Posted on 01/27/2008 1:10:52 PM PST by presidio9
St. Louis basketball coach Rick Majerus had no intention of creating such a firestorm when he made an appearance at a Hillary Clinton rally last Saturday night in St. Louis and answered questions regarding his pro-choice, pro-embryonic stem-cell research beliefs for a local TV affiliate.
Three days later, Archbishop Raymond Burke of the St. Louis diocese, who is very active in the pro-life movement and recently attended the March for Life conference in Washington, D.C., drew a line in the sand in response. Burke said St. Louis University, which is a university operated by the Jesuit fathers, should discipline Majerus for his comments. He then threatened to deny Majerus, a practicing Catholic, Holy Communion if the coach did not change his positions.
This is the same Raymond Burke who also threatened Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry over the same issue in 2004 and told Catholics not to attend a fund-raiser thrown by Bob Costas because Sheryl Crow, an advocate for stem-cell research, was performing.
And we thought the Inquisition ended in the 15th century.
No one has denied Burke his right - or anyone's right - to express his opinion on Roe v. Wade or stem cell research or any issue. But Burke seemed to overstep his spiritual boundaries when he threatened the First Amendment rights of a private individual in this supposedly free country and the free exchange of ideas in a university community.
Majerus, a highly intellectual person, has different philosophies, which have evolved from his life experiences and education that took place in the gyms around the country and the classrooms of Marquette High and University and in the home of his parents in Milwaukee, an equally devout Catholic city. Those philosophies are as well-researched as any opponent he has played.
"These are my personal views," Majerus said from St. Louis last night. "I'm respectful of the archbishop's position, but it's not going to change my mind. We're given free will and the right to vote for changes. I think religion should be inclusive. I would hope that all people would feel welcome inside a church, and that the church would serve to bring people together, even if they happen to disagree on certain things."
Majerus, 59, always has had a keen interest in politics. This could be in tribute to the work of his late father Ray and his 81-year-old mother Alyce, a daily communicant who was concerned her son might be excommunicated after this incident.
Although Ray did not have the benefit of being educated by the Jesuits like his son, there is no doubt he lived a life by the tenet they encourage - being a man for others. Ray Majerus became a union organizer in Milwaukee and later the secretary-treasurer of the UAW. He was not afraid to expose Rick to the picket lines for the famous Koehler, Wis., factory strike at the tender age of 7. Nor were his parents concerned when they let young Rick march in the deep South in places like Selma, Ala., with the Rev. James Groppi and Jesse Jackson when the civil rights movement was just starting to take root during the 1960s. His parents were even tear-gassed on one occasion. He campaigned with his father outside factory gates with Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale in 1976, campaigned for Kerry in three states in 2004 and plans to fly to Utah, where he is a registered Democrat, to vote in November. He also has participated in death penalty protests outside prisons, building a liberal philosophy that is ingrained in him.
Majerus is not pro-abortion, but he is pro-choice and believes a woman should have the right to choose what to do with her body, and can imagine the many facets of that anguished decision.
Majerus has yet to hear from Burke or St. Louis president Rev.Lawrence Biondi. "I understand the school can't say anything," Majerus said. "I didn't represent the school when I made those comments. At the same time, when I took this job, I didn't check my heart at the door. I understand discretion is the better part of valor, but I think I have a responsibility to speak out on something I believe in."
You may not agree with him, but Majerus has a right to be heard on important topics that affect our society, just like the rest of us. Rick Majerus is a man for all seasons, much like the martyr St.Thomas More, and feels strongly enough to resign over this if asked.
I can’t really blame this on Majerus, since he went to Fr. Biondi and got permission in advance. If Archbishop Burke has reason to be upset at anyone, it’s Fr. Biondi. Majerus was doing the right thing by seeking permission from Fr. Biondi. Presumably, he could count on what Fr. Biondi said to be accurate. In this case, I think it would be unfair to punish Majerus, since he seems to have made his best effort. (Of course, it would be nice if he was pro-life)
And then there's the questions about a man who coached under Al McGuire and Don Nelson, and took Utah to the Final Four, but somehow finds himself starting over in the Atlantic 10 at 60yrs of age and with a notoriously bad ticker. I'm sure he doesn't come across as a freakshow in an interview or anything...
If an employee of the NAACP was found to be a dues-paying member of the Klan, we would expect him to be fired immediately.
This situation is no different.
The swingers on the faculty are impressed, no doubt. Should they run some ads for Viagra and lap dances on the page to stay in the same idiom?
