Georgetown Scandal: Sebelius as Commencement Speaker

The Cardinal Newman Society sent the following letter to the president of Georgetown University requesting he withdraw his invitation to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at the Commencement Ceremony on May 18th.  The link below is to a petition which you can sign to indicate your objection to this Catholic University honoring this Catholic-In-Name-Only after she issued her now infamous HHS Mandate requiring nearly all health insurance plans cover female sterilization and contraceptives (including abortifacients) free of charge.

Dear President DeGioia:

It has come to the attention of The Cardinal Newman Society and the following signers that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been granted the honor of speaking at the commencement ceremony for Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute on Friday, May 18.  We strongly urge you to withdraw the invitation to Secretary Sebelius immediately.

It is scandalous and outrageous that America's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university has elected to provide this prestigious platform to a publicly "pro-choice" Catholic who is most responsible for the Obama administration's effort to restrict the Constitution's first freedom -- the right to free exercise of religion -- while threatening the survival of many Catholic and other religious colleges and universities, schools, charities, hospitals and other apostolates.

Georgetown insults all Americans by this honor.  The selection is especially insulting to faithful Catholics and their bishops, who are engaged in the fight for religious liberty and against abortion.  The contrast is stark between Georgetown University and those faithful Catholic colleges and universities that have stood for faith and freedom.

Sincerely,

Patrick J. Reilly

President

Regardless how many of us object by signing the petition, it is most unlikely that President DeGioia will rescind the invitation.  After Father John Jenkins ignored a massive outcry from alumni and friends of Notre Dame when he chose to honor President Obama by naming him Commencement speaker at the University of Our Lady in 2009, he suffered no personal consequences.  That, of course, is no reason not to sign the petition against this scandalous action by another "Catholic" university.

Georgetown Scandal