Posted on 01/27/2008 1:10:58 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.
Shut up and coach...your team stinks right now.
Of course, if the media hates you, would they still characterize you as “standing by your beliefs?”
I think not.
Majerus's comments, about the church needing to be inclusive, completely disregards the stance the church continues to take on the unborn, and stem cell research.
I guess Rick is completely comfortable with the killing of the unborn.
How civilized.
Burke is trying to save souls; Majerus is comfortable destroying them.
Right On! Also don't represet yourself as a Catholic. You're a CINO. We don't need your kind in the church.
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Psalms 94 speaks about those who “condemn the innocent to death”.
The narcissistic baby-boomer controlled era of liberalism is coming to a close.
Roe v. Wade will be changed in 5-10 years, I believe.
How can a church stand for something and simultaneously “be inclusive”?
OK, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t this guy supposed to have some gravitas in the world of college basketball? But, if that’s the case, then why is he working at a basketball -er- “powerhouse” like SLU? Which leads me to one of these conclusions:
A) I am wrong and he actually does NOT have gravitas in college basketball,
B) Knowing Burke’s reputation, he has actually picked this fight to give himself gravitas within the rat party for a future in politics
C) A and B
So because he gets a paycheck they own him? My employer doesn't tell me what I can or can't say here on FR or anywhere else.
Employees of the Coca Cola corporation have been disciplined for drinking Pepsi on their private lunch break. Dana Jacobsen of ESPN got a week off for a drunken anti-Christian rant at a nonwork event. What planet do you live on where you can embarrass your employer at will and expect them to keep employing you?
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Right. The guy has been an ignorant leftwing stooge his whole worthless life. Trying to play the innocent now is just rubbish.
The Catholic Church, via his bishop, is his employer. The Catholic Church, via the Bishop, should exercise its duty to correct any representative within its employ. If the employee refuses to conform to his employer’s directives, the Catholic Church should express its free speech and employer rights and say: “You’re fired.”
Who on earth makes THAT claim? Majerus is obviously a complete moron.
You want to work for me, respect me and my views.
Yep... I think Majerus doesn’t quite understand what he is saying these days.
Can we imagine, if a coach at a government school showed up at a Republican rally and stated that abortion and embryonic stem cell research are murder and that homosexual acts are intrinsically evil?
Does anyone think that he would have a job the next day?
I can imagine that. At a government school, a coach will not have to agree to a set of beliefs. I think there would be an immediate push for the coach to be fired. I think the government school would have less grounds to stand on in the firing.
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