On today's Register Radio, the entire show is devoted to the controversy of Georgetown University inviting Health and Human Services' Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at an awards commencement ceremony for the Georgetown Public Policy Institute. National Catholic Register senior editor Joan Frawley Desmond and columnist Patrick Archbold joined us for a roundtable discussion on the topic.
Desmond provided an overview of the controversial invitation given Sebelius' longtime support of abortion and her spearheading the HHS contraception mandate.
Initially, a university blog post announced that Sebelius would be speaking at commencement. After protests, the university said she was not speaking at commencement, but would be speaking at an awards ceremony.
Archbold said that the university is trying to change the name of the event to avoid criticism.
Quoting Robert George and Georgetown professor Patrick Deneen, Desmond said that providing such a forum constitutes an endorsement.
It was noted that Cardinal Wuerl had not yet spoken out on the controversy. Desmond recalled how the leadership of Bishop John D'Arcy, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, against the University of Notre Dame commencement scandal led most bishops in the country to publicly speak out.
"At Notre Dame, Bishop D'Arcy was the most immediate bishop who spoke out. That paved the way for almost the entire episcopacy to speak out," said Desmond. "As a result, Catholic hiring has improved and Catholic identity at Notre Dame has been strengthened."
Desmond said that nine Georgetown professors have submitted a letter to the university president asking that the invitation be rescinded. The lead professor of the effort, Patrick Deneen, is leaving Georgetown to take a job at the University of Notre Dame.
"The voices of sanity are leaving Georgetown," said Archbold. "Even if the Cardinal speaks out, is it too late for Georgetown?"
You can listen to the program at 2 p.m. EASTERN Friday on any EWTN Radio affiliate. The program re-airs at 7 p.m. EASTERN on Saturday and 11 a.m. EASTERN on Sunday, and is also available on the Register Radio web page, and via podcast.
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Dear Tim,
My question is where are the Catholic activist students at Georgetown?
No one protested in support of Paul Ryan or against Tom Reese and EJ Dionne hatchet job on Ryan signed by 90 faculty.
btw here is a break down of the signers: Nursing School - 18; Theology Dept - 12; Woodstock Center - 8. Philosophy - 6; 4 - German & English Departments; 3- history Dept & Foreign Service School; 2- Hisotry grad students. 1 each from various other departments. The Public Policy Institute, who invited Kathleen Sebelius had one signer - EJ Dionne.
Blog: The Unfolding Catastophe http://bit.ly/JiuPYB
Twitter: MichaelBarger1
Thanks again, Tim for your fine article. Please say hello to Joan Frawley Desmond, who is a friend of close relatives with whom I have been out of touch for a while. Thank her for her apostolic activism.
And the Pope can’t end this with a phone call why?
I really have to ask: Where is the Cardinal on this? Why the silence? If ever there was a time for him to speak it is right now. This is an absolute disgrace.
I agree with Mr Reiners; where is the outrage? Where are the true Catholics in Georgetown? Anyone left?
Right now I’m reading the Cardinal’s book “Seek First The Kingdom.” A very fine and well-needed book. But again, here is a perfect time to speak about the Kingdom and…..silence? Silence when pro-abortion,pro contraception, pro homosexual marriage politicians stand in line to go to Holy Communion? Nothing on that. I don’t get it. Talk about your teaching moments. Good grief.
Let’s not stop with Sebelius. On Friday, I called the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Washington and left a message about the need for Cardinal Wuerl to speak with Vice President Biden on his support of same-sex marriage. I await the response. My position is that as a public servant and a Catholic who seems to be active, he may not take a position contrary to the teachings of the Church. It doesn’t matter to me what he personally thinks of this and that. I care about what he DOES as the Vice President of our country. If Mr. Biden’s position stays the same after conversing with the Cardinal, the Cardinal should seriously consider excommunication. The teaching and deciding moment is upon us! Finally, as the Dean of Men for undergraduate students (1967-69) and Financial Aid Director of its School of Medicine (1970-80), I am ashamed of Georgetown University’s decision to invite Secretary Sebelius to speak at a public event on campus or at any function sponsored by the University.
There’s more protestants in the Catholic church than Catholics. “Social justice” has crept in. God’s authority is over- ridden because of fear of offending anyone. God help us if we speak the truth about sin! We might offend someone. Today homosexual “marriage”, what about tommorrow? Polygamy? And why not? Man has become the authority on what marriage is, not God. It seems to me with no concept of real marriage, we’ll basically become animals. Women with no husband’s, children with no parents, is this sanity? Is this logical? Things are becoming more and more meaningless to people. Homosexuality is a sin against the person themselves, it’s not a victimless act. By accepting it, we teach our children perversion is fine. It erodes civil society and gay “marriage” erodes the true meaning of marriage and it’s purpose, family. A man and woman raising children together. The Holy Family is to be our role model. It’s the basis of Christianity.
I just ask one question-Where is the outrage from Cardinal Wuerl? Is his red colored garments only for show? Where is the sacrafice to stand up for the Jesus and faith? We took a group of students to World Youth Day in Madrid Spain, and we went to Roman when we got the the Chruch of the Jesuits the kids felt the need to pray because of such a lack of standing for Jesus and the faith on the behalf of the “Society of Jesus.” Even the teenages know there is something really wrong here.
Christ’s Peace!
Mary
It is now Wed., May 23, and I have not heard from the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Washington concerning a call I made on Fri., May 11. (I appreciated the various comments about how to contact a bishop, but if the man doesn’t respond, what does that say about his silence? See my May 14 posting.) I shall call again this week. It was great to see that many postings suggested that we should vote in November to put Obama out of the White House. I suggest that all Georgetown alumni who don’t like what’s going on let the University know that any donations they used to give will cease. Finally, given the scandal, I have to say that I am proud that I was fired as Dean of Men at Georgetown because my superior, the Vice President for Student Development, did not agree with my position that students should behave morally in the residence halls. That was in 1969. I must add that I enjoyed the contacts I had with many fine young men who were undergraduates and the many Resident Assistants who worked for me and later the men and women I served from 1970 to 1980 as Finacial Aid Director at GU’s School of Medicine.
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