Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, who taught as an adjunct professor of law at Notre Dame Law School for six years and earned an MBA degree in business at the university, this week spoke out in support of his brother bishop denouncing the school’s decision to promote a professor who is outspokenly pro-abortion.
The Springfield bishop stated in an emailed press release that he is in full support of Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana — where Notre Dame is located — and his statement condemning the school’s appointment of Associate Professor Susan Ostermann as director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies.
“Bishop Rhoades has rightly identified why this decision is scandalous,” Bishop Paprocki continued. “Given Ms. Ostermann’s public record of radical advocacy that is fundamentally opposed to the dignity of human life, placing her in a leadership role at a Catholic university is incompatible with the mission and moral witness Notre Dame claims to uphold. Such an appointment causes confusion among the faithful and undermines the Church’s consistent ethic of life, which is central to Catholic social teaching.”
As Zeale News previously reported, Bishop Rhoades said Feb. 11 that it is disqualifying that Ostermann has argued that the Catholic social principle of integral human development “actually supports abortion on demand.”
Bishop Paprocki criticized the employing of Catholic social teaching without adhering to its most basic tenets.
“Catholic social teaching cannot be selectively invoked while rejecting its foundational principle — the inviolable dignity of the human person from conception to natural death,” Bishop Paprocki said. “To do so is not only intellectually incoherent but a direct slap in the face to the Church’s moral tradition. Academic freedom does not obligate a Catholic university to entrust leadership to those whose public positions contradict essential moral truths.”
Bishop Paprocki said he joins with Bishop Rhoades in calling on the university “to reverse this appointment and to reaffirm, in both word and deed, its commitment to authentic Catholic education and witness.”
Unless it is revoked, the appointment will go into effect in July. Criticism against Notre Dame’s appointment continues to mount, as pro-life groups have denounced the move and numerous other Catholic bishops have expressed support of Bishop Rhoades’ statement. Earlier this week, several recipients of the university’s pro-life award issued a statement lamenting the appointment as a betrayal.