President of Academy for Life Dodges the Abortion Question - Appointed by Leo XIV
The exact question was: “Several U.S. bishops criticized Notre Dame for appointing a professor [Susan Ostermann] who supports legalized abortion. What responsibility do Catholic universities have to ensure their personnel uphold Catholic teaching on the dignity of life?”
The response was given by Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life. He was appointed by Pope Leo XIV on 27 May 2025.
Rather than addressing the question of institutional responsibility, the answer focused on:
• "The need for dialogue"
• "Ongoing debates about abortion"
• "Helping women and couples"
• "Ethical and social dimensions"
• "Not immediately only the legal aspect of the problem"
From Intrinsic Evil to Ongoing Debate?
Here are Monsignor Pegoraro’s full remarks:
“We need a dialogue and to understand, together with the university and academic people, how to address and manage these questions.
We know all the questions and debates about abortion and how to shape an ethical approach that considers it not acceptable as a practice. On the other side, we must also ask, in the field of prevention, why it is still a problem — what the reasons are — and in which way professionals, as well as those involved in education and other areas, can understand, prevent, explain, and avoid a view that is very reductionist.
Abortion cannot be seen only as a medical problem or an individual problem; it is a problem of everybody — of the community and of society as a whole. We need to consider how to help women, but also the couple, in order to avoid the idea that abortion can be a solution to a difficult pregnancy or to a real problem. The goal is to avoid the idea that abortion is the only solution.
So it is a big challenge, and we try to see how to maintain a debate about this and how to place greater emphasis on the ethical and social aspects, not immediately focusing only on the legal aspect of the problem.”
The response avoided stating whether a Catholic university should appoint faculty who publicly support abortion, shifting instead to talk of dialogue, prevention, and broader ethical and social considerations.
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