Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino has publicly criticized Misericordia University for its scheduled February 17 lecture by gay rights advocate Keith Boykin. The Cardinal Newman Society, which reported on the planned lectures last week, praised Bishop Martino for calling Misericordia to task in the abuse of its Catholic identity.

Keith Boykin, who served President Bill Clinton as special assistant in his administration, is a regular contributor to CNBC. Boykin is an avid supporter of gay rights and was president of the National Black Justice Coalition, an organization established in 2003 to organize African American support for same-sex marriage rights. Boykin is the New York Times best-selling author of One More River to Cross: Black and Gay in America, in which he discusses his own “coming out,” his first sexual experience, and the lives of prominent black and gay individuals.

Bishop Martino called Boykin’s beliefs “disturbingly opposed to Catholic moral teaching,” according to The Times Tribune. He also expressed “absolute disapproval” of the appearance of an “avid supporter of same-sex marriage” at Misericordia.

The Diocese of Scranton issued a statement which reads in part: “The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton… should be in no doubt that Misericordia University in this instance is seriously failing in maintaining its Catholic identity.”

“We join with the families of Misericordia students and other concerned Catholics, who no doubt will be praying that the university responds admirably to Bishop Martino’s pastoral call and lives up to its Catholic identity,” said Patrick Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society.