Cardinal Newman Society head says group operates within magisterium

Published: 2006-02-07

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A self-described watchdog organization that claims many Catholic colleges are losing their Catholic identity is not setting up a teaching authority independent of the bishops, said the head of the group. The Cardinal Newman Society is exercising a "concurrent magisterium" in keeping with the church's teaching authority, said Patrick Reilly, the society's president. He said that the organization presents to bishops its concerns that some Catholic colleges hire professors and invite speakers who oppose Catholic teachings, especially on abortion and sexual morality. But the society needs no prior permission from bishops to issue its criticisms, he added. "We have not had bishops tell us we're treading on the bishops' authority. If they did, we would back off," Reilly told Catholic News Service Feb. 2 after giving a speech at Jesuit-run Georgetown University in Washington. Reilly, in his talk, said that Georgetown is not doing a good job of maintaining its Catholic identity. "Georgetown University can't be Catholic if the faculty is not on board," he said.

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