Opposing Dr. Hillary

CNS NEWS

A Roman Catholic organization is urging a Catholic school to rescind its offer to give Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) an honorary doctoral degree. Doing so would "honor the church's opponents in the fight against abortion," the group said.Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, said it would be a "scandal" for Marymount Manhattan College in New York City to give Sen. Clinton a special degree on Friday, May 20, when she is also scheduled to deliver the school's commencement address.Reilly said his group, which is "dedicated to the renewal of Catholic identity at America's 220 Catholic colleges and universities," specifically objects to the school's plan because Clinton has supported legalized abortion, voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion, advocated expanding embryonic stem cell research and declared contraception "basic health care for women."In addition, Reilly said the college's actions defy the "Catholics in Political Life" statement that was approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2004."The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles," the statement said. "They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."Reilly has written to Marymount Manhattan College President Judson Shaver, urging him to cancel Clinton's appearance "in order to restore fidelity to the college's Catholic mission, obedience to your bishop and public trust in your commitment to not lead astray the college's students, your employees and the general public."Reilly also has sent a letter to New York Cardinal Edward Eagan seeking "immediate action to prevent scandal in the Archdiocese of New York.""After decades of scandal at secularizing colleges, last June the bishops drew a line in the sand," Reilly said. "No college that deliberately crosses that line deserves the label 'Catholic' or the support of the faithful -- most especially monetary support."Reilly also noted that Marymount Manhattan's commencement speaker in 2004 was New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, whom he called "a fervent advocate for abortion rights.""Last year Spitzer, this year Hillary Clinton," Reilly remarked. "Can anyone trust this college's claim to a Catholic mission? They seem to have tried their hardest to honor the church's opponents in the fight against abortion, and now they publicly brush aside the bishops' clear expectations."We trust there will be consequences from the bishops, but lay Catholics also need to stand up and confront this scandal," he added.