Bishop Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton has recently requested that the University of Scranton – a Catholic and Jesuit university in Pennsylvania – withdraw its invitation to a women's rights activist and former United States House of Representatives member, Majorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, who is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for a January 28 event at the University of Scranton encouraging women to become active in politics and learn more about the political system.
The January 28 event is affiliated with a program called Ready to Run. According to the program overview, “Ready to Run is a bi-partisan program for women who want to run for office, seek higher office, work on a campaign, get appointed to office, or learn more about the political system” that offers information relating to “fundraising an media skills, real-world advice and best practices from experts, inspiration to launch a campaign, a better understanding of party politics” and much more.
Bambera opposes Margolies-Mezvinsky speaking at the University of Scranton, according to a recent release from the Diocese of Scranton, because she “clearly supports a pro-abortion agenda.” The press release notes that Margolies-Mezvinsky “co-sponsored the Abortion Clinic Access Bill, which sought to make it a federal crime to impede access to abortion clinics” and “served as an executive director for the Women's Campaign Fund, a group dedicated to increasing the number of women in office who support reproductive choices and options from all parties and all levels of government” among other details.
The University of Scranton denied Bambera's request. The release from the Diocese of Scranton notes,
The gravity of this issue speaks to the heart and substance of who we are as Christians. Because of the incarnation of Christ, every human life has value and worth. […] Although such a forum such as this, designed to support and encourage women to engage in public service, is by its nature good and noble, for a Catholic institution in the Diocese of Scranton to invite a pro-abortion advocate to speak at a University sponsored event is dismaying and personally disheartening to me.
According to the Diocesan release, “University [of Scranton] officials noted that their invitations to Ms. Margolies was not an endorsement of her personal views.”
In May of 2010, Bambera similarly opposed the University of Scranton's decision to host pro-choice speakers Sara Bendoraitis, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at American University who spoke at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference which included presentations on abortion rights and access to birth control. The Diocesan release noted, "Bishop Bambera cited his obligation to endure that authentic Catholic teaching is being provided in all Catholic institutions in the Diocese, and that viewpoints in opposition to this teaching are not being presented as acceptable alternatives."
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