The young vote was a crucial factor in the election of Barack Obama. A new report by the Cardinal Newman Society reveals how Catholic colleges aided that victory and helped convince young Catholic voters they could vote for a candidate like Obama in good conscience. The eye-opening report lists the many ways that Catholic colleges and their faculties aided Obama’s win. For instance, more than 15 events were held at Catholic colleges and universities featuring pro-abortion candidates Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or speakers who supported these candidates and their positions. One speaker who appeared at John Carroll University in Ohio on the eve of the election was Sr. Catherine Pinkerton, founder of the Cleveland Women’s Ordination Conference and member of Obama’s Catholic advisory council who spoke to students about “Faithful Citizenship.”   In addition, nine college professors were members of Obama’s National Catholic Advisory Council. At least 36 Catholic colleges and universities had pro-Obama groups meeting on their campuses, including Loyola, Duquesne and Fordham Universities. The prestigious Georgetown University in Washington DC was among the top 25 employers in employee donations to the Obama campaign and seventh among all U.S. colleges in employee donations to the Obama campaign, totaling $179,000. Douglas Kmiec, former law dean, Catholic University of America (DC) not only supported Obama but published a book, Published book Can a Catholic Support Him? Asking the Big Question about Barack Obama  to encourage other Catholics to do the same. He also published numerous essays on Beliefnet.com, Catholic Online, Los Angeles Times, National Catholic Reporter, Newsweek, Slate.com, and elsewhere justifying support for Barack Obama and criticizing the bishops of “low partisanship” for urging voters to reject pro-abortion candidates. Kmiec was not alone in his support of Obama. Outspoken pro-Obama professors were found on Catholic campuses across the nation, all of whom certainly contributed to the Obama win. Some of the examples cited in the report are: ? Outspoken professors including Boston College theology professor Lisa Sowle Cahill, Duquesne law professor Nicholas Cafardi (former dean of Duquesne's law school) and Notre Dame theology professor Cathleen Kaveny publicly challenged bishops' statements encouraging Catholics to oppose pro-abortion candidates. ? Xavier University in Cincinnati hosted an Obama "Campaign for Change" rally on the eve of the election, and St. Peter's College in New Jersey hosted an Obama rally featuring a choir of Catholic schoolchildren. ? Nine professors at Catholic colleges and universities served on Obama's Catholic National Advisory Committee. ? Pamela Trotman Reid, president of St. Joseph College in Hartford, Connecticut, expressed excitement about Obama's candidacy and concern about future Supreme Court decisions affecting "the right of women to make choices about their own health." ? Judy Feder, public policy professor and former public policy dean at Georgetown University, joined the Democratic ticket as a pro-abortion congressional candidate in Virginia's 10th District. ? Several Catholic colleges and universities selected pro-abortion politicians as commencement speakers and honorees. This behavior took place in spite of the 2004 mandate by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) stating 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." In spite of this blatant disregard for the Church and its teachings, it is doubtful that any of these colleges or universities will be held accountable for the role they played in encouraging young Catholics to vote for the most pro-abortion president in the history of the United States. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com