By Matt Abbott
Op/Ed

In 2004, there was an outcry among orthodox Catholics over the fact that Loyola University Chicago School of Law had given an award to pro-abortion Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Even Francis Cardinal George reportedly had asked university president Father Michael Garanzini, S.J. to cancel the award. But the award was given anyway.

It certainly isn’t difficult to see why such a thing would occur at Loyola, particularly when one looks at the university’s women’s studies department, which gives at least tacit support to pro-death organizations such as Planned Parenthood and NOW.

Also of note, if you will, is Loyola’s Ann Ida Gannon, BVM, Center for Women and Leadership. Directed by Carolyn Farrell, BVM (yes, she belongs to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary), the center “promotes women's studies programs and progress and provides archives documenting women in leadership and education,” according to its website.

In 1999, the Gannon Center hosted radical pro-abortion feminist Gloria Steinem, an appearance that (thankfully) was picketed by pro-life students and supporters of Joe Scheidler’s Pro-Life Action League, including yours truly. (A photo of Steinem, Farrell and others can be found here: http://www.luc.edu/orgs/gannon/pdfs/Spring_2003.pdf)

And the following links illustrate the sad reality that Loyola is no better than any secular university in terms of promoting respect for the sanctity of human life:

http://www.luc.edu/depts/women_stu/postings926.html

http://www.luc.edu/depts/women_stu/links.html

http://lists.luc.edu/pipermail/wmn-net/2001-October/000170.html

Ah, but at a secular university, at least one doesn’t have to worry about bad theology.

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