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Tuesday, April 25, 2006
From a Villanova alumnus to the current President, with permission to publish:
Dear Father Dobbin:
I've been rather distressed to see what seem to be misrepresentations of my beloved Villanova [one of the hard science schools, YOG early 90s] in the secular and Catholic press. There has been a remarkable bit of brouhaha about the proposed pro-life memorial on South Campus, and it really has left me feeling that "they don't know my Villanova!"
The Villanova of my memory (and, so my recent contacts assure me, of the present as well) is a remarkably Catholic university that has never forgotten that the fullness of truth resides in the Church, and which encourages an active and conscientious participation in Catholic life among her students. Certainly, the strength of the pro-life tenor of the University during my time (which corresponded to your first four years on the campus) was notable, and encouraging to any faithful Catholic. It clearly contrasted with the environment at either Notre Dame or Georgetown during my time. As soon as I heard that funding for the pro-life memorial was secured, I had no doubts that it would eventually be realized.
The secular press has made much of some unfortunate comments from a few current students to imply that the student body is ardently opposed, or in some way offended, by the memorial. I doubted this from the beginning, and the fact that the same few quotes keep getting recycled lead me to conclude that it just isn't so.
Meanwhile, the board of trustees' recent action deferring a decision on the memorial has been portrayed in both Catholic and secular media as an act of cowardice, or somehow a demonstration of a rethinking of Villanova's Catholic identity and support for pro-life causes. Again, I doubt that this is the case. My familiarity with governance boards leads me to believe that this deferral was simply part of normal board operating procedures, taking time to investigate a new proposal.
I am writing to you to appeal for two separate actions on your part. First, please do support the proposed memorial. The pictures I have seen from the artist's web site present a beautiful sculpture, and the suggested site seems ideal: the inaptly named "rape trail" has needed some additional ornamentation and conceptual focus since before even my time living in Stanford Hall. Second, please increase your efforts to get the true story of Villanova, and its strong pro-life traditions, into the media. Let none doubt that the Order of Saint Augustine has been a faithful shepherd of her great university!
Thank you so much for your consideration, and God bless you during this time of transition.
Sincerely,
Greg [last name omitted for privacy] Class of 199*
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"After Abortion,...run by Emily Peterson and Annie Banno, two women who had abortions in the 1970s, ...tries to avoid the political tug-of-war that tends to come with this turf. They concentrate instead on discussing the troubling personal effects of abortion on the mothers." ~ Eric Scheske, Godspy contributing editor, in NC Register's "Signs of Life in the Blogosphere", 2/2006
"Godbloggers could, in the best of worlds, become the new apologists...[including] laymen with day jobs: Emily Peterson and Annie Banno, for instance, at the blog After Abortion..."~ Jonathan V. Last, The Weekly Standard online editor, in First Things's "God on the Internet", 12/2005
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George & Linda Zallie, Stacy's parents, "assisting women who made the difficult choice of ending their pregnancy in finding nonjudgmental help" for suicidal feelings.
For immediate help, call tollfree, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: national, confidential, post-abortion-recovery hotlines: 1-877-HOPE-4-ME or 1-866-482-5433 or 1-800-5WE-CARE ...more help below...
"I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion...[many are] aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and [do] not doubt that it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace...You will come to understand that nothing is definitively lost and you will also be able to ask forgiveness from your child..."
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