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Name and Shame: Catholic College Sites Linking to Abortion Centers Exposed

MANASSAS, VA (March 16, 2006) - Despite the Catholic Church's clear opposition to abortion, contraception and premarital sexual activity, a Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) review of Catholic college and university Web sites has revealed links and referrals to abortion clinics including Planned Parenthood-the largest abortion provider in the United States-and abortion-rights and pro-contraception groups.

CNS is a national organization to renew and strengthen the Catholic identity of Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S.  Founded in 1993, CNS has more than 18,000 members.

Whether it's internship and job placements with abortion-rights groups, or health center referrals to Planned Parenthood, or general "resource" links, the Web sites of Boston College, DePaul University, Dominican University of California, Georgetown University, Loyola University of Chicago, Loyola University of New Orleans, Our Lady of the Lake University, Santa Clara University, Seton Hall University and the University of Detroit Mercy are under criticism by CNS.

Another Catholic college-the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota-posts online information encouraging students to use contraceptives and abortifacient devices.

In a letter faxed today to the presidents of these 11 institutions, CNS urged them to remove the Web links, referrals and information immediately.

"Leading young adults to abortion clinics and pro-abortion advocacy groups is like feeding them to the lions," wrote CNS President Patrick J. Reilly to the college and university presidents.  "The incidence of abortion is already very high among college-age women.  Faithful Catholics expect Catholic colleges and universities to embrace a 'culture of life' and avoid scandal."

This is not the first time that CNS has raised concerns about Catholic college and university Web sites.  In December 2002, CNS reported that 12 Catholic colleges and  universities were providing links and referrals to Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion and pro-contraception services and groups.  All of the schools removed the links and referrals except Loyola University of Chicago.  In the 2004 report "The Culture of Death on Catholic Campuses," CNS again identified concerns with Catholic college and university Web sites, but several of those concerns have not been resolved.

In the U.S. bishops' 1999 guidelines for Catholic colleges and universities, they insisted that Catholic institutions display their "commitment to provide personal services (health care, counseling and guidance) to students, as well as administration and faculty, in conformity with the Church's ethical and religious teaching and directives."  The U.S. bishops' "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services" warn against "the danger of scandal in any association with abortion providers" and instruct that cooperation with other groups or services "may need to be refused because of the scandal that might be caused."

See Special Report:
List of Catholic College Concerns identified by Cardinal Newman Society
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/060317a.html

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