Notre Dame bishop blasts abortion-rights advocate named institute director, calls it ‘scandal to the faithful’
A Catholic bishop in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is criticizing the appointment of an abortion rights advocate to lead the University of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, calling it a "scandal to the faithful."
"There has been much news coverage, controversy, and outcry in response to the recent appointment of Associate Professor Susan Ostermann to director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies at the University of Notre Dame," Bishop Kevin Rhoades said in a statement published Wednesday in Today’s Catholic.
"Having now read many of the op-ed pieces co-authored by Professor Ostermann, I must express my dismay and my strong opposition to this appointment that is causing scandal to the faithful of our diocese and beyond," he added.
"Professor Ostermann’s extensive public advocacy of abortion rights and her disparaging and inflammatory remarks about those who uphold the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death go against a core principle of justice that is central to Notre Dame’s Catholic identity and mission."
Notre Dame announced last month that Ostermann, who joined the university in 2017 as a global affairs professor, will assume her role as director of the Asian studies center in July.
In her writings, Ostermann has been an outspoken supporter of abortion.
In 2022, Ostermann co-authored a Chicago Tribune article titled, "Lies about abortion have dictated our health policy," with former Notre Dame professor Tamara Kay, where the two wrote that "almost 90% of abortions occur during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy when there are no babies or fetuses. There are only blastocysts or embryos so tiny they are too small to be seen on an abdominal ultrasound."
The authors further wrote that abortion "doesn’t cause cancer, it doesn’t affect future fertility, and most people feel relief after an abortion and do not regret their decision. Up to 11 weeks, medication abortions are generally performed using mifepristone and misoprostol, which are safer than taking Tylenol."
In another 2022 article published by Salon, titled, "Forced pregnancy and childbirth are violence against women — and also terrible health policy," Ostermann and Kay wrote, "Criminalizing abortion results in irreparable harm. In fact, it actually has the opposite policy effect that anti-abortion advocates say they want: It can increase abortion rates, unintended pregnancies and infant mortality."
They also wrote "Abortion access is freedom-enhancing, in the truest sense of the word. Consistent with integral human development that emphasizes social justice and human dignity, abortion access respects the inherent dignity of women, their freedom to make choices and to evaluate medical and other risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth."
"In nearly a dozen op-eds (co-authored with another abortion activist, former Notre Dame Professor Tamara Kay), Professor Ostermann has attacked the pro-life movement, using outrageous rhetoric," Rhoades said.
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"I need not repeat it all here since it has been widely covered in the media, but a few examples stand out," he added. "She wrote that the pro-life position has ‘its roots in White supremacy and racism,’ and has misogyny ‘embedded’ in the movement. She has attacked pregnancy resource centers as deceptive ‘anti-abortion propaganda sites’ that harm women."
"She also argued that the Catholic social doctrine of ‘integral human development’ supports abortion because it enhances freedom and flourishing for women," Rhoades continued. "These are all outrageous claims that should disqualify her from an administrative and leadership role at a Catholic university."
Last week, a University of Notre Dame law professor, as well as a research professor emeritus, told Fox News Digital they are cutting ties with the university's Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies in protest over the institute’s appointment of a professor who has publicly supported abortion.
Rhoades said he is praying Ostermann will change her views.
"I hope that Professor Ostermann will explicitly retract these claims, and I pray that she will have a change of mind and heart that will lead her to affirm the innate dignity of unborn babies as well as that of their mothers," Rhoades said.
Prominent Catholic Bishop Robert Barron praised Rhoades' statement in a post on X, Tuesday, writing, "I want to express my strong support for the statement that Bishop Kevin Rhoades made this morning concerning a controversial appointment at the University of Notre Dame. Please read his communication in full, for he makes the case more completely and eloquently than I could."
Barron added, "Suffice it to say that the woman proposed for a key leadership position at Our Lady’s University is not simply ‘pro-choice’ on the question of abortion; she is a sharp critic of the pro-life position and those who advocate it. She has gone so far as to characterize the anti-abortion stance as rooted in White supremacy and racism, and she has insinuated that the Catholic commitment to integral human development implies the support of abortion rights."
Notre Dame told Fox News Digital in a statement that the university's "commitment to upholding the inherent dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life at every stage is unwavering. Those who serve in leadership positions at Notre Dame do so with the clear understanding that their decision-making as leaders must be guided by and consistent with the University's Catholic mission."
The statement added that Ostermann "is a highly regarded political scientist and legal scholar whose insightful research on regulatory compliance — from forestry conservation in India and Nepal to NSF-funded disaster mitigation in the U.S. territories — demonstrates the rigorous, interdisciplinary expertise required to lead the Liu Institute."
"A deeply committed educator who has led study abroad programs in Mumbai, she is well prepared to expand the Institute’s global partnerships and create impactful research opportunities that advance our dedication to serving as the preeminent global Catholic research institution," it concluded.
Ostermann did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.