Following a distressing pattern this political season, Mercyhurst College will be the next Catholic university to host a pro-abortion candidate. Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak on the Pennsylvania campus on April 1 at 7:30 p.m.

In response to President Thomas Gamble’s decision to permit the rally, Bishop Donald W. Trautman of the Diocese of Erie announced his boycott by rejecting an invitation to the college commencement exercises.

The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) has urged Dr. Gamble to cancel the rally and thanked Bishop Trautman for his public witness to Catholic teaching. CNS and other national Catholic organizations issued a statement in February urging Catholic institutions to refuse to host campaign events featuring pro-abortion politicians.

The “Statement of Principles Regarding Catholic Institutions, Sanctity of Life and Political Engagement” urges Catholic institutions to “refrain from all activities that provide a public platform to, or imply support or even neutrality toward, political leaders and candidates who advocate positions on serious moral issues that are clearly contrary to Catholic teaching.”

Senator Clinton’s speech at Mercyhurst College appears to be part of a larger tactic to swing the Catholic vote before the November elections. Clinton appeared earlier this year at St. Mary’s University in Texas and St. Norbert’s College in Wisconsin, both Catholic colleges, and Chelsea Clinton spoke at the University of Notre Dame last week. The Obama campaign has made similar efforts with rallies at St. Peter’s College in New Jersey and Loras College in Iowa and a speech by Michelle Obama at Villanova University.