Emails from those who oppose Fr. McFarland and Support the Bishop's Statement
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From: ckoenigsr911@.net
Sent: Tue 10/23/2007 2:02 PM
To: Ben Wetmore
Subject: RE: Holy Cross Conference call
Nothing short of scandalous. Indicative of how much modernism and indifferentialism have infected the college and its faculty. The decals are coming off my cars. Thanks for your work.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lafortune4@.com
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 10:02 PM
To: holycross
Subject: erosion of family values
This e-mail is to inform the administration of Holy Cross of the disappointed and unrest caused to my family. After learning about the forum Father McFarland is giving to Planned Parenthood and NARAL, I notified all friends and family of the message a Catholic college is sending to its audience. As a father of three children,this performance by the administration, will factor into my decision for future college choices.......Joseph LaFortune
Douglas, Ma.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mary Mitchell [mailto:mmitchell@.com]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 5:22 PM
Subject: Father McFarland
Regarding the statements by Michael McFarland, so often his remarks were: The college regrets confusion, the college has no affiliation, the college entered a contractual agreement, the college determined it will honor its contractual obligation to the Alliance... WHEN in FACT... HE, McFarland, is acting on his own decisions. "The college" is clever word usage for this man to give himself "credibility" when he is indeed charting his own course in this matter. The opinions are his, the decisions are his... and if they are also opinions and decisions of the governing body of "advisors" of the college, then indeed, these people are making radical deviations from CATHOLIC leadership and CATHOLIC principles! Shame on the lot of them!Christ in His Almighty wisdom, often taught in parables so man could understand... especially the brilliant Jesuits know about the lesson of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
At Holy Cross College, I believe we have a "fox in the chicken coop"...
Are the bishops paying attention? I hope that an urgent bulletin is sent to the Holy Father in Rome!
Catholics have heard enough of clergy scandals! God help us remain ever faithful to Him and His commandments.
How very sad that the "Catholics in the pews" must police their own leaders. NO forum that is contrary to the sanctity of human life should ever be permitted on a campus which is called a Catholic campus!
Furthermore, and in closing, the devout Catholic nuns responsible for my education... would consider it my duty to send this email to Holy Cross College.
God bless your noble work for His precious unborn children.
Mary Mitchell
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From: dancoin416@.com
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 1:59 PM
To: holycross
Subject: Holy Cross & Planned Parenthood
Dear Father McFarland,The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is murder. Planned Parenthood murders thousands of children every year. It seems pretty simple. Do not allow Planned Parenthood on the Holy Cross campus.
Sincerely,
Dan Coyne
Class of 1985
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From: Wilson, Joseph E [mailto:joseph.e.wilson@]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 2:18 PM
To: holycross
Subject: Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy Planned "Training" Seminar
Dr. Michael Collins
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Holy Cross
College Hill
Worcester, MA 01610Dear Dr. Collins:
I am a protestant-catholic-jewish-christian, African American graduate from the College of the Holy Cross, Class of '76. I agree that the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy conference should not take place on the Holy Cross campus at the Hogan Center.
I believe that allowing such an organization access to Holy Cross sends a signal that Holy Cross supports its objectives and views. It is no less offensive to me to hear that a Catholic College is playing host to the Alliance on Teen Pregnancy than if Holy Cross were to host an assembly of Ku Klux Klansmen. In either case, knowledge is conveyed. However, the free speech that will be hosted is diametrically opposed to the doctrines taught by the Messiah and by the Catholic Church.
We can uphold the attainment of knowledge without tacitly showing loyalty to, and getting into bed with, those organizations that oppose our views.
Please don't imply that Holy Cross supports the Alliance by letting them onto the campus to distribute their mental poisoning of our faith.
Sincerely,
JOSEPH E. WILSON, JR.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------From: James Cardle [mailto:JCardle@.com]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 2:41 PM
To: holycross
Subject: PP on campusAlthough I am not an active alumnus, I wish my old college well and seeing this sort of thing upsets me. Harvard and the University of Southern California, to name two, started as religious institutions, but I don’t think anyone would call these religious institutions now unless one considers secularism a religion. There are many more such examples. I do not wish to see Holy Cross follow a similar path. I have sent the following email to Fr. McFarland through the alumni office.
As an alumnus (Class of ‘72), I am writing this in
response to your recent email with respect to the
meeting of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen
Pregnancy. Note that I was far from a stellar student
at the College nor am I active as an alumnus. I do
not donate, I do not generally participate in any
activities related to the College, and I do not
generally pay much attention to the College other than
to note the occasional football or basketball score.
However, I found your email troubling on a number of
levels and, accordingly, deserving of a response.A quick check of the Alliance’s web site does not
reveal that Planned Parenthood and NARAL are members
of the Alliance. However, perusal of the Boston and
Worcester newspapers online revealed that this
conference has been held at Holy Cross since the year
2000 and that these organizations have attended at
least some of the previous conferences. The College
is thus on notice of the likely participation of these
groups.
Like a person, the College is known by the company it
keeps. The presence of Planned Parenthood and NARAL on
campus has an impact on the reputation of the College.
It is an uncontroverted fact that Planned Parenthood
profits greatly from the abortion industry and that
Planned Parenthood has is origins in the eugenics
movement of the 1930’s and in the overt racism of
that movement. Is this the reputation that you wish
the College to be associated with?
