It has been four years since the U.S. bishops, in their statement Catholics in Political Life banned platforms or honors for public opponents of Catholic teaching at Catholic institutions.

Our bishops have declared that “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”

Nevertheless, in the spring of 2006 24 Catholic colleges and universities hosted scandalous commencement speakers and honorees including advocates of abortion rights, stem-cell research, physician-assisted suicide, homosexual marriage and women’s ordination. That number represents more than 10 percent of the 224 Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S., consistent with past years.

The Cardinal Newman Society has publicly decried the obvious conflict with the bishops’ policy, and CNS members petitioned offending colleges to refrain from honoring public dissidents from Catholic teaching.