Georgetown University invites Kathleen Sebelius to speak at commencement

[JimG]

Would there be criticism if Harvard invited Dick Cheney or Cardinal Dolan to speak at a similar event?

I think, YES! There would be faculty and student protests and media outrage.

[dfp42]

Is this event still happening tomorrow? Anyone know if it will be broadcasted online?

[SusansChoice]

Originally Posted by MotoCatholic

With all do respect CMatt25.....to even attempt to cloak this as an issue of free speech or "conservative Catholics" is more than a little uninspiring. I'm not sure if you're drawing a distinction between conservative and liberal Catholics or conservatives and liberals in general? There are, unfortunately, many divergent "liberal vs. conservative" views WITHIN the Church. But on this issue, the Obama adminisdtration and Mrs. Sebelius have succeeded in doing something quite remarkable - uniting all American Bishops behind this grave injustice.....uniting all the protestant christians (that I know) behind the Catholic Church.

I'm all for free speech - even and especially the free speech of debate withing the Church and with our protestant brothers and sisters. But if you don't see the basic flaw in your logic in this case, where a supposedly Catholic University is honoring the very person responsible for this current HHS scandal, honoring the very person who is in open and blatant violation of Church teaching on the evils of abortion.........well I'm not sure what else to say.

If Mrs. Sebelius were invited to speak at Democrat party function, well we wouldn't be talking about this. Catholics would have every right to be puzzled and upset by her openly undermining the Church - her Chrurch, but we wouldn't be discussing this here or on newscasts around the globe.

As Catholics and other Christians have certainly known for over 2000 years, there certainly is a clear distinction between right and wrong. This is clearly, self-evidently, and profoundly wrong. To say it's "inappropriate" is being very charitable.

And as far as what we as Catholics spend our "time and energy" doing, I'll borrow something from a Catholic speaker and writier that I like, Matthew Kelly -"Every single day the Catholic Church feeds, houses, and clothes more people, takes care of more sick people, visits more prisoners, and educates more people than any other institution on the face of the earth could ever hope to do."

God Bless!
Moto

Well said!

[Santi2]

Exorcist’ Author, Georgetown Alumni Preparing Canon Lawsuit

Georgetown University alumni, students and others are preparing a canon law suit to be filed with the Archdiocese of Washington and the Vatican, seeking remedies “up to and including the possible removal or suspension of top-ranked Georgetown’s right to call itself Catholic or Jesuit in its fundraising and representations to applicants.”

...

http://blog.cardinalnewmansociety.or...canon-lawsuit/

Is this likely to succeed?

[jwinch2]

Originally Posted by Santi2

Is this likely to succeed?

Probably not, but it is possible that it could force the issue to some extent. If prominent alumni (aka donors) start raising a stink, it might cause Georgetown to reconsider the direction of the university to some extent.

[LisaA]

Originally Posted by CMatt25

Georgetown invited the secretary to speak. Peace.

And THAT is the issue, CMatt, not "free speech." No one is telling Sec Sebelius she must refrain from speaking about the HHS Mandate, support of George Tiller, the Planned Parenthood scandal she managed to dodge, or her complete ineptness in responding to Congressman Gowdy regarding the issue of freedom of religion, the Constitution, and even the recent Hosanna Tabor case where the Administration's case was destroyed with a 9 to 0 decision. She can speak all she wants and where she wants. No one is stopping her...heck the more she opens her mouth the more ridiculous she appears and the more she damages Obamacare, the HHS Mandate and the extreme pro abortion stance she holds.

The issue is Georgetown's incredible lack of thought in inviting someone like Sec Sebelius. But look at universities such as Columbia that invited Ahmadidnijad to speak. They don't call these institutions the Ivory Tower for nothing. The real problem is that Georgetown likes to tout its Catholic identity when it's time to generate donations, attract top students, and professors. But it doesn't LIVE the faith it uses to gain stature and money.

The real damage done is with respect to non-Catholics or even lukewarm Catholics who look at "Catholics" like Sebelius and believe they represent faithful adherence to our Church's teachings. Leading people astray is a particularly evil act and Georgetown's invitation to a woman who as an individual and as a member of an administration has done much to battle Catholic teaching and remove US from speaking and acting as faithful Catholics is particularly egregious.