It's just crass and stupid for an athletic coach to try to become some sort of liberal activist for abortion, making an ass of himself. It's not in the job description. It's off the radar. How would the owner of an NBA or NFL team like his coach to out himself as a pro-abortion Hillary cheerleader?
It's a judgment issue. It doesn't make sense either in the context of college sports or Catholic education. Athletic coaches should not publicly advocate controversial moral views. There is no need to know his personal views on reproduction or sexual morality.
As someone who works at a Catholic university, he should have had enough common sense to understand that. He seems confused about his position and status at the university and in public life. Comparing him to St. Thomas More in the article is a disgrace.
I agree, he is no St. Thomas More. But I see the problem here with Fr. Biondi. If the clergy aren’t going to instruct the faithful, we can’t expect them to follow the faiith very well. If the local parish priest or the head of a “Catholic” institution says something, how are most Catholic supposed to know otherwise?
Example from real life: My local parish tells parents that baptism is not necessary, and that it’s only used now to “appease the grandparents?” If I tell people otherwise, who are they supposed to believe: me or the local priest and parish?
Yes, SLU/Burke wants it both ways: non-religious, if it's to their advantage; religious otherwise.
The word here in St. Louis is that Fat Rick's girlfriend, up in Milwaukee, is a big Hillary supporter and came down here for the rally.
Did he? Then it was stupid of Biondi, who should have known what Burke's reaction would be.
Apart from the issue of Catholic teaching and the Archbishop's authority (or Biondi's), this is an issue of judgment. It's just poor judgment, bad manners, and bad taste to do this when you are a public figure on the payroll at a Catholic university. It's rude and offensive.
Usually, the people who act up in favor of abortion at Catholic colleges and universities are liberals of the feminazi type who either had abortions or who have other strange anti-man issues. They're extremely unpleasant nutjobs obsessed with the issue who vent hatred at priests and bishops whenever they can. Post-abortion rage. But it is usually that they themselves had an abortion or someone close to them did.
The question for Biondi would be: does this guy counsel his players to do this if and when girlfriends are pregnant? If the answer to that is yes, there is a serious problem. And this is the problem with hiring non-Catholics or liberal pro-abortion modernist heretics at Catholic universities. It brings an atmosphere of evil on to the campus. The Trojan Horse of Land O'Lakes.
You can't have anyone advocating grave evil on a Catholic campus. Certainly not in an official capacity. But this is just stupid - the basketball coach is not there to issue pronouncements on abortion. If someone wants or intends to do that they should seek a job at a non-Catholic institution as a matter of professional ethics and politeness.
It appears that now this guy is participating in a public media campaign against the Church's teaching on abortion. That's taking things to another level and certainly falls under the university president's authority as a priest. Do you want athletic coaches acting up making public spectacles of themselves over abortion? The answer to this question has to be no.
I’m glad you saw that comparing him to St. Thomas More is a disgrace. I would have thought SOMEONE would have caught that.
If the president allows this circus to continue, he has no respect for his own priesthood or for the integrity of his university. Athletic coaches simply CANNOT be public spokesman for abortion or any other form of immorality. This is a no-brainer.
The Daily News running an anti-Catholic article is another issue. Maybe the Catholic League can look into it. The slur about the Inquisition is absurd and bigoted.
That is what had been reported.
No, I don’t. But I can’t say that it would be clear to the average person that supporting abortion etc. is unacceptable at a Catholic institution. Catholic institutions often have pro-abortion speakers, Vagina Monologues, etc. Until the message from Catholic institutions is clear, you can’t entirely blame people for not understanding. (I can’t defend his actions, but I can understand how Majerus could be angry. He was publically rebuked for something he got permission to do. I would feel unfairly sandbagged if I got permission to do something from the proper authority, and then got publically reprimanded. Yes, ideally, he should know what he did was unacceptable, but if Fr. Biondi didn’t know? It’s not Majerus’ fault that the Catholic hierarchy isn’t giving a clear message.)
Does it make any sense for a baksteball coach to get into a controversy with an Archbishop over abortion? No.
It must have been a really slow day at the office that dragged him away from studying three-pointer shot charts to cheerlead for abortion at a Hillary rally. Not exactly top-tier judgment on professional priorities.
I still don’t see how the ArchBishop violated Majerus’ first amendment rights. Last time I checked, there is a separation of church and state in this country and the ArchBishop is not a government official threatening retribution.
1st amendment applies to GOVERNMENT censure, not private censure.
That is interesting to know, and I am suprised to learn it. Who would have thought that Rick Majerus had a girlfriend?
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