May 18, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Baltimore’s Cardinal William Keeler has announced that he will boycott Loyola College of Maryland’s graduation ceremony because former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani—a firm supporter of abortion--will deliver the commencement address.
The Cardinal wrote in a letter to College president David Haddad, that, "there will be no representative of the archdiocese participating in any event honoring Mayor Giuliani."
He also said that he hoped the Catholic school would "understand many of the consequences" of inviting a commencement speaker who disagrees with such a fundamental moral stance of the Church.
The announcement comes following protests by Maryland’s pro-life groups and the Washington-based Cardinal Newman Society, a group who seeks to maintain Catholic identity in institutions of higher learning.
The Cardinal Newman Society says that they are currently protesting 17 different Catholic Colleges and Universities for inviting speakers and honorary degree nominees who stand against fundamental Church teachings.