Consistent: Abp. Hughs boycotting Xavier commencement over pro-abort speaker

I twittered this story yesterday but it deserves more attention.

Lest we think that the Notre Dame situation is a unique one - where the local ordinary (in this case, Bishop John D'Arcy) is refusing to attend commencement exercises that honor a pro-abortion speaker - Archbishop Hughes is making a similar stand in New Orleans:

"Archbishop Alfred Hughes will not attend Xavier University’s commencement because national democratic strategist Donna Brazile, who is a Louisiana native and Catholic, is scheduled to speak, according to a letter from Hughes.

... “Ms. Brazile has a public record in support of keeping abortion legal,” Hughes wrote.

"I recognize that Ms. Brazile is a Catholic Louisiana native who has worked effectively in service to the poor and African Americans in particular. However, her public statements on the abortion issue are not in keeping with Catholic moral teaching.”

Hughes cited Brazile’s support of Obama’s decision to reverse a Mexico City policy, which allows federal funds to go to organizations that provide abortions, as proof of her pro-abortion stance. (Local WWLTV)"

Brazile responded by email to a local paper:

"I will remain faithful to the Catholic Church and my Christian faith which keeps me grounded."

Some counter-argument.

Oh, and as a point of trivia: who gave Xavier's 2006 commencement speech? That's right: Senator Barack Obama. He's since moved on to bigger Catholic universities. You can read the text of his address that day here.

More on Abp. Hughes at Catholic News Agency, LifeSite, and Cardinal Newman Society.