Baltimore, May. 19, 2005 (CWNews.com) - Baltimore's Cardinal William Keeler has refused to attend graduation ceremonies at Loyola College of Maryland, where former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a supporter of legalized abortion, will deliver the commencement address.

In a letter to David Haddad, president of Loyola College, Cardinal Keeler disclosed that "there will be no representative of the archdiocese participating in any event honoring Mayor Giuliani." The cardinal expressed the hope that college leaders would "understand many of the consequences" of inviting a commencement speaker who disagrees with Church teachings on fundamental moral issues.

The cardinal's decision not to attend came after public protests by pro-life groups in Maryland and by the Cardinal Newman Society, a Washington-based group dedicated to preserving the Catholic identity in higher education. Pro-life activists say they intend to picket the commencement ceremonies to protest Giuliani's presence.