Archbiship Raymond Burke is right to object to basketball coach Rick Majerus’ public endorsement of abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

As an all-too-prominent representative of the University, Majerus’ statements on any issue cannot be dismissed as personal comments. When hired, Majerus claimed to be attracted to SLU’s Jesuit and Catholic values, but now feels free to repudiate them publicly.

The position of the Catholic Church, (not just of Burke) is clear and unequivocal about abortion and embryonic stem cell research. The position of the Society of Jesus is just as strong. A 2003 statement by the Society of Jesus in the United Sates, “Standing for the Unborn,” says that “Jesuits must seek an end to the injustice of abortion.”

And while Campus Ministry Director Lisa Reiter, in defending Majerus, said that “SLU’s mission statement is the pursuit of truth” (“Majerus v. Burke,” Jan. 25), the mission statement also says that SLU “is a Jesuit and Catholic university . guided by the spiritual and intellectual ideals of the Society of Jesus.”
Does this mean any position is compatible with our Catholic and Jesuit identity?

What if a university employee, let alone a high profile one like Majerus, publicly endorsed White Supremacy or pedophilia?
Would these also be justified as the pursuit of truth, or dismissed as personal comments?

Just because the University desperately wants Majerus to win basketball games and justify the new, multimillion-dollar arena doesn’t mean we should trash our values and identity to humor him.

Daniel L. Schlafly, Jr.
Professor of History