Posted on 01/19/2020 10:38:20 AM PST by ebb tide
LONDON, Ontario, January 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Forty-four faculty members from a Catholic university in Canada have demanded the school apologize for allowing campus ministry to show the wildly successful pro-life film “Unplanned.”
“Unplanned” is a movie about the life of former Texas Planned Parenthood center manager Abby Johnson and recounts how she quit her job in 2009 after having a conversion and renouncing abortion. Its debut across Canada, as well as the United States and worldwide, was met with protests, including two Canadian cinema owners receiving death threats, as reported by LifeSiteNews here.
The film was screened at King’s University College on January 9.
The demand for an apology came in a letter from faculty members this past Wednesday and was addressed to college Principal David Malloy. It described what the faculty called the “furor and fear” expressed by the school community over the fact that the pro-life film was screened on campus.
"The public endorsement of an anti-abortion stance at King's University College by the Director of Campus Ministry is of great concern to the viability of our institution as we work to recruit and maintain excellent students, staff and faculty," the letter stated.
In response, Malloy said the school “does not have any official position on abortion,” despite the fact that it claims to be a Catholic institution.
In his statement, Malloy makes clear that King’s official position (but not that of its campus ministry) is indifferent and, ultimately, not full supportive of the pro-life cause.
“The presentation of the film and the belief of life beginning at conception is the stance of Campus Ministry and not of King’s as a whole. King’s employees, faculty and students do not need to prescribe to the tenets of the Catholic Church. King’s does not have a position on abortion,” said Malloy in his statement. Read in full here.
LifeSiteNews reached out to Diocese of London Bishop Ronald P. Fabbro but had not received a response. LifeSiteNews inquired why a Catholic post-secondary institution associated with the diocese is not pro-life and does not follow Church teaching about the grave evil of abortion.
Despite not receiving a response from the Diocese of London, LifeSiteNews did receive an email comment from Fr. Michael Bechard, pastor and chaplain for King’s University Campus Ministry.
“Campus Ministry, supports without reservation, the sanctity of life from conception until natural death," he said. "The movie screening last week was part of the Veritas Series for Faith and Culture and was attended by students, staff and members of the broader community. Following the film, we had a challenging but necessary conversation where individuals with varying points of view were allowed the opportunity to express their thoughts on the movie and on the complex realities surrounding abortion. I am grateful to work in an institution that supports the Catholic intellectual tradition and the need to have critical conversations about uncomfortable truths.”
The faculty members in their letter also demanded an apology from Fr. Bechard, stating he used his influence to promote the screening of "Unplanned" at the school.
King’s has a history dating to 1954 and bills itself as “a Catholic, liberal arts university college.” It is listed on the Diocese of London’s website under the Catholic Colleges & Universities tab. Recently, its Veritas Series for Faith and Culture hosted pro-LGBT Jesuit Fr. James Martin, who presented “Showing Respect and Welcome to LGBT People in the Church.”
Contact information:
Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B.
Diocese of London
1070 Waterloo Street
London, Ontario, N6A 3Y2
Phone: 519-433-0658
Online contact here
Dr. David C. Malloy
Principal - King's University College
at Western University Canada
266 Epworth Avenue
London Ontario, Canada N6A 2M3
519-433-3491
Email: David.Malloy@kings.uwo.ca
“catholic” universities
Ping
DOX the bastards
Universities in the 1990s - free speech, we have to have a diversity of ideas, all ideas are equal and all should have their voices heard.
Universities in the 2010s and beyond - shut up and say only what we tell you to say.
Exactly, tide. With only two or three exceptions, all “Catholic” universities deserve sneer quotes.
I am not catholic; but that sure isn’t the catholic church that I knew in my hometown. At that time, they treasured life, and would not have been PC no matter what. No wonder the church is going to hell. Satan must be very comfortable in the mainstream churches.
The Little Sisters of the Poor have bigger balls than the Catholic University.
I demand that THEY apologize and resign.
“...does not have an official position on abortion...”
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Where is the list of these faculty? They should be confronted and converted to the Biblical ethic. If your belief system is so weak that you lack the confidence to teach it, then you might want to do some real repentance and return to the Torah. Then you could walk it out just like Jesus did.
Academia is lost.
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Yes.
I went to one and the only thing Catholic about it was the Chapel.
I do hear Franciscan in Steubenville is good though. Jesuit run colleges can be crossed off the list.
The Catholic university should apologize for having 44 babykiller professors taking money from the tithes and offerings and tuitions of Catholics.
Most Bishops today are cowards.
They love the deference they receive from the faithful, they love the luxuries afforded by their position but are not willing to sacrifice or suffer for Christ.
Not very open-minded of them.
The film was screened at King’s University College... college Principal David Malloy... said the school “does not have any official position on abortion,” despite the fact that it claims to be a Catholic institution.
These antagonists are takers and deniers; they seek the taking of life and to deny others the right to argue their position. Ba’al and Moloch are sending them kudos!
[[no matter what. No wonder the church is going to hell. ]]
Aint that the truth- not all parishes of course- but many it seems-
[[Satan must be very comfortable in the mainstream churches.]]
That He is- He snuck His way in and now openly reveals Himself within- The bible called them ‘Nicolatians’- people that bastardized the truth, added to the world of God, and destroyed the church from within- false teachers- deceivers- children of the Evil One-
[[Most Bishops today are cowards. ]]
Then they have no business representing Christ- Jesus told the apostles and everyone that followed Him that the road was going to be very hard- but NOT to compromise the truth-
Bishops that are afraid of public opinion, and who follow political correctness so as not to offend anyone have no business leading others-
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