Franciscan Students Lobby at U.N.

March 13, 2009 - 5:44 PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY

Franciscan University Delegates Defend Life and Women at United Nations

STEUBENVILLE, OH (MARCH 13, 2009) - From March 2 to 6, Franciscan University of Steubenville faculty, students, and alumni participated in the 53rd Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York City. This is the fifth year in a row that Franciscan University has sent a large delegation to the commission, which deals with women's issues.

The group was led by Dr. Brian Scarnecchia, director of the Legal Studies Program and assistant professor of human life issues at Franciscan University. Scarnecchia is also president of the International Solidarity and Human Rights Institute (ISHRI), which has organized over a dozen similar programs at the U.N.

Franciscan University juniors, Katie Quitney and Kathryn Roessler, and seniors, Joseph Wiley and Laura Hanley, joined with alumni to serve as Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) representatives for the Society of Catholic Social Scientists. Participating alumni included Chanacee Kilgore '07, director of pro-life activities for the Diocese of Forth Worth; Shannon Walsh '98, long-serving missionary in China; and Terrence McKeegan '99, attorney and vice president of ISHRI.

The 53rd Commission marked the first major opportunity for the new U.S. administration to outline its priorities at the U.N. The Franciscan University group met with numerous U.N. delegates and NGOs and advocated on behalf of issues facing women, with an emphasis on upholding Catholic social teaching in the critical areas of protecting life and the traditional family. Catholic teaching on these issues has come under increasing attacks from Western nations at the U.N. in recent years, with explicit calls for a new universal right to abortion and homosexual marriage.

In its prepared opening remarks, the U.S. delegation stressed its commitment to "women's rights" which was said to be demonstrated by President Obama's rescinding of the Mexico City policy, which prohibited federal funds from being given to organizations that promoted or performed abortions overseas. In another major policy shift, the U.S. delegation announced its intention to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a treaty whose compliance committee has interpreted to include a right to abortion and has instructed numerous signatories to rescind their laws against abortion.

One of the highlights of the trip was a Mass celebrated in the private chapel at the Holy See Mission to the U.N. Talks by members of the Holy See delegation followed, including the Papal Nuncio to the U.N., Archbishop Celestino Migliore, who gifted each Franciscan University participant with a rosary blessed by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to New York last year.

Scarnecchia said, "I am repeatedly thanked at these conferences for the presence and advocacy of our Franciscan group, who continue to serve as ambassadors of goodwill and contribute a needed youthful voice to the public debate."

As one of those youthful voices, Hanley said, "I think perhaps the most important thing I learned from my experience is to keep listening, and to keep fighting for my rights and for what I know to be the truth as a young Catholic woman. I am a survivor of abortion, and I want to do all I can to keep more of my brothers and sisters from being so senselessly killed."

Contact

Franciscan University of Steubenville
http://www.franciscan.edu
OH, 43952 US
Tom Sofio - Assoc. Dir. of PR, 740 284-5893

Keywords

Franciscan University

Category

Catholic Schools & Religious Education

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