THE SOCIETY OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL SCIENTISTS
Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, 2007
The St. John’s University School of Law
Jane Gilroy, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, English
Molloy College
23 Cortelyou Road
Merrick, NY 11566-3725
Home Phone: (516) 379-5409
jgilroy@molloy.edu
Dr. Jane Gilroy, Professor Emerita, English, Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY, earned her doctorate at Fordham University. She has published articles, both scholarly and of general interest, on the subject of her dissertation, the early English translations of St. Bridget of Sweden’s Revelations, as well as on topics related to the Culture of Life. Prof. Gilroy’s submissions on “St. Bridget of Sweden” and “University Faculty for Life” will appear in Catholic Social Thought, Social Science, and Social Policy: An Encyclopedia, scheduled for publication in 2007. Active in the Pro-Life Movement since the late 1960s, Jane is on the Board and Co-Chair for Membership for University Faculty for Life. She is also one of the founding members and current President of its Long Island Chapter.
Abstract for Panel 40
Abortion, The Church, and American Society: Past, Present, Future
“The Ellen McCormack 1976 Presidential Campaign: An American Catholic
Steps to the Fore”
Ellen McCormack, a courageous pro-life Catholic from Merrick, Long Island, forced those running for office in the 1976 presidential primaries to address the abortion issue. Although unheralded by the feminists, McCormack entered the primaries and became the first woman to earn matching federal funds in a presidential primary campaign. Through the efforts of dedicated volunteers from around the country, Ellen McCormack brought the pro-life message to more than 190 million people. This paper emphasizes the imitable qualities of “determination and prayer” to which she credits the successes of her campaign.
Abstract for Panel 2:
University Faculty for Life and Its Long Island Chapter: Goals, History, Activities, and Future
“The Founding and Brief History of the Long Island Chapter of
University Faculty for Life”
The Long Island Chapter shares the mission of its parent group, University Faculty for Life, which was founded to promote research, dialog, and publication among faculty members who respect the value of human life at every stage of development. Our members come from a variety of disciplines that explore issues affecting the Culture of Life, including the political and social sciences, education, communication arts, philosophy, and theology. We believe academicians who encourage respect for human life at every stage of development from conception until natural death promote the common good both in their own schools and in the wider community.