I saw Fr Jonathan Morris this morning and he said when asked Georgetown had incredibly idiotic excuses for this debacle. One that they "invited debate" but the reality is that Ms Sebelius was NOT invited to debate, nor will the opposing view be featured. But she is in effect being HONORED at the Georgetown commencement. When that dopey reason fell flat Georgetown then claimed "The kids MADE us do it! They WANTED Sebelius."

Imagine being a parent who mortgaged his home to send his child to university and hear this kind of baloney coming from the highest level of the administration.

Georgetown looks very very bad and I hope that next time they think before they act

Lisa

[_Abyssinia]

Pro-Life Protestors Interrupt Sebelius’ Georgetown Address

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/05/18/p...getown-address

Disgusting that people cheer after the pro life protesters stop. God bless those pro life protesters.

[jwinch2]

Originally Posted by _Abyssinia

Pro-Life Protestors Interrupt Sebelius’ Georgetown Address

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/05/18/p...getown-address

Disgusting that people cheer after the pro life protesters stop. God bless those pro life protesters.

I agree to a point.

I am 100% against Sebelius speaking there and pretty much against most of what she stands for.

However, I think a more powerful witness would have been to get a group to pray a Rosary or Chaplet of Saint Michael outside of the building where people could see, rather than disrupting the proceedings inside. Those students who are graduating and have worked hard for their degrees and the families that have supported them do not deserve to have their day interrupted.

[Joe 5859]

Originally Posted by jwinch2

I agree to a point.

I am 100% against Sebelius speaking there and pretty much against most of what she stands for.

However, I think a more powerful witness would have been to get a group to pray a Rosary or Chaplet of Saint Michael outside of the building where people could see, rather than disrupting the proceedings inside. Those students who are graduating and have worked hard for their degrees and the families that have supported them do not deserve to have their day interrupted.

Yes, heckling is not the only form of protest.

I had to chuckle when I saw that Randall Terry was the instigator. Why does that not surprise me?

[Califman831]

which groups have planned a local protest against her? I will pray for their sucess.

[LisaA]

Originally Posted by Joe 5859

Msgr. Pope (blogger and Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Washington) wrote a really nice peice about the different approaches that people often recommend in these situations. I thought it was very well done:

Make Haste...Slowly!

Thanks very good treatment of the subject. I believe the Newman Society has plans to or is suing Georgetown to remove its Catholic identification. Sad it has come to this. I believe the powers that be at Notre Dame are regretting the invitation to Obama a couple of years ago. Hopefully these two unfortunate events will make other Catholic affiliated schools think about their speakers before issuing invitations. There are many wonderful faithful Catholics as alternatives to the likes of Sebelius.

Lisa

[_Abyssinia]

Sebelius petition with 35,000 signatures reaches Georgetown president

A petition with tens of thousands of signatures was recently delivered to the president of Georgetown University in protest of a decision to honor U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius with an invitation to speak at a commencement weekend ceremony.

Thomas Peters of CatholicVote.org said that the Catholics for Unity petition shows strong “grassroots Catholic support” for the bishops’ message about religious freedom.

“Religious liberty is the first freedom. It’s there from the founding of America,” he told CNA. “And Catholic institutions have a special responsibility to stand up for that freedom.”

Peters said that the petition is a “positive protest” that allows American Catholics “to come together for something that we all hold dear, which is the right to practice our faith fully.”

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/ne...town-president

[ringil]

Originally Posted by JimG

Would there be criticism if Harvard invited Dick Cheney or Cardinal Dolan to speak at a similar event?

I think, YES! There would be faculty and student protests and media outrage.

Well, I can imagine protests regarding an invitation of Dick Cheney as he wouldn't have anything worthwile to discuss.

[ringil]

Originally Posted by Joe 5859

Yes, heckling is not the only form of protest.

I had to chuckle when I saw that Randall Terry was the instigator. Why does that not surprise me?

Yes, Terry who has done SO MUCH good for the Pro-Life movement. . . .

[LisaA]

Originally Posted by ringil

Well, I can imagine protests regarding an invitation of Dick Cheney as he wouldn't have anything worthwile to discuss.

and you base this on?
Lisa