It wasn’t until after the fact that some Saint Mary’s
administrators realized students attended a pro-choice rally with money from
the college. The situation has been stirring up some controversy with Catholics
on campus who strongly oppose abortion.
Four St. Mary’s students and one faculty member attended
a pro-choice rally in Washington D.C. It was a leadership conference was designed
to encourage youth to save abortion rights.
Mary Watrobka is one of the four St. Mary’s students
who attended the pro-choice rally. It was a free trip funded by an organization
at Saint Mary’s College. "I had a couple support me and tell me I should
go and represent the minority of pro-choice women on this campus because it
is a silent group but they’re still here," says Mary.
Administration says decision was wrong
St. Mary’s spokesperson Melanie Engler says, "The administration’s position
is that the decision was wrong." But the Center for Women’s Intercultural
Leadership on campus approved a grant so the students could go to the pro-choice
rally.
They received a grant for more than $1700. Many administrators
didn’t even know about the conference until they group had already attended.
Engler says, "Funding is more than exposure. Funding is endorsing and that
is something the college thinks shouldn’t have happened here."
…Some students support the funding, like Lauren O’Brien. "I think it’s
a good idea, aside from the fact we’re a Catholic college and not suppose to
believe in abortion."
Mary Watrobka says St. Mary’s is not just a Catholic
college. It’s also a women’s college. But the administration says, ultimately,
the beliefs of the Catholic Church blanket the school. [Full
Story]
I am glad that the school administration doesn’t support this and is taking
steps to prevent this from occurring in the future. It is also good that the
pro-abortion crowd is in the minority of this campus.
The two student quotes are pretty strange. If the students had attended a K
K K rally would the quotes have been.
"I think it’s a good idea,
aside from the fact we’re a Black college and not suppose to believe in racism."
"… is not just a Black college. It’s also a
women’s college"
I am not sure exactly how being a woman is suppose to trump the Catholic faith
and it’s teaching on abortion.
