Archbishop opposes Biden visit to Catholic university
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati said Archbishop Schnurr 'not been asked for, nor would he have granted, his approval for any such event to occur on Catholic premises.'
President Biden will be at the university to participate in a CNN town hall on the economy and COVID-19.
President Biden is scheduled to appear tonight at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, where he’ll participate in a CNN town hall. Though, the visit is not welcomed by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati, to which the university belongs, released a statement yesterday outlining Archbishop Schurr’s concerns.
“Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr has not been contacted by any involved party about the upcoming visit of President Joseph R. Biden to Cincinnati,” said the statement. “Archbishop Schnurr has therefore not been asked for, nor would he have granted, his approval for any such event to occur on Catholic premises.”
The statement also clarifies that, “Mount St. Joseph University operates under the sponsorship of the Sisters of Charity and not under the direct oversight of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.”
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Biden is the second Catholic president to hold office, yet his positions on certain controversial issues including abortion have drawn criticism from the local community.
Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, for example, reportedly called Biden the “most pro-abortion president in U.S. history.”
Biden’s budget request for the 2022 fiscal year excluded the Hyde Amendment, which would clear the way for taxpayer-funded abortions. As a senator, Biden supported the amendment, which prohibits the use of Medicaid to fund abortions, but reversed his standing in 2019 as a presidential candidate.
Meg DeBlase, the executive director of Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, told Campus Reform that she believes the university should have canceled the visit and issued a public apology.
“We called on the University and the Sisters of Charity, who run the university, to cancel the event and issue a formal apology, as well as commit to protecting innocent unborn lives in the future, as a good catholic institution should,” she said.
“Joe Biden touts himself as a faithful Catholic, but he’s committing a grave sin by supporting abortion. No catholic institution should consider hosting him until he starts acting like a Catholic himself,” De Blase said. “The reality is, this man is supporting one of the greatest human rights violations, so there should be no compromises. Catholic institutions should be Catholic first.”
Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati is planning a protest tonight at 7:00 pm ET tonight on the public sidewalk. They are also encouraging local contact the university in opposition to Biden’s visit.
In a statement provided to Campus Reform, Mount St. Joseph University said, “We are humbled and honored that both CNN and the White House have recognized Mount St. Joseph University as an outstanding institution of higher learning that is capable and willing to host such an important event. The University has always been and will continue to be a diverse and inclusive place where people from different races, ethnicities, social backgrounds, beliefs, and religions can come together to discuss and share their unique perspectives. We look forward to introducing the Mount to a nationally televised prime time audience.”
CNN.com reported that the one-hour event will be moderated by anchor Don Lemon, and will cover a wide range of topics including Covid-19 and the economy.
