Catholic Georgetown U. to fund student internships at abortion agencies

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Comments: 8

Washington D.C., Sep 27, 2007 / 10:18 am (CNA).- The oldest Catholic university in the nation has changed its policy to permit grants to law students who intern with abortion agencies, such as Planned Parenthood.

Law Center Dean T. Alexander Aleinikoff of Georgetown University announced the policy change Sept. 7 in a letter published in the Law Center's student newspaper. It was reported in The Hoya, the Georgetown University newspaper.

The decision came after the Law Center got flack from pro-abortion students and faculty for directing student group Equal Justice Foundation to refuse funding to a student who applied to intern at Planned Parenthood.

The Hoya reports that the University Law Center will no longer consider the mission of organizations in determining grants, as was the case for the initial denial of funding.

"In partnership with the Equal Justice Foundation, the Law Center will provide grants to all students who work on law-related issues at a public interest organization or government agency," wrote Aleinikoff.

Joy Welan the president of the Catholic University Law Center's pro-abortion group, Law Students for Choice, was pleased with the decision. She said her group met with Aleinikoff several times over the policy.

"We think that this compromise is fantastic news, for students who are interested in pursuing careers in reproductive rights advocacy," Welan told The Hoya. "The dean has taken a huge step forward in advancing Georgetown's commitment to public interest law, and we applaud him for it."

Daniel Hughes, president of the Law Center's pro-life group - "Progressive Alliance for Life" - said plainly that the Catholic University was now funding abortion advocacy.

"Aleinikoff has a radically secular, morally relativistic vision for the Law Center," Hughes said in an e-mail to The Hoya. "He and other administrators have crafted a dishonest, legalistic 'compromise' that will allow students to gain assured, extensive Georgetown funding for pro-abortion legal work."

Comments: 8

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Francis Patrick
NY NY 09/30/2007 10:28 AM EST

It's absurd that Georgetown even has a Law Students for Choice group. In the words of Chesterton, Georgetown long ago "became so open minded, its brains have fallen out." The bishops all across the country need to addres this. If students don't like the Catholic identity, they can attend another universtity. The biggest problem with us Catholics today is that we think and act like everybody else. A return to orthodoxy would to our universities and our country well.

And for Mr. Healy a few posts prior, rest well knowing you think kindly of a commercialized murder mill.

Published by: Mark Mayer
Nashville, TN, USA 09/27/2007 10:07 PM EST

Shame, shame, shame on Georgetown. I would expect more from the Oldest Catholic University.

Published by: Rev. Peter Calabrese
Lewiston NY USA 09/27/2007 09:21 PM EST

With this action Georgetown confirms that it is no longer a Catholic institution. The bishops must revoke it's right to be associated with Catholicism in any way. The leaders of this disaster must be excommunicated and pastors everywhere must exhort a boycott of this university.

Published by: Ron Pichlik
Battle Creek, MI USA 09/27/2007 07:20 PM EST

It's time for the Bishop to get into the mix and explain to the law center dean what it means to be a Catholic University. If that fails to work than it's time for the Church to strip Georgetown of it's Catholic affiliation. It's fascinating how so many of these formerly great Catholic universities only want to be "Catholic" during fundraising efforts. Catholics simply need to stop supporting them.

Published by: Mary
St. Paul, MN 09/27/2007 06:03 PM EST

I assume then it will not be labeled as a Catholic University anymore, right?!

Published by: John A. Giblin
Bel Air, MD 09/27/2007 01:40 PM EST

Georgetown has not been a Catholic University for a long, long time.

Published by: John Healy
Washington, DC 09/27/2007 12:45 PM EST

Georgetown should be commended. Planned Parenthood has doen great work around the country.

Published by: Henry Ramirez
San Antonio, Texas 09/27/2007 12:08 PM EST

Shame. Shame on Georgetown University. Their primary task is to uphold the tenets of life and reflect Christ’s light. And with one stroke, they have sunk to the depravity of the culture of death. When did we start putting our own conveniences ahead of our regard for our babies? We ask why we have trouble with our youths committing murders. Why should they have any more regard for life then the society in which they are growing up? Shame on Georgetown. And shame on the students and administration who allow this to happen.

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