Archbishop skips Loyola graduation over law school's Landrieu honor

Published: 2005-05-10

NEW ORLEANS (CNS) -- Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes said he would not participate in commencement exercises at Loyola University in New Orleans because the university's law school decided to honor a prominent Louisiana Catholic family that includes a U.S. senator who has voted to support keeping abortion legal. The law school planned to grant an honorary degree May 13 to the entire family of Moon Landrieu, a former mayor of New Orleans and state appeals court judge. One of his daughters is U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. The New Orleans archbishop announced May 5 he had decided to decline an invitation to participate in the university's graduation ceremonies, scheduled May 12-14, because "not all members of the (Landrieu) family have been faithful to the church's teaching regarding public policy" on abortion.

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