ACU could lose Catholic designation over abortion row [Video]

High-profile conservative Catholic lawyers have warned the Australian Catholic University it faces losing its religious designation if it fails to defend the faith as church leaders split with university bosses in the fallout from an anti-abortion speech on campus.

The warning follows a furious, six-page letter to ACU from Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher, who raised concerns about the ambivalence of the university’s commitment to its Catholic identity.

The nine lawyers, including former NSW Coalition attorney general Greg Smith and former state Coalition finance minister Damien Tudehope, wrote to the ACU’s Senate on Tuesday saying their review of church law had made recommendations for the preservation of “the future Catholic identity of ACU”.

Joe de Bruyn was invited to give a speech for the Australian Catholic University after receiving an honorary doctorate.

One was for an independent investigation …