Dear  John xxxxxx,

Your voice is vital...

Because Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, has invited Dr. Mary McAleese—former president of Ireland and outspoken supporter of abortion—to give the 2025 commencement address and receive an honorary degree.

This is a heartbreaking betrayal of our Catholic Faith.

Dr. McAleese has openly defied Church teaching, and honoring her sends such a confusing message to faithful students, alumni, and the wider Catholic community.

Please sign your protest.

Here’s why Dr. McAleese is unfit to address Catholic students:

1. She Is Vocally Pro-Abortion

Dr. McAleese stated she had “no hesitation” to vote for the repeal of Ireland’s Eighth Amendment, which effectively legalized abortion, and claimed that it was not a sin.
(source: Belfast Telegraph)

2. She Supports the Sin of “Pride”

Dr. McAleese marched in the pro-homosexual Dublin Pride Parade “with her son and his husband [sic].” At a separate event, she claimed “the Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality is ‘evil’.” (source: BBC)

3. She Opposes Church Teaching

When Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin urged those who voted ‘Yes’ to legalize abortion should consider going to Confession, Dr. McAleese responded, saying she had "no intention whatsoever" of seeking forgiveness for her decision. (source: Irish Times)

4. She Has Heretical Opinions

Dr. McAleese stated, "The Catholic Church is one of the last great bastions of misogyny. It's an empire of misogyny.” She continued to say that a Church hierarchy that is “homophobic and anti-abortion is not the Church of the future.” (source: BBC)

Furthermore, in remarks published by Womenpriests.org, Dr. McAleese misconstrues St. Paul’s writings in Romans 16:1 as support for women deacons: “The next issue on the agenda, it seems to me, has got to be women as deacons," she said. "Here the biblical support is on our side.”

Since Dr. McAleese attacks basic moral values, she’s not a good role model for students and should never receive a platform at a Catholic college.

Please send your prayerful protest to Saint Mary's!

Thank you for fighting the good fight.


John Ritchie
TFP Student Action Director


P.S. – Dr. McAleese is no role model for Catholic students.  With your petition -- please urge Saint Mary’s to pick a commencement speaker who loves God and follows His law.

Please be polite yet firm in your communications:

Dr. Katie Conboy
President, Saint Mary’s College
134 Le Mans Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (574) 284-4602







www.tfpstudentaction.org
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