At Villanova, pro-lifers protest Obama’s
record
By NADIA MARIA SMITH
CS&T Staff Writer
VILLANOVA — The arrival of Michelle Obama on Villanova University’s
campus for a campaign rally on March 6 did not go without protest from
Catholics.
The wife of presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) spoke
to nearly 2,500 students and community members at the Jake Nevin field
house. There was no opportunity for questions and answers afterwards.
Although the rally was organized by a registered student association calling
itself “Villanova Students for Barack Obama,” according to
school officials the university was in no way sponsoring or endorsing
the candidate.
The Catholic university granted permission to the group because “the
student engagement in the political process and the presidential election
is a very positive educational learning experience for the students,”
said Kathleen Byrnes, associate vice president for student life. “Because
the engagement in the political process is an important part in a young
adult’s development, we allow student groups to bring presidential
candidates to campus. We would welcome any presidential candidate that
a student group wants to bring.”
According to Auxiliary Bishop Joseph P. McFadden, who oversees the Secretariat
for Catholic Education in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, when a Catholic
university gives a forum to people holding moral positions opposed to
the teachings of the Catholic Church “it needs to be made sure that
the Catholic viewpoint on these issues is being articulated at the same
time for those students.”
Members of Generation Life, based in Oreland, were among the first to
speak out against the Obama rally on campus. Judi McLane, director of
Generation Life, said the organization did not oppose students becoming
politically engaged, but rather, it opposed bringing to a Catholic campus
Obama, who supports abortion on demand and partial birth abortions. As
a state legislator he voted against an Illinois bill that would have protected
infants who survive botched late-term abortions. [On the federal level,
the Born Alive Infant Protection Act was signed into law in 2002.].
“Let’s say that there was a candidate who supported slavery
— would you allow him to come on your campus as a way of promoting
student involvement in the political arena?” McLane asked. “We
have been so brainwashed into thinking that abortion is a political issue
when it is a human rights issue. You would never allow someone on campus
who supported killing Jewish people or supported killing African-Americans.
It is so absurd. The killing of the unborn is the most important social
‘unjust’ issue that we have today.”
Casey Dolan, a senior at Villanova and a volunteer at the rally, encouraged
the protesters in their freedom of speech, but said she believed that
“Villanova’s role as an academic institution should trump
its role as a Catholic university.”
“I know our mission is based in the Augustinian tradition and Catholicism,
but I would think, in this case, if Villanova has the opportunity to bring
the community together, rally around the concept of politics and the presidential
election, that should trump any pro-choice, pro gay-marriage or any other
stance that Mr. and Mrs. Obama have,” she said.
Bishop McFadden pointed to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’
(USCCB) document on political engagement, titled, “Forming Consciences
for Faithful Citizenship,”as a reference for Catholic voters who
want to understand their responsibilities within the public arena. [The
Bishops’ document may be read online at: www.faithfulcitizenship.org.]
“Faithful citizenship is about bringing our values to the political
process and engaging the political process,” Bishop McFadden said.
“We encourage people to live their values to form society according
to the values Jesus teaches us. In this particular case, faithful citizenship
…[involves] knowing the issues, knowing the positions the candidates
hold, and making an informed vote based upon the hierarchy of values that
the Church presents. For example, the value of protecting and defending
the value of human life is a top priority.”
Although Byrnes said she was not familiar with the USCCB document, she
added, “The Catholic mission and values are pretty well integrated
throughout the [university]. It is foundational to everything we do.”
CS&T staff writer Nadia Maria Smith can be reached at npozo@adphila.org
or (215) 965-4614.
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