Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino is a hero to those who know that the defense of every human life from conception to natural death at every age and every age is an absolute requirement for any faithful Catholic.He has demonstrated the kind of courage so desperately needed to engage in the great Moral struggles of our time.
Now, once again, he has stepped up to the plate.
Misericordia University was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. It is located in Dallas, Pennsylvania, in Bishop Martino’s Diocese.
It purports to be a Catholic University. It should therefore abide by the clear implications of that identity.
The University has joined a growing movement of Colleges who have added “Diversity Institute(s)” on their campuses.
The term can mean many different things and is a red flag. The “Diversity Institute” at Misericordia describes its’ mission in this way: “The Institute sees as its primary goal working collaboratively with community members to promote multi- cultural understanding and the elimination of all forms of discrimination.”
Keith Boykin is a popular speaker, author, commentator and advocate for activist homosexual causes. We read on his own website that he “…has been actively involved in progressive causes since he worked on his first congressional campaign while still a student in high school.”
Included in Mr. Boykin’s definition of what it means to be “progressive” is his support of “gay marriage” and the growing and well funded activist efforts to compel us all to give homosexual paramours a legally equivalent status to that of real spouses in a true marriage, as a matter of law.
Boykin is an activist and advocate for “homosexual rights”, by which he means more than recognizing the dignity of all persons including homosexual persons. He is a favorite personality in that segment within the homosexual community which insists on fomenting nothing less than a cultural revolution.
Among his published works, in “One More River to Cross: Black and Gay in America”, he discusses his openly homosexual lifestyle. He is a favorite of the “Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund”, a well funded homosexual advocacy group, which just recently honored him.
Now, he can add to his resume, featured speaker at a Catholic University.
Bishop Martino, who recently expressed his pastoral concern directly to Senator Robert Casey, a Catholic politician who supported the repeal of the Mexico City Policy, has expressed his disagreement with the invitation to the President of the University and the Leadership of the Diversity Institute of Misericordia University.
He also warned the faithful of the Diocese of the real meaning of this invitation and the University sponsorship of this speaker.
Here is the Press release from the web site of the Diocese of Scranton:
Statement of the Diocese of Scranton in Response to Misericordia University’s Plans to Host Speaker Keith Boykin
"Misericordia University’s Diversity Institute is twice providing at the University on February 17, 2009, a platform for Keith Boykin.
"Mr. Boykin has authored three books and all three have been nominated for a Lambda Literary award. Lambda is a legal advocacy effort for homosexual causes. Mr. Boykin is an avid supporter of same sex marriage and is an activist for positions disturbingly opposed to Catholic moral teaching.
"Bishop Martino wants Catholics of the Diocese of Scranton to know of his absolute disapproval of Misericordia University’s hosting Mr. Boykin. By honoring this speaker through allowing his positions, so antithetical to Catholic Church teaching, to be broadcast on its campus, the University has rejected all four essential characteristics of a Catholic institution of higher learning. These are: its Christian inspiration, its obligation to reflect on knowledge in light of the Catholic faith, its fidelity to Catholic Church teaching and its commitment to serve the people of God.
"The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, the Bishop observed, should be in no doubt that Misericordia University in this instance is seriously failing in maintaining its Catholic identity.”
However, the University did not choose to hear the clear and specifically directional words of the Bishop. Even though he had voiced his “absolute disapproval” of the invitation, the President seemed to pay no attention. In fact, the University put out a Press response of their own. In it they purported to “understand” the Bishop’s “criticism”. Then, they used slippery language to avoid any real response to the Bishop’s justified opposition.
They ended their Press release with these words: “Misericordia University is committed deeply to its Catholic mission. Inseparable from that mission is our identity as an academic institution where ideas and positions are explored critically and freely.”
The smoke of confusion continues on some Catholic College campuses. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Sotto Voce
(Source: CO)