The reputation of the College, in turn, serves to
enhance the reputations of organizations that appear
on the campus. Appearance at the College will burnish
the unsavory image of these organizations and sow
confusion amongst the laity. Furthermore, the College
has no control over the ways in which Planned
Parenthood and NARAL will use their appearances at the
College for their own purposes. For a Catholic
college, this is a scandal.Actions speak louder than words. The public at large
is unlikely to read your nuanced statements or ponder
their meaning. The public does observe the presence
of Planned Parenthood and NARAL on the campus,
observes that the College, albeit indirectly, appears
to be receiving payment from Planned Parenthood and
NARAL, and draws conclusions accordingly.Teen pregnancy is a problem, no one denies this.
However, the solution is not an unlimited abortion
license as advocated by these groups. Nor is the
solution the general handing out of contraceptives to
all with the attendant problems of sexually
transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancy, and sexual
abuse. If the College is interested in the teen
pregnancy problem, I would suggest that the College
respond by hosting a conference of Catholic social
agencies, Catholic healthcare professionals, and other
Catholic professionals to formulate a Catholic
response to this problem and to disseminate this
response. By doing this, the College could serve as
an important moral counterweight to NARAL and PP, who
do not lack the ability to advance their positions.The College administration erred in judgment and the
College must now face the consequences. While the
sanctity of contract ought to be given some weight, I
would suggest breach by refusal to perform. Perhaps
the College could mitigate damages by helping to find
some other venue, or perhaps the College could just
buck up and eat the damages.If the costs of breaking the contract would be too
odious, the following would be a more appropriate
statement. We erred. We should have known better.
We are going to honor our contract for this year
because of the costs of breaching the contract. We
absolutely, positively do not endorse, agree with, or
otherwise wish anything to do with Planned Parenthood
and/or NARAL. In fact, we invite them not to attend.
In the future, the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen
Pregnancy will need to find another venue.Thank you for considering my thoughts, which are
offered in good spirit. I know your position is
difficult and I pray that you have God's guidance as
you fulfill the duties of your office.James Cardle ‘72
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From: EWL [mailto:ewl930@.com]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 3:34 PM
To: holycross
Subject: A Sad Witness for HC
Dear HC Students for Life:Thank you for taking a leadership role in this important issue!
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Dear Fr. McFarland:
I read with great interest your email to alumni and friends of October 18, 2007, regarding this week’s teen pregnancy conference being held at the Hogan Center. I also read with interest the email from Mr. Ruddy, which arrived a few minutes after yours.
Those defending the College’s decision to host this conference point to (a) the need to honor the rental contract with this organization and (b) the College’s commitment to an “open exchange of ideas… on even the most problematic and divisive of moral and spiritual issues”, and (c) the lack of any College participation or involvement in this conference.
The latter two points strike me as quite curious, as I fail to see how the College is fostering an open exchange of ideas if it has no participation or involvement in the conference. Indeed, if the Holy Cross community was participating in the sessions with the aim of bringing a Catholic perspective to the discussions, this would be far more defensible, even though I would continue to object to the presence of other conference participants.
This, however, is not the case. The only Catholic group that planned to participate has withdrawn. The Bishop of Worcester has formally asked Holy Cross to “unequivocally disassociate” itself from this conference, citing the prospect of creating confusion and scandal among the Catholic faithful regarding the College’s adherence to and support of authentic Catholic teaching on essential matters. But apparently, Holy Cross knows better.
The argument that the rental contract is strictly a “legal” issue is ridiculous. I contend that Holy Cross is not a public convention center that can rent out its facilities to any group that makes such a request without regard for the content or participants. Surely there are certainly plenty of conference venues available in the state of Massachusetts where such a group could hold its meeting.
Why, then, has this group specifically chosen to meet at a Catholic college? In my mind, either the College has been “duped” by conference organizers who relish the thought of discussing contraception, sex education, abortion, and other anti-Catholic practices right in the midst of the Catholic community, or the College itself has decided to send a signal that it is a place where “open minds” prevail, where the authority of the Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, carries little weight, and where scandal is welcomed. Either way, your decision not to cancel this conference is truly disappointing and a lost opportunity for the College to offer an authentic Christian witness to the sanctity of life and the teaching authority of the Church.
Sincerely,
Erik W. Lenz '87
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From: Bob Giesey [mailto:BGiesey@csciences.com]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 12:52 PM
To: holycross
Subject: Planned parenthood
Fr. McFarland – I would strongly urge you to cancel the up coming Teen Pregnancy Seminar at Holy Cross. As a renowned Catholic institution of learning you are going against the teachings of Christ, the Catholic Church, and the Holy Father. Abortion is not an option. I thank the Lord that our mothers did have that option. Yours in Christ – Bob Giesey
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From: Dianne Liebler [mailto:damage68@.net]
Sent: Mon 10/22/2007 12:59 PM
To: holycross
Subject: Mass. alliance on teen pregnancy presentation attn: Dr. Michael Collins
To Dr. Michael Collins:It is totally inappropriate for Holy Cross to provide a venue to organizations who promote abortion, a practice which is diametrically opposed to church teaching. Shame on you, Holy Cross for allowing the "culture of death" to step on the campus.
Joseph Liebler
Class of '56