Georgetown University invites Kathleen Sebelius to speak at commencement

[_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.”

catholicnewsagency.com/news/sebelius-petition-with-35000-signatures-reaches-georgetown-president

 

[ringil]

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]

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]

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

 

[ringil]

and you base this on?
Lisa

Reality,

 

[LisaA]

Reality,

It’s merely your opinion and IMO based on an amazing lack of knowledge about a really dedicated public servant. I find Mr Cheney fascinating and love both his wife and daughter as well. This is a family that has done so much for America. The vitriol expressed toward Mr Cheney confuses me but I guess some people like to take fulminating to an art form.

Based on your tagline you might enjoy a recent song

youtube.com/watch?v=EfH46DTAkxo

Lisa

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

It’s merely your opinion and IMO based on an amazing lack of knowledge about a really dedicated public servant. I find Mr Cheney fascinating and love both his wife and daughter as well. This is a family that has done so much for America. The vitriol expressed toward Mr Cheney confuses me but I guess some people like to take fulminating to an art form.

I’m amazed that there are some in America outside his immediate family who think well of him, but it takes all kinds. Your charitability is to be commended.

Before he decided not to run for President in '08, I remember seeing bumper stickers that said “Cheney/Voldemort in '08.”

 

[ringil]

youtube.com/watch?v=EfH46DTAkxo

Lisa

Cute, but I really don’t care for country tunes.

The comments are certainly telling though. . . charming.

 

[ringil]

I’m amazed that there are some in America outside his immediate family who think well of him, but it takes all kinds. Your charitability is to be commended.

Before he decided not to run for President in '08, I remember seeing bumper stickers that said “Cheney/Voldemort in '08.”

I always thought of him as a Darth Vader or maybe a Sauron.

I surely wouldn’t go hunting with im though as I wouldn’t want my face mistaken for a duck.

 

[St_Francis]

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

I’m amazed that there are some in America outside his immediate family who think well of him, but it takes all kinds. Your charitability is to be commended.

Before he decided not to run for President in '08, I remember seeing bumper stickers that said “Cheney/Voldemort in '08.”

Wow, you two think about Cheney about as others think about Sebelius. I can see a bumper sticker Sebilius = Voldemort…

So imagine if the Catholic Institute for Development Justice and Peace invited Cheney to receive a great honor from the institute and give a speech. Wouldn’t you see that as a little… out of alignment? Would you still want to contribute to the institute, or would you wonder about their commitment to Catholicism and peace?

 

[Megan7]

Pro-Life Protestors Interrupt Sebelius’ Georgetown Address

lifenews.com/2012/05/18/pro-life-protestors-interrupt-sebelius-georgetown-address

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

Thanks for the link!

Oh, my this made me sick, angry, and made me cry. Its sad to see that the majority
cheered her on Those graduates will be going into the work force…Those graduates
will be shaping our country’s future…

God Bless those pro life protesters! I wish I could have been there!

PAX

 

[CMatt25]

Thanks for the link!

Oh, my this made me sick, angry, and made me cry. Its sad to see that the majority
cheered her on Those graduates will be going into the work force…Those graduates
will be shaping our country’s future…

So they graduated and they’re not capable to go into the work force and to express their rights as American citizens to shape our country’s future in political elections? Some of them might even go on to be elected by the people.

 

[CMatt25]

I always thought of him as a Darth Vader or maybe a Sauron.

I surely wouldn’t go hunting with im though as I wouldn’t want my face mistaken for a duck.

 

[CMatt25]

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

Seriously Ringel you gotta stop on Cheney. You’re crackin me up too much.

 

[CMatt25]

Yes. The issue is, *is it right for an institution well-known for being “Catholic” to invite someone such as K Sebilius to speak when that invitation is an honor? *

You are criticizing people for criticizing the decision on the basis that it would somehow affect her free speech. I am saying that you are wrong. I think it was wrong for GT to invite her (what were they thinking???); I think they should rescind the invitation, and I do not think that doing so would violate her freedom of speech.

And I say all this based on *my *freedom of speech. But I doubt that GT will ask me to speak at a ceremony, and I don’t think that their lack of invitation is violating my free speech.

I saw Lisa and perhaps others have basically made the same comments in reply to me. I haven’t gotten thru all the posts yet. But you’re right they probably wouldn’t ask either of you or me or any of us. I’m thinking they were just thinking to let her speak. It’s a big world out there the graduates are about to embark on. They’ll meet many different people and viewpoints and beliefs. All the protesters you can muster won’t be able to shield them forever.

 

[_Abyssinia]

So they graduated and they’re not capable to go into the work force and to express their rights as American citizens to shape our country’s future in political elections? Some of them might even go on to be elected by the people.

Response of students at a Catholic university to cheer a politician who supports abortion, HHS mandate which could close down Catholic hospitals, clinics and other institutions is indicative of a poor education in Catholic formation at Georgetown. Archdiocese of Washington has said:

‘Over time … Georgetown has undergone a secularization, due in no small part to the fact that much of its leadership and faculty find their inspiration in sources other than the Gospel and Catholic teaching.’

 

[_Abyssinia]

Thanks for the link!

Oh, my this made me sick, angry, and made me cry. Its sad to see that the majority
cheered her on Those graduates will be going into the work force…Those graduates
will be shaping our country’s future…

God Bless those pro life protesters! I wish I could have been there!

PAX

I wish I could of protested as well.

 

[jediliz]

this is the same university that was asked to cover up a symbol that stood for Jesus Christ when OBAMA gave a speech there! If they had only refused…after all…he was speaking at a “catholic” university…why should he be asking them to cover up something like that? Obama says he’s a christian…was he trying to say “i don’t want people watching to be offended by the symbol”? or was he saying “I am offended”

And the graduates that cheered for HHS secretary…will they be actually EMPLOYED or be the occupiers that don’t do anything?

 

[GaryTaylor]

Same one, and their list grows every few months with disturbing news, led by the Obama team.

Georgetown Lost Sheep. The wolfs are in the house.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Noted author announces canonical lawsuit against Georgetown

A prominent Georgetown University alumnus has announced plans for a canonical lawsuit in a bid to restore the school’s Catholic identity.

William Peter Blatty, the author of The Exorcist

, is asking Georgetown alumni, faculty, students, and friends to join in his canonical case, in which he will ask the Archdiocese of Washington and the Holy See to take action “up to 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.”

In his plea for support of the canonical case, Blatty argues that Georgetown has failed to comply with the standards set forth in Ex Corde Ecclesiae for the conduct of Catholic universities. He lists a series of offenses, leading up to this week’s decision by Georgetown to honor Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. “Georgetown is being dishonest” by presenting itself as a Catholic institution, the author argues. “Together, we need to end that!”

Blatty—who won an Oscar for the screenplay of the film based on his best-selling novel—is a member of Georgetown’s class of 1950, and a recipient of the university’s John Carroll Medal for alumni achievement. In presenting his argument for action against Georgetown, he emphasized his own debt to the school and his desire to bring Georgetown back into line with its Catholic heritage.

Blatty has enlisted the Cardinal Newman Society and the St. Joseph Foundation to assist with his canonical case.

catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=14338