Bishop Joseph Martino and Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty last week requested evidence from the four Catholic colleges in the Diocese of Scranton that their student health service “policies, procedures or practices” are not in violation of Catholic teaching. Yesterday the four college presidents responded in a single reply that their health centers do not violate Catholic teaching.

“Catholics both within the Scranton Diocese and around the country will be thankful for the standards of accountability set by Bishops Martino and Dougherty,” said Patrick J. Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS).

The move of the Scranton Bishops was sparked by an article in the student newspaper The Hawk at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. CNS reported in a campus note last week that the article stated how St. Joseph’s finds a “middle ground between Church doctrine and student healthcare.” The director of student health services, referring to the lack of contraceptive services on campus, said, “we are fortunate that there are other medical centers in the area, and that there are health care providers other than us.”

Bishops Martino and Dougherty said that this position indicates little respect for Catholic moral teaching, according to the Scranton Diocese news release.

On April 1, the Scranton bishops made the request for evidence of the student heath services’ consistency with Catholic teaching in a letter to Holy Cross Father Thomas J. O’Hara, president of King’s College; Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Anne Munley, president of Marywood University; Michael A. MacDowell, president of Misericordia University; and Jesuit Father Scott R. Pilarz, president of The University of Scranton.

Bishop Martino and Auxiliary Bishop Dougherty wrote:

“Will you please send to us any documents available which will indicate policies, procedures or practices authorized by (the institution) for the provision of student health services. In addition, it is especially important that the Diocese have assurance from you that no practice is occurring which would be in violation of Catholic teaching.

We ask this accounting in accord with the norm of canon 810 §2, C.I.C. The canon notes the duty and right of concerned diocesan bishops to be vigilant that the principles of Catholic doctrines are faithfully observed in Catholic institutions of higher learning.”

In their reply letter, the presidents of the four colleges jointly wrote, “Condoms are not available on our campuses and our student health services and centers do not provide oral and other forms of contraceptives. We are, therefore, confident in assuring you that our health centers practice in ways that respect and do not violate Catholic teaching.”

Last February, Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino demanded that Misericordia University prove to its alumni and all the faithful in the diocese its fidelity to Catholic teaching on sexuality. This followed a campus lecture by a gay rights activist. Bishop Martino later urged Misericordia to fulfill the four essential characteristics of a Catholic institution of higher learning, as laid out by Ex corde Ecclesiae.