Responding to concerns exposed by The Cardinal Newman Society and in a statement from the Diocese of Scranton, Penn., a prominent Scranton-area Catholic has announced plans to protest a University of Scranton event today featuring abortion-rights advocate and former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky. Details were announced yesterday in the Scranton Times-Leader.
Today’s protest is organized by James Burke, president of the Anthracite Heritage Foundation and former chairman of King’s College, both in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. Burke provided The Cardinal Newman Society with a copy of his letter to Father Kevin Quinn, S.J., president of the University of Scranton, and a statement which will be read at today’s event. The statement reads, in part:
The University of Scranton’s impugning the Society of Jesus’ 2003 statement, Standing for the Unborn, and refusal to withdraw the Margolies invitation as requested by the Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton will long be remembered. The University is pridefully and shamelessly compromising its Catholic identity and that, as well, of a fading Religious Order.
In former times, Jesuits were known as “Defenders of the Faith.” In modern times they appear to faithful Catholics as attempting to “Reform the Faith.” How very sad.
On January 6, The Cardinal Newman Society published concerns about the Jesuit university event, a conferenceto prepare women for public office. The report was later emailed to more than 90,000 online members of The Cardinal Newman Society, noting that Margolies-Mezvinksy had supported abortion-rights legislation while serving in Congress from 1993 to 1995 and then led a political action committee dedicated to electing pro-abortion rights women.Shortly afterward, the Diocese of Scranton issued a statementrevealing that Bishop Joseph Bambera had asked the University to withdraw the invitation, but they refused. Bishop Bambera called the college’s decision “dismaying” and “personally disheartening,” and expressed “concern regarding the University’s evolving relationship with me as Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton.”
Burke told The Cardinal Newman Society that his protest is intended to support the Bishop and demand respect for his authority over Catholic colleges and universities in his diocese.
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
3 Comments
As a Graduate of U of S (1966), I am so ashamed of my association with them and their lack of moral standing in honoring this despicable guest speaker who is an abortion zealot. It is an IN YOUR FACE invite and I feel the University should be STRIPPED of its Catholic Heretage. We nor our family will EVER DONATE A NICKLE to the U os S and will not promote the school as other than another Liberal anti Christian institution. God Bless the Protestors for their faith and standing tall for the murders of 56 Million American Babies and our collective stand against those who sponsor and promote them. The blood of the unborn are now on the hands of the University of Scranton.
I find it hard to believe that the University could not find a “pro-life” woman in politics to lead this conference. The counter protest needs to station people at the doors of this event and hand out information regarding the Church’s teaching and how pro-choice catholic politicians are required to abstain from communion. There should also be a plea to those who might go in to turn around and leave until the University can find an acceptable pro-life speaker to hold this event. Having priests and religious at the doors would be awesome!
Thank you, Cardinal Newman Society, for shining a light on the anti-Catholic decisions being made
by the leaders of our Catholic Colleges/Universities.