Notre Dame Faces Backlash Over Pro-Abortion Faculty Appointment

Bishops, pro-life leaders condemn selection of pro-choice professor as head of university institute

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The University of Notre Dame's decision to appoint a pro-abortion faculty member as director of its Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies has sparked outrage from several U.S. bishops, former faculty, and other Catholic leaders. They have condemned the move as a "direct slap in the face to the Church's moral tradition" and a "betrayal" of Notre Dame's Catholic identity and mission.

Why it matters

As one of the premier Catholic universities in the country, Notre Dame's decision to place a pro-choice academic in a leadership role has raised concerns about the institution's commitment to upholding the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life. The controversy has even reached the Vatican, with the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life weighing in on the matter.

The details

The controversy centers around the appointment of associate professor Susan Ostermann, who specializes in regulatory compliance and comparative politics, as the new director of the Liu Institute. Ostermann has a history of publicly advocating for legal abortion and has worked as a consultant for the Population Council, an organization that promotes "sexual and reproductive health, rights and choices." Several Notre Dame faculty members, including a law professor and a theology professor, have severed ties with the institute in protest of Ostermann's appointment.

  • On Jan. 8, 2026, the University of Notre Dame announced Ostermann's appointment as director of the Liu Institute, effective July 1.
  • On Feb. 11, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, issued a statement expressing "dismay" and "strong opposition" to the university's decision.
  • On Feb. 16, several recipients of Notre Dame's Evangelium Vitae Medal, a pro-life award, penned an open letter of protest to the university's president, Father Robert A. Dowd.
  • On Feb. 17, Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, responded to a question about the controversy during a Vatican press conference.

The players

Susan Ostermann

An associate professor at the University of Notre Dame who specializes in regulatory compliance and comparative politics, and has a history of publicly advocating for legal abortion.

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

The Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, who expressed "dismay" and "strong opposition" to Notre Dame's decision to appoint Ostermann as director of the Liu Institute.

Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki

The Bishop of Springfield, Illinois, who serves as the chairman of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and expressed his "full support" for Bishop Rhoades' stance on the matter.

Father Robert A. Dowd

The president of the University of Notre Dame and a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross, who received the open letter of protest from recipients of the university's Evangelium Vitae Medal.

Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro

The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, who responded to a question about the controversy during a Vatican press conference.

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What they’re saying

“Ostermann's 'extensive public advocacy of abortion rights and her disparaging and inflammatory remarks about those who uphold the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death go against a core principle of justice that is central to Notre Dame's Catholic identity and mission.'”

— Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana (OSV News)

“Ostermann's 'public record of radical advocacy' is 'fundamentally opposed to the dignity of human life,' and 'placing her in a leadership role at a Catholic university is incompatible with the mission and moral witness Notre Dame claims to uphold.'”

— Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield, Illinois, and Chairman of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (OSV News)

“As the world and the Church continue to grow ever more divided, we as Catholics must stay resolute in our beliefs, and refuse to capitulate. In the end, it will not be the success of our programs, but on our fidelity to Christ that we will be judged. It is certainly not too late to intervene and reconsider this appointment.”

— Bishop James D. Conley, Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska (OSV News)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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