Catholic School's...

[Jake Huether]

The website for Santa Clara University, a Catholic University in California, had an article on one of the Law Professors who had recently attended the "March for Women's lives". The article praised her and then linked the ACLU.

So, I wrote the president of the University, the Dean of the Law School (who's website this was on), as well as the web-master:

I am a graduate of San Jose State University, and I was considering a
Masters Degree at Santa Clara University. As a devout Catholic, the
fact that Santa Clara U. is a Catholic School made this University a
very nice choice. However, upon scanning through this web site, I fell
upon the homepage of the School of Law. I regret to inform you that
there is an article which praises a professor for attending the "March
for Women's lives". The "March for Women's lives" is in fact a March
for the death of unborn women. It is the antithesis of the March for
Life and simply seeks to rebel against this in the guise of a women's
rights plea. As a Catholic School, Santa Clara University is obliged to
conform to Catholic Teaching. And Catholic Teaching is that abortion is
wrong no matter what. In fact, abortion is currently such a pressing
issue that the Church has made several statements in regard to it; in
particular in regards to lawmakers and politicians supporting abortion
while claiming to be Catholic. The direct support or performance of an
abortion is cause for excommunication from the Church, and any Catholic
who publicly supports abortion cannot partake in the Holy Eucharist. I
cannot judge the heart of Professor Margaret M. Russell. However, it is
using the Name of God in vain to claim to be a Catholic School, and yet
presume to support a very anti-Catholic entity such as abortion. I
humbly request that you, at the very least, remove this link from the
website.

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jake Huether


And here is the Dean's response:


Dear Mr. Huether: thank you for your email note and your concerns about
our website and our faculty member's participation in a national
conference on women's issues. The article on our website linked viewers
(such as yourself) to the national website of the American Civil
Liberties Union and contained a reflection by the law faculty member, a
nationally know expert on gender and race issues in America, on her
participation in the conference and its meaning to her personally.

As a law school, and as an educational component at a Jesuit
university, we support and promote diversity of opinion and viewpoints
on all issues of contemporary importance because we believe that
openness of ideas and viewpoints is the best way of preparing our
students for the societies they face and, we hope, lead.

I certainly understand your personal disagreement with some of the
topics of the women's conference.

Again, thank you for writing to express your concerns.

Donald J. Polden, Dean



Please pray for him, and for the faculty of this school.

[Phazzan]

Pfft, Catholic universities and colleges aren't bound by Catholic teaching. If they are independently run, there is no way to control what goes on there.

[cmotherofpirl]

I would write back to him and ask if they ever heard of the mandatum.

[Colleen]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='May 17 2004, 09:22 AM'] I would write back to him and ask if they ever heard of the mandatum. [/quote]
Yeah, do it.

This is very sad, though I can't say it's surprising. But it's wonderful that you wrote to them. Maybe it'll at least make them think.

[Jake Huether]

Okay, so I wrote back...


Dear Mr. Polden,

I greatly appreciate your response. I agree with the need to support and foster an openness and diversity of opinion among our community. But if this openness of opinion creeps beyond the bounds of Catholic Teaching, that is, beyond the bounds of Truth, it doesn't belong in a Catholic University. G.K. Chesterton said, "The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." And I can't help but wonder why so many people these days wish to promote an openness to lies and falsities. Worldwide nearly 45 million babies are killed each year at the hands of their mothers, and the doctors who perform the murder. Since the late 1960's 45 million unborn babies have died in the United States alone. That's more than the death toll for all US wars combined! Although, I'm sure you are familiar with these numbers. This isn't a matter of opinion. Modern science has proven beyond doubt, beyond opinion, that life begins upon conception. Opinions are a thing of the past when it comes to life in the womb. Really the only thing left to debate, now, is whether or not it is moral to kill an unborn baby. And as Catholics, we know the answer to that question. But at the risk of forfeiting her own future, a pregnant woman would like to keep the idea open that it just might be "moral". Although, the thought of simply waiting to have sex is simply out of the question, for whatever reason. It doesn't matter what "good" the ACLU might promote through it's policies and promotions in regards to gender and race. As long as it supports this atrocity, it should not be condoned on any website, let alone a Catholic website! And although Professor Margaret M. Russell may be a nationally known expert on gender and race issues in America, it would behoove her to learn about Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, an ally of the ACLU (and vice versa), and her stance on gender and race issues. [url="http://www.geocities.com/kekogut/miscellaneous/Ppracism.pdf"]http://www.geocities.com/kekogut/miscellaneous/Ppracism.pdf[/url]

Professor Russell must understand that by attending the "March for Women's Lives" she has supported the extermination of her own race, her own gender! These are the very things she is an expert on.

