Archbishop condemns abortion remark by basketball coach at Saint Louis University

[CloneAggie]

Feel free to move this to the cave if you think it belongs there. My intent wasn't to get into a debate about abortion. Should Majerus be reprimanded? Kind of a dumb thing for him to say given he's at a Catholic university.

From Yahoo!

By BETSY TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
January 22, 2008
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A Roman Catholic archbishop said Tuesday that he will ask officials of Saint Louis University to take "appropriate action" against its basketball coach, who said in a television interview that he supports abortion rights.
One of the game's winningest coaches, Rick Majerus made the comment at a weekend rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke declined to say what the action against Majerus should be, saying that was a decision for the Jesuit university. But he said the coach is a leader and shouldn't support views in opposition to church teaching.
"I'm concerned that a leader at a Catholic university made these comments. It can lead Catholics astray," Burke said by telephone as he attended March for Life anti-abortion events in Washington. "I just believe that it's of the essence for people to understand as a Catholic you just cannot hold these beliefs."
Burke said he will seek to speak with university president Rev. Lawrence Biondi, or a representative, when he returns to St. Louis.
During an interview with KMOV-TV at Saturday's Clinton rally in suburban St. Louis, the first-year Billikens coach identified himself as a Catholic and called himself pro-choice. At first when asked for his views on abortion, he said he didn't want to "go there," but then said he is personally "pro-choice."
Saint Louis University spokesman Clayton Berry said Majerus was at the rally as an individual, not as a representative of the school.

[HILLCYD]

Kind of ironic. You would figure a guy like that would want all the babies around he could get.

[Clonefan94]

Tough call. It's America. You should have the right to say what you believe. Then again, if you are representing a privately funded institution, even if you don't believe in all of their teachings, you maybe shouldn't be so publicly vocal against what they believe. I guess, in the end, maybe it's Rick that needs to make a choice here. If he feels that strongly against what the Catholics teach, maybe he should go somewhere else.

[cytech]

I hope nothing comes of it because it shouldn't. he has a right to that opinion, and I don't think it should matter who you work for.

Kinda like saying a mediacom cable installer can't get dish, even though alot of them do anyway.

[Incyte]

Certainly he has a right to his opinion but it's another question whether it was appropriate for him to go out of his way to make his opinon public.

The mediacom cable installer analogy is poor. Majerus is a public figure of the university which is a private Catholic institution.

Maybe Majerus should think less about politics and more about how to score 20 points a game on a consistent basis.

[Clonefan94]

I hope nothing comes of it because it shouldn't. he has a right to that opinion, and I don't think it should matter who you work for.

Kinda like saying a mediacom cable installer can't get dish, even though alot of them do anyway.

No, but, if you are a mediacom installer, would it be right for you to go on TV and say that dishes are better? Even if you believed it, why would you? It's your livelyhood you are trying to protect. I'd say this is as much a topic of respecting your employer than anything.

[CTTB78]

Majerus has been in the public eye long enough to know that his employer would not be happy with his public comments and what the consequences would be. He can take any stance he wants on the issue, of course, but he is a BB coach, not a spokesman for the Church (with whom he is employed) on this issue.