February 5, 2015 (CardinalNewmanSociety.org) — The University of St. Thomas in Minnesota (UST) is promoting student internships with the Minnesota branch of National Organization for Women (Minnesota NOW), despite the group’s staunch opposition to Catholic teaching and outspoken support for legal abortion, The College Fix reported. A UST representative indicated to The Cardinal Newman Society that the internships will continue.
The internship with Minnesota NOW is listed on the University’s college of arts and sciences website. It is being offered by the Women’s Studies program under local internship possibilities with “legal services.”
Minnesota NOW “fully supports access to safe and legal abortion” and “opposes any attempts to restrict these rights through legislation, regulation, judicial decisions, or constitutional amendment,” according to the organization’s explanation on its “Reproductive Rights” page. The organization also opposes businesses’ rights to morally object in response to the HHS mandate.
“Reproductive rights (including repeal of all laws restricting safe, legal abortion)” is listed second in a list of core issues for NOW Minnesota. “LGBTQ rights” is listed third.
Dr. Susan Myers, director of women’s studies and associate professor of theology at UST, confirmed to The Cardinal Newman Society that the internships with Minnesota NOW will not be removed and will continue to be offered under the women’s studies program.
“We have no problem with students doing internships with organizations covering a wide range of activities,” she told the Newman Society.
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However, Pope Saint John Paul II’s apostolic constitution on higher education, Ex corde Ecclesiae, states that “Catholic teaching and discipline are to influence all university activities” and that “[a]ny official action or commitment of the University is to be in accord with its Catholic identity.”
The Newman Society reported on similar Catholic identity concerns last December at UST. The University had offered internships with NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota and Planned Parenthood under the umbrella of the biology department. These listings were later removed and a UST spokesman stated that the listings were an error. Additionally, UST President Dr. Julie Sullivan reportedly told Campus Reform at the time that the dean would not approve academic credit for internships at Planned Parenthood.
Reprinted with permission from The Cardinal Newman Society.