By Meg Jalsevac
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire, October 24, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The New Hampshire Institute of Politics, a campus initiative of St. Anselm College, a Catholic college, has scheduled a lecture for tonight by pro-abortion, ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The topic of the lecture is entitled: “Restoring America’s Leadership: Madeleine Albright Speaks about Senator Hillary Clinton” and is part of a campaign tour that Albright is carrying out for Senator Clinton.
Albright is best known as the outspoken Secretary of State during Clinton’s presidency in the 1990’s. She has long been a promoter of ‘women’s rights’ and has been a very public opponent of President Bush’s re-institution of the Mexico City Policy which prohibits US funding to foreign agencies that promote or provide abortion overseas. Albright argued that such pro-life policies are “fundamentally undemocratic.”
In 2006, Albright commended past NARAL president Kate Michelman for her work in the abortion industry referring to Michelman as “a voice for those who didn’t have a voice and a brain for those who didn’t have a brain.”
Albright joined many other prominent abortion supporters, including Senator Clinton, as a featured speaker at the 2004 “March for Women’s Rights” in Washington, DC. The March was a national effort to garner support for legalized abortion and decried the pro-life efforts of the Bush administration.
In a recent campaign stop for the Clinton campaign, Albright referred to Clinton as “a great buddy” and publicly endorsed the New York Senator saying, “America needs Hillary Clinton, because we are in a mess.”
Nestled in the scenic landscape of New Hampshire, St. Anselm College, founded in 1889, is a Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college. It boasts of its campus Institute of Politics (NHIOP) which was founded in 2001 to “enlighten and encourage people for a lifetime of civic participation.” The College states on its website that is “observes and promotes Christian and Catholic standards of value and conduct”.
Selected by the ‘Princeton Review’ as a “College with a Conscience”, this is by no means the first time that St. Anselm has disregarded the 2004 directive issued by the USCCB to deny platform to pro-abortion speakers and hosted controversial speakers to address both their students and the public at large.
The Democratic Primary Debate sponsored by CNN was hosted at the Catholic college in June of this year. A key issue discussed at the debate was the democratic contenders’ varying level of support for legally recognized gay unions.
According to the St. Anselm website, a July, 2007 ‘Peace Colloquium’ posted a speaker roster which included the New Hampshire Speaker of the House of Representatives Terie Norelli. Norelli has been a long time activist in ‘reproductive rights’ issues and was Chairman of the Board of the NARAL – NH PAC.
The biography posted on the main webpage of St. Anselm College does not mention Ms. Albright’s pro-abortion stance or her history as a promoter of ‘abortion rights’.
As previously reported by LifeSiteNews.com in 2004, the USCCB issued a mandate for Catholic Universities directing them to refuse “awards, honors or platforms” to individuals who openly defy Catholic “fundamental moral principles.”
Also, in 2002, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger issued a “doctrinal note” which stated that “a well formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals.” Ms. Albright’s featured lecture at a Catholic college as a campaign event for Senator Clinton is troublesome in light of this directive considering Clinton’s vehement and unwavering anti-life record.
Calls to the Office of Media Contacts and the office of Campus Ministry at St. Anselm College were not returned by press time.
To respectfully express concern to authorities at St. Anselm College contact:
Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B.
President
Saint Anselm College
100 Saint Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH 03102
Phone: (603) 641-7010
E-mail:
To contact the Manchester Diocese bishop:
Most Reverend John B. McCormack
Diocese of Manchester
153 Ash Street
P.O. Box 310
Manchester, NH 03105-0310
Phone: (603) 669-3100
Email the bishop via his assistant:
LouAnn Bramant
See St. Anselm Website page promoting the event:
https://www.anselm.edu/nhiop/news+and+events/events/albright102407.htm
Read Related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Vatican Cardinal: Catholic Voters Can Never Be Justified in Voting for Pro-Abortion Politicians
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/oct/05100602.html