You may have heard in the press recently that Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, has invited the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, to speak at one of its commencement ceremonies in the near future.
Kathleen Sebelius, although a Catholic, has been a strong pro-abortion advocate for many years during her tenure as governor in Kansas and now as Secretary of HHS. She is instrumental in implementing the Obama administration’s healthcare mandate requiring that abortifacient drugs and sterilization services be provided free of charge under health plans with essentially no clause providing exemptions for Church run institutions to opt out based on religious convictions.
I really resisted posting on this topic for several days. Controversy is not what I seek, just the truth and a new evangelization of the world as called for by Pope John Paul I and his successors since.
I am placing this post only to alert you to try to protest Georgetown’s decision. Georgetown is a Catholic institution of higher learning. It exists to educate and form students with a firm foundation arising from the Church’s teachings in the areas of faith and morals. Because it is Catholic, it is called to fidelity to the truth as revealed by God in his Son Jesus, the Scriptures, the Magesterium, and Sacred Tradition. The Jesuits know that; I studied under them and with them. They must make a decision whether they will now faithfully respond to their promise of fidelity to the pope and the Church.
My friends, even though arguments are made in favor of allowing individuals like Sebelius to have a platform at such an event by citing academic freedom (although I have no idea whether or not that is Georgetown’s reason… I haven’t read of their rationale) one must understand what such freedom entails and the responsibilities that come with it.
One must also remember the First Commandment, I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other god besides Me.
God’s will and word demands a faithful ‘Yes’ from us. Academic freedom is not a god we worship. If we differ with the teachings of the bishops, then we must take our grievances to our bishop and speak directly with him, not indirectly by having someone’s presence at a Catholic function make a point for us.
May God bless Georgetown and Sec. Sebelius.