Forgive me for sounding so much like a fanatic. I don't want to come across like an irrational, close minded extremist. I openly admit I am no expert on gender and race issues in America. But I can boast of being an expert in Christ Jesus, through His Catholic Church. And God has spoken through His Holy Church against abortion, and against the support of this abomination.

I will once again humbly request, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, please remove this link from your website. Or, if you believe that the ACLU is a good organization with the exception of this one flaw, then it might be as simple as adding a disclaimer to the article stating how Santa Clara University and the Catholic Church do not support or promote abortion. But if in the name of openness of opinion and diversity of viewpoint you continue to promote the ACLU and their stance on abortion "rights" I humbly request that you pray before the Blessed Sacrament, who is Jesus Himself, and ask Him what He thinks.

May the Love of the Father, the Peace of Jesus Christ, and the guidance His Holy Spirit fill your heart.

God be with you.



Mr. Jacob Huether

[CreepyCrawler]

way to go jake! you're my hero! let us know if he writes back. that's so awesome that you wrote them. wow! sorry... i just think that's so cool.

[Lil Red]

good going, Jake!

[Ash Wednesday]

Humph. A Jesuit University. Big surprise there.

I think one of my h.s. friends went to that school. *sigh*

[Jake Huether]

Hey thanks ya'll for your comments. I will be sure to post any replies.

It's a shame because it really really misrepresents Catholicism. You know, use up Catholic money to build a school that promotes less than pagan principles. Yeah, good plan.

[IcePrincessKRS]

:wub: Jake, you rock.

[traichuoi]

Jake...thanks for teaching us how to continue to be Church Militant

[Paladin D]

Nice Jake!

[Jake Huether]

All praise and glory to God.

I have a little prayer card from Priests for Life. And every morning (or at least almost every morning) I pray this prayer saying that I promise never to be passive and to defend the lives of ALL my brothers and sisters. And so when I saw that link on the Santa Clara U website I really knew I had to say something.

I guess God just put me in the right place at the right time.

Let us pray that this professor's heart is touched.

Thank you Pham!

[annie]

Jake,

Wow, you are very articulate AND faithful. I have a half-sister who taught at Santa Clara. SHE is an ATHEIST and I always wondered how she could have 'fit in' in a 'Catholic' school like that---hmm, guess I know how. I tell ya, I have three kids, two of whom will most likely attend college, and I sure as shootin' don't want them at a Catholic University (save the handful which have signed the mandatum). Better to be cast into the secular university environment, KNOWING the environment is NON-Catholic, then be surrounded by PSEUDO-Catholics, who dabble in the world's view of morality and call it "Catholic"....

[Jake Huether]

[quote name='annie' date='May 18 2004, 08:16 AM'] Jake,

Wow, you are very articulate AND faithful. I have a half-sister who taught at Santa Clara. SHE is an ATHEIST and I always wondered how she could have 'fit in' in a 'Catholic' school like that---hmm, guess I know how. I tell ya, I have three kids, two of whom will most likely attend college, and I sure as shootin' don't want them at a Catholic University (save the handful which have signed the mandatum). Better to be cast into the secular university environment, KNOWING the environment is NON-Catholic, then be surrounded by PSEUDO-Catholics, who dabble in the world's view of morality and call it "Catholic".... [/quote]
Thank you Annie!

I totally agree. I'd rather be able to tell my kid, this is the Catholic faith, and this is not. Make it clear, you know. These Universities make it unclear what is Catholic and what is not.

They are guilty of taking the Lords name in vain.