President Obama to Speak at Catholic Xavier U.

LifeSiteNews.com -- Your Life, Family, and Culture Outpost ^ | August 16, 2010 | By Kathleen Gilbert

[topher]

Monday August 16, 2010

---

President Obama to Speak at Catholic Xavier U.

By Kathleen Gilbert

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, August 16, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - President Obama is slated to speak at Louisiana's Xavier University, a Catholic institution of higher education, to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina August 29.

Xavier President Dr. Norman Francis said the school was "pleased and grateful" at Obama's decision to visit the campus. “Mr. Obama will get to see firsthand why we are so proud of the progress we have made here at Xavier during the five years since Katrina, not only restoring our campus but expanding our facilities and services since then in order to fulfill our mission established 85 years ago," he added.

However, a watchdog organization for Catholic higher education, the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), has criticized the university’s decision to provide a platform for the strongly pro-abortion president.

“U.S. bishops' policy is clear,” said CNS in a statement provided to LifeSiteNews. “No Catholic institution should provide an honor or platform to a public opponent of fundamental Catholic teachings.  This is most important at a university that is dedicated to seeking and teaching the truth, and which embraces the Catholic faith.”
 
The school has already developed a relationship with Mr. Obama: in 2006, the first year after the school's recovery from the Katrina disaster, then-senator Obama received an honorary degree and gave a commencement speech reflecting on the school's experience with the storm.

A Xavier University webpage dedicated to the 2006 appearance notes that the school is "proud" to have honored then-senator Obama. "Who knew at that time that the promising young public servant selected for the task - U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois - would go on to be elected as the 44th President of the United States, and the first African American president in the nation's history?" it notes.

The school declined to comment to LifeSiteNews.com Monday on the event's apparent conflict with U.S. bishops' policy.

Another Catholic University, the University of Notre Dame, drew immense criticism from Catholics across America in 2009 after the pro-abortion president delivered the school's commencement address and received an honorary law degree. Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins refused to back down on the invitation despite criticism from 80 active U.S. bishops and over 360,000 petitioners.

CNS pointed to the president’s appearance at Notre Dame as a clear reason why Xavier should have refused to host Obama. “Last year President Obama used his platform at the University of Notre Dame to reiterate his support for abortion and embryonic stem cell research.  Xavier University is willingly inviting the same scandal,” said the Catholic organization.

Last week, St. Edward's University, a Catholic institution that shares its founder with Notre Dame, turned down an offer by the president to speak on campus. Although a spokesperson said the school was "honored" to be considered as a venue for Mr. Obama, logistical issues were cited as the reason for declining. 

Editor's note: A previous version of this article indicated that Xavier University hosted an Obama campaign sponsored "get out the vote" event in 2008. This event was in fact held by Xavier University in Cincinnati, not Louisiana. We apologize for the confusion.

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/aug/10081603.html

---

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.

[keat]

I bet they cover up the crosses... My thoughts exactly, crucifixes, though.

[mimaw]

Jesuits are not Catholic.

[topher]

Website for Xavier University in New Orleans:

Xavier University in New Orleans

[Verginius Rufus]

When I saw the headline I figured he was going to the Xavier University of Louisiana, not the Xavier University in Cincinnati (older and better known), since the former has a predominantly black student body. There would be no reason for him to go to the one in Cincinnati. Notre Dame was different—even though its student body is predominantly white, it’s the most famous Catholic university in America, so he could stick his finger in the eyes of Catholics by going there.

[Cousin Eddie]

I was about to post the same thing. (and I’m a product of Jesuit education).

[topher]

Contact information:

Xavier University of Louisiana
1 Drexel Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125
504-486-7411

Note that on the homepage for the University, they boost about their Catholic values (not!)

[topher]

He went to Xavier in New Orleans before.

The Archbishop of New Orleans (Alfred Hughes, now Archbishop Emeritus) boycotted the University for various events.

One was honoring the Landrieu family...

So the Magisterium of the Church (i.e., Bishops, etc) has opposed such Universities in the past (about 100 Bishops/Archbishops/Cardinals denounced Notre Dame in 2009).

[markomalley]

Woah. Stop right now.

Xavier is not a Jesuit school.

It was founded by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (St Katherine Drexel's order)

The President of Xavier is not a Jesuit. He is not a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament either.

Here is a list of the Board of Trustees of Xavier:

Mrs. Mary Keller Zervigon (Chair)
Sister Patricia Suchalski, S.B.S. (Vice Chair)
Sister Eileen Sullivan, S.B.S. (In Memoriam)
Mr. Mark Romig (Assistant Secretary)

Sister Doris Blum, S.B.S.
Dr. Dale Mason Cochran
Sister Elizabeth Collins, S.B.S.
James M. Garner, Esq.
Mrs. Carla A. Harris
Sister M. Juliana Haynes, S.B.S.
Monsignor Paul A. Lenz
Mr. Michael Lynton
Sister Amedee Maxwell, S.B.S.
Sister Rita Radloff, S.B.S.
Mr. Michael Rue
Ms. Paula T. Saizan
Mr. Leo P. Sam, Jr.
Mr. David Voelker
Mrs. Janice F. Wilkins

Dr. Norman C. Francis (ex-officio member)

Please note how many Jesuits are on that list.

Please note how many priests are on that list.

Please note how many sisters are on that list.

Please note that the chairman of the board is not a sister nor a priest.

Xavier University is a Black college with a somewhat Catholic background. No more. No less.

Slam the Jesuits all you want when it's right. But they don't have ANYTHING to do with this one.

(The Jesuit school in NOLA is Loyola anyway)

[NoLibZone]

Like most of the Jews and Muslims, many put religion ahead of country.

Foreign based religions are bad.

Read a guy named Thomas Jefferson.

Or even Sam Adams.

[topher]

Glad you caught that!

I need the Admin Moderator then to remove comment 18 (contact information for Jesuit Province).

That is why this posting refers to Post #18, not #28 (where you point out who really are behind Xavier U.)

[Mouton]

I fondly remember when President Reagan spoke at my AM, Seton Hall, in the 80’s. I would not fondly remember any visit by this bum.

[CitizenM]

Xavier University is a Black college with a somewhat Catholic background. No more. No less.

Thank you for clearing up the misconception here. Unfortunately, most of America will believe it to be a Catholic or Jesuit University and that the Catholics, again as they did in extending the Notre Dame invite, are in support of Obama. Sadly, some of them are :(

[topher]

I had comment #18 removed by Moderator, which was info on contacting Jesuits...

[Bigg Red]

From their website:

The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society.

&&&
Truly leftist. If I read more of the info, I would, no doubt, find “social justice” cited as well.

[Verginius Rufus]

St. Francis Xavier was a Jesuit so people naturally assume that a university with the name Xavier has some connection to the Jesuit order. I guess Xavier University of Louisiana’s connection to the Jesuits is about as close as the San Diego Padres baseball club is to the Franciscan order. (They do have a mascot who wears a Franciscan habit, or an approximation of one.)

[Salvation]

Thanks. My only comment was “FReep ‘em!”

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Foreign based religions are bad."

Hm... That leaves us with ... Shakers, Santeria and LDS?

About Jefferson: I doubt anyone but a Unitarian would take him as a religious authority. And as for Sam Adams, I'll go to him for malt but not for ministry.

But hey, thanks a lot for the religious advice.