsylvania.
o Retired New Jersey Supreme Court justice Marie Garibaldi;
court rulings expanded "right to die"; St. Peter's College
in Jersey City, New Jersey.
o Timothy Johnson, medical editor for ABC News; publicly
supported abortifacient "morning-after pill," supports
abortion rights; Holy Cross College in Worcester,
Massachusetts.
o US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont); a long pro-abortion
voting record; St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.
o Anthony Morro, author and editor of Newsday newspaper;
Newsday has been accused of anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish,
pro-abortion bias; College of St. Joseph in Rutland,
Vermont.
o Former US Senator George Mitchell (D-Maine); pro-abortion
voting record; Merrimack College in North Andover,
Massachusetts.
o Former US Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin); supports
radical population control policies; Marquette University
in Milwaukee.
o US Attorney General Janet Reno; supports and enforces
laws targeting pro-life demonstrators; Wheeling Jesuit
University in Wheeling, West Virginia.
o Garry Wills, author, columnist, history professor; has
attacked Church's positions on abortion, contraception, and
priestly celibacy; Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama.
o Henry Winkler, actor and producer; public supporter of
legalized abortion; Loyola Marymount University in Los
Angeles.
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