Don't mar

A reader sent me the following story.

The College of St. Mary has withdrawn an invitation to its scheduled speaker at Sunday’s commencement out of concern that threatened protests might disrupt the ceremony.

The college had invited Roberta Wilhelm, executive director of Girls Inc. in Omaha, to give the address. Girls Inc.’s national advocacy positions, posted on its Web site, include statements favoring abortion rights.

Last weekend, the college began receiving e-mails, faxes and telephone calls, some of which threatened to picket, demonstrate or shout down Wilhelm, said Sister Maryanne Stevens, the college’s president.

The callers were distressed that someone who led a group favoring abortion rights was the commencement speaker at a Roman Catholic college. The Sisters of Mercy – an order of Catholic nuns – are affiliated with College of St. Mary.

"I decided it had the potential to mar our graduation ceremonies that are truly celebratory events for our students and families," Stevens said.

Nice face-saving move Sister. I mean who cares about a Catholic school letting the executive director of an organization that supports abortion and says "girls need and have a right to…effective methods of contraception." speak at the graduations or that this wasn’t the sharpest decision? Just don’t mar at St. Mary so that we will have an immaculate graduation.

The e-mails, faxes and calls came after the Rev. Damien Cook, pastor of St. Peter Catholic Church in Omaha, sent an e-mail Friday to a number of people in the area asking them "to do what you can in a respectful manner" to encourage the college to cancel Wilhelm’s speech.

"Whatever the speaker’s personal feelings, she works for and represents a corporation that works in direct opposition to our faith and the true health and good of girls and women," he wrote.

Bravo Father and those that responded in a respectful manner.