A Man of Great Courage

This young man is an example of what our Catholic Colleges SHOULD be putting out, however as you can hear, it is an unfortunate truth that he is not the norm, but the exception. Instead of getting a standing ovation as was deserved (tho there are those that did give him an ovation at the end), the speaker, University of St Thomas's 2006 Tommie of the Year, Ben Kessler, had people walking out on him. I could understand the reaction if this were a public institution, but this is a private Catholic university with the following mission statement:
“Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.” Everything in this young man's speech reflects this mission statement.

Notice at the end how the speaker thanks Ben for the courage of speaking his "thoughts", not for the courage of speaking "Catholic teaching", teaching that all Catholics should know and follow, and not be shocked or upset by. Although many of these students are not Catholic, they should not be so offended by hearing basic Catholic doctrine spoken at their Catholic University.

Unfortunately the University of St Thomas's president, Fr. Dennis Dease, gave an apology for this speech, and required Ben Kessler to also give an apology. I do not know why since Mr. Kessler's speech proves that he is exactly what the mission statement claims the University desires to produce.

Please note that this is merely a 6 minute excerpt of a longer speech made, that this was simply a part of what was said and not the focus of the speech, but rather an example of the focus which was that the graduates should go out into the world with the intent to change it for the Common Good, leaving selfishness behind, in the same tradition of Martin Luther King Jr, Ghandi, and yes, even Jesus who all Christians are supposed to desire to emulate.

(Caution, foul language can be heard on the recording)



If anyone else gives a hoot about this, please write Fr. Dennis Dease at the University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105

Raising up Terri, at least in my blog

This is a bit postdated, but the topic I believe is still something we deal with. I came across this doing some internet reading. It's just another example of how we as a public tend to swallow too easily that which is fed us as truth when the truth is indeed something entirely different.

Many of us saw polls that came out during the Terri Schiavo fiasco that were held up as proof that the majority of people supported denying her food and water (not that majority belief would still make it right, for what is right and true is not a matter of what is popular public opinion), but how many of us saw this poll which did not ask tainted questions on the matter to get the answers desired by those that supported the denial of food and water?

LifeNews
April 1, 2005
Steven Ertelt

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Polls leading up to the death of Terri Schiavo made it appear Americans had formed a consensus in favor of ending her life. However, a new Zogby poll with fairer questions shows the nation clearly supporting Terri and her parents and wanting to protect the lives of other disabled patients.

The Zogby poll found that, if a person becomes incapacitated and has not expressed their preference for medical treatment, as in Terri's case, 43 percent say "the law presume that the person wants to live, even if the person is receiving food and water through a tube" while just 30 percent disagree.

Another Zogby question his directly on Terri's circumstances.

"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.

A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.

"From the very start of this debate, Americans have sat on one of two sides," Concerned Women for America's Lanier Swann said in response to the poll. One side "believes Terri's life has worth and purpose, and the side who saw Michael Schiavo's actions as merciful, and appropriate."

More than three-fourths of Americans agreed, Swann said, "because a person is disabled, that patient should never be denied food and water."

The poll also lent support to members of Congress to who passed legislation seeking to prevent Terri's starvation death and help her parents take their lawsuit to federal courts.

"When there is conflicting evidence on whether or not a patient would want to be on a feeding tube, should elected officials order that a feeding tube be removed or should they order that it remain in place," respondents were asked.

Some 18 percent said the feeding tube should be removed and 42 percent said it should remain in place.

Swann said her group would encourage Congress to adopt legislation that would federal courts to review cases when the medical treatment desire of individuals is not known and the patient's family has a dispute over the care.

"According to these poll results, many Americans do in fact agree with what we're trying to accomplish," she said.

The poll found that 49 percent of Americans believe there should be exceptions to the right of a spouse to act as a guardian for an incapacitated spouse. Only 39 percent disagreed.

When asked directly about Terri's case and told the her estranged husband Michael "has had a girlfriend for 10 years and has two children with her" 56 percent of Americans believed guardianship should have been turned over to Terri's parents while 37 percent disagreed.