‘Sadly, many Catholic colleges today are captives of radical ideologies and leftist politics, just like their secular counterparts,’ Newman Society says
A small Catholic college in northwest Indiana will honor the pro-LGBT U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
Ambassador Joe Donnelly will reportedly keynote Calumet College of St. Joseph’s graduation ceremony this weekend. Donnelly previously served as U.S. Senator from Indiana.
The school does not list Donnelly as a speaker on its website, but the Post-Tribune, a local newspaper, lists him as the speaker. The College Fix left a voicemail with a university official on Tuesday seeking confirmation Donnelly is still the planned speaker.
While senator, he sometimes voted pro-life, including for a 20-week federal limit on abortion. The Democrat regularly voted to protect taxpayer funding of abortion giant Planned Parenthood and supported the LGBT agenda, despite being Catholic.
“I support marriage equality because we are a stronger state and a stronger country when we support inclusion, respect, and equality for all Americans,” Donnelly said in 2018 while running for re-election.
He lost the race to Republican Mike Braun.
He has voted different ways on Planned Parenthood, previously voting to defund it before supporting the abortion vendor.
The Whiting Catholic college did not respond to two emailed requests for comment sent since May 3. The Fix asked if there were any concerns about Amb. Donnelly’s political views and what interested the school in bringing him.
The Catholic Church condemns abortion and teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman.
“Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states. “Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
“The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the Creator,” the Catechism also states.
The leader of a Catholic education group criticized the college’s selection.
“Not only has Joe Donnelly worked to increase federal funding of abortion and embraced same-sex marriage, which no Catholic college should support, but he’s a Catholic himself,” Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, told The Fix via email. “In that sense, he and the College are ‘birds of a feather,’ both claiming a dubious Catholic identity.”
“Sadly, many Catholic colleges today are captives of radical ideologies and leftist politics, just like their secular counterparts,” Reilly said. “But a growing set of faithful Catholic colleges, which we recognize in our Newman Guide, are forming students in reason, wisdom, and virtue.”
The Newman Guide is a way for parents and students to know which Catholic education institutes remain true to the faith.
“When a college bears the label ‘Catholic,’ it declares its commitment to basic truths,” Reilly said.
“But when a Catholic college freely chooses to celebrate a dissenting Catholic or other proponent of immorality, it violates its own mission.”
Catholic leader previously criticized Donnelly
Donnelly’s selection as ambassador to the Vatican previously drew criticism from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League.
Donohue cited Donnelly’s record of voting in opposition to Catholic Church teaching.
“Donnelly is not only at odds with the Catholic Church on abortion, he is pro-gay marriage, against religious liberty, and against school choice,” Donohue stated in 2021.
He called him a “rogue Catholic,” who “ended his career in government as a foe of the Church’s moral teachings.”
MORE: Catholic Xavier University lists abortion in health insurance plan
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