Xavier University in New Orleans, a Catholic institution, has announced plans to honor pro-abortion political commentator and activist Donna Brazile at commencement on May 9, 2009.

“Given New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes’ strong condemnation of Notre Dame’s honor of pro-abortion President Barack Obama, it is surprising and saddening that Xavier University would honor a prominent figure opposed to Catholic moral teachings,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society, whose petition at NotreDameScandal.com has surpassed 263,000 supporters.

Most U.S. bishops speaking and writing publicly against the decision of the University of Notre Dame to honor and host President Barack Obama at commencement have cited the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2004 statement “Catholics in Political Life” as support for their position.

The statement reads: “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.”

According to the Xavier website, Donna Brazile will address more than 450 graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Pharmacy and the Graduate School. She will also be awarded an honorary degree.

Brazile is ideologically opposed to many fundamental Catholic moral principles, including abortion and contraception. She recently supported President Obama’s reversal of the Mexico City Policy which previously barred taxpayer funding from supporting abortion services overseas. She said that “this will save lives.”

In a CNN segment during the 2008 presidential campaign Brazile suggested that public discussion of Barack Obama’s legislative support for infanticide should be diminished in light of high gas prices.