Feminist Steinem Touts Abortion, Ridicules Church at St. Norbert College

Abortion advocacy, support for euthanasia and applause for excommunicated and “ordained” women priests—such were the highlights of last week’s “dialogue” with radical feminists Gloria Steinem and Bell Hooks on the Catholic campus of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.

The event was held in the College’s campus theater on April 21, despite initial exposure by the Cardinal Newman Society last October, public protest by Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay in January, and assurances from the College that Steinem was invited only to headline a “discussion of the history of the women’s movement, especially as it may be understood in the context of domestic violence.”

Bishop Ricken lamented that Steinem’s “whole career and life is a grand affirmation of the pro-abortion movement.” And the Newman Society called on the College to rescind Steinem’s invitation, stating that its refusal to do so “adds insult to injury by disregarding Bishop Ricken.”

Nevertheless the College went forward, and the activists’ dialogue, titled “Talking Together: A Legacy of Solidarity,” predictably highlighted contempt for “patriarchal religions” and pushed support for abortion rights and euthanasia. A video of their dialogue indicates that Steinem and Hooks barely touched on the subject of domestic violence but focused instead on “reproductive rights” and societal ills caused by the patriarchy.
continue at Cardinal Newman Society

Fox11 also has coverage - more than 300 alumni, students and parents petitioned St Norbert's president to remove the invitation


Apparently the talk was a couple weeks ago, HT to Father Z. For comparison, St. Norbert's is in far worse shape as an institution than say Marquette. Remember, St. Norbert's is the same place that protested the invitation to Cardinal George, God rest his soul, even to the point of 3/4 of the staff wearing rainbow ribbons to show their support for the sin of sodomy!  Read that again, a Catholic college where 75% of the staff (forget contraception or no fault annulments) support Gender Theory, something Pope Francis has harshly criticized during his pontificate.  I don't see any way the school is salvageable, unlike Marquette where I hold onto a fools hope.

There ARE efforts to fix St. Norbert's. Today, the college hosts President of Feminists For Life to Speak at St. Norbert College for "Pro-Life Week." This was perhaps some kind of compromise worked out with the diocese.   "Pro-Life Week" efforts are somewhat mitigated by "Seamless Garment" and "Death Penalty" talks.  Certainly related, but if Gloria Steinem gets a platform to advocate specifically for abortion and euthanasia, it seems reasonable to have a counter without the need for a "death penalty" talk (Wisconsin has no death penalty).  Has St. Norbert's hosted a death penalty advocate?  It appears no talks will be given during Pro-Life Week on euthanasia for example, despite the college hosting Steinem's promotion of assisted suicide.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why are you criticizing St. Norbert Knight's for Life Pro-Life Week? Personally, I am in awe of the amount of time and effort these students took out of their busy schedules (so close to finals!) to put on a week of events to promote a culture of life on their campus and give a response to Gloria Steinem's visit. Rest assured, these students address the full spectrum of right-to-life issues beyond this Pro-Life week, which includes the issue of euthanasia. And I don't see how discussions on the death penalty by students at a Catholic college mitigate their message for the right to life.

Perhaps, instead of criticizing these students who put so much time and effort into creating such a beautiful and timely response to Gloria Steinem's visit, you provide a little praise for these young adults that do more than many grown adults do for the pro-life movement.

Badger Catholic said...

I'm not criticizing St. Norbert's Knight? Just because I said its efforts are "mitigated?" I do agree these efforts are downright heroic, and agree wholeheartedly with your comments.

But I think I made my point pretty clear. Why is Gloria Steinem allowed to pick specific anti-life positions to support but then the administration forces St. Norbert's Knights into the ol' "Seamless Garment" argument in defense. I just see an inconsistency in how the administration allows complete free reign to proponents of abortion, but opponents of abortion must be careful to make sure we cover "all" the "pro-life" issues which is a pretty broad spectrum when talking to those on the Left in the Church - issues which it becomes debatable whether really fall into the category of "pro-life."

The failure of the “Seamless Garment” was that, despite the explicit words of its founder, it was turned into a one-size-fits-all pro-life tee shirt that would fit those who were for abortion and euthanasia but be used to strangle actual pro-lifers who disagreed with others on what the Compendium calls “contingent questions.” If there was consistency in the consistent ethic of life, it was largely political.
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2015/seamless-garment-fits

Badger Catholic said...

Thank you for your comment, after rereading I meant to compliment the group and also make the point I was trying to make(seamless garment thing) but clearly wasn't articulated as well as it should have been.

Dad29 said...

Heh.

There's a reason that I described St Norbert's as 'the best little Methodist college in Green Bay' .

And that was 20 years ago.