SPOKANE, Washington, Apr 20 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, president of Gonzaga University, a Catholic institution, has incited both admiration and irritation by cancelling a speech by a Planned Parenthood spokesperson who was to address the university’s women’s studies club. The student group had invited Laurel Kelley to speak on reproductive freedom, clinic bombings, and the presidential election.
Zenit News reported Tuesday that Fr. Spitzer explained his actions saying “Our Guest Speakers Policy states, ‘The President reserves the right to deny usage of Gonzaga’s facilities to any person or groups of persons whose values are blatantly contrary to those of the University or whose presence would, for some reason, seriously embarrass or compromise the University.’ In as much as Gonzaga is a Catholic and Jesuit University, and Planned Parenthood’s actions are blatantly contrary to this Catholic and Jesuit identity, I exercised my right as President to deny usage of Gonzaga’s facilities to them.”
“I denied Planned Parenthood access to this campus not because of what they say, but because of what they do. They are one of the largest abortion providers in the United States and have an aggressive political agenda to promote this. The Catholic Church interprets abortion as ‘the killing of an innocent’. According to this interpretation, I consider Planned Parenthood’s actions to be blatantly contrary to the Catholic and Jesuit character of the University and to its mission,” said Fr. Spitzer.
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Fr. Robert J. Spitzer
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