Catholic University Rejects Campus Activity by Gay Rights Group

1/26/2009 - 12:52 PM PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY
Catholic PRWire

MANASSAS, VA (JANUARY 26, 2009)- The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., denied a request to allow a gay rights group to cosponsor a pro-life conference on campus last Saturday, citing the university�s Catholic identity.

The Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians (PLAGAL) advocates the right to life as the basis of all other human rights. But the organization�s support for �gay rights��including same-sex �marriage��and its apparent condoning of homosexual activity run contrary to Catholic moral teaching.

An undisclosed university representative told leaders of the Students for Life of America annual conference, which was held last Saturday, January 24, that the gay rights group�s mission statement �goes against the teachings of the Catholic Church,� according to an article today in the campus newspaper, The Tower. The article notes that CUA did not permit the group to co-sponsor the conference or set up an exhibit booth on campus, but still welcomed PLAGAL members to attend the conference. A CUA spokesman told The Cardinal Newman Society that �the essential elements of the Tower article are accurate.�

�CUA made a difficult but admirable decision in restricting PLAGAL�s activity on campus,� said Patrick Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. �We need a unified front in the fight against abortion, and PLAGAL has an important place in the pro-life movement. Nevertheless, CUA is a public witness to the Catholic faith, and its first obligation is to its students. PLAGAL has historically sought to convince pro-life Christians of its gay rights agenda, which in some respects opposes Catholic moral teaching.�

For many years, The Catholic University of America has hosted young people who travel nationwide to join the March for Life. It also has had a strong presence at the U.S. bishops� annual Mass to pray for unborn children, held adjacent to the CUA campus at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

This year the March for Life saw the participation of many other students from Catholic colleges and universities dedicated to their Catholic mission. All 21 institutions of higher education recommended in The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College are committed to supporting the pro-life movement.

Contact

The Cardinal Newman Society
http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org VA, 20110 US
Adam Wilson - Outreach Manager, 703 367-0333

Keywords

The Catholic University of America, The Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians, Students for Life

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

Maria Krasinski
4 years ago
"PLAGAL has historically sought to convince pro-life Christians of its gay rights agenda".

Since when?

As a board member of plagal, this is news to me.

We are adamantly single issue (pro-life) much to the chagrin of both the right and the left. The only right we fight for is that of the unborn to live. Any other agenda would quickly sunder our .org as the RTL for the unborn is the ONLY issue that any of us can agree on. :)

Mr. Reilly, I am deeply interested in knowing just what "gay right" you think we are advocating.

A quick review of our literature and our actions shows me that we HAVE fought for the right to proclaim the pro-life message (its called freedomn of speech) but it was my understanding that even non-catholics had this right. It was my understanding that the conference was about Life issues, and that other groups that were non-catholic were welcome to sponsor and participate.

I'm trying to understand, Mr. Reilly, really i am.
B.R.
4 years ago
Although (unfortunately) CUA was well within its right to bar this group because of its Catholic convictions, I like how this article is titled "Catholic University Rejects Campus Activity by Gay Rights Group". If it had been any other group, you would have certainly said "Pro-Life activity" instead of campus activity and to say that "PLAGAL has an important place in the pro-life movement" while defending its barring just makes no sense either.

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