Catholics Question Father Ridley's Motives on Crown Board

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER at Loyola College of Maryland, The Greyhound, has written a number of articles questioning why Loyola's President Pr Harold Ridley remains on the Board of Directors of Crown Central Petroleum. The newspaper was also at an on-campus forum sponsored by student groups on the Loyola campus. According to activists on the campus, there has been much discussion between faculty and students about Pr Ridley's role and his lack of support for the locked out workers and the families who reside near the worst polluter in Texas.

The widely read National Catholic Reporter ran an article on the Ridley situation in its April 16th issue. Ridley would not speak to reporters, but a college spokesperson admitted that Crown gives money to the college and Crown CEO Henry Rosenberg Jr. sits on its Board of Directors.

Ridley has refused to meet with groups of concerned Catholics on the Crown situation or discuss the issue of his "moral leadership" to end the lockout.

Baltimore-based Fr. Joseph Bonadio, a member of Catholics for Justice at Crown Central, was quoted in the article saying, "I respect Pr. Ridley and the others on the board. They say they are following their consciences. But just following their conscience is not enough. The question is whether they've informed their consciences by Catholic social teaching:

Fr. Bonacio cited Gaudium et Spes, a 1965 document of the Second Vatican Council, which says that in labor disputes there must always be an openness and sincere discussion between the parties. "Refusing to discuss the matter is not openness", he said. "it seems that the workers are being deprived of their basic rights to a job and to a living wage, a violation of core Catholic social teachings."

At the Crown stockholders meeting on April 22nd, a number of vocal critics of Pr Ridley's position and Crown's actions were denied entry. Sister Joan Hart, of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Richard Ullrich of the Marianist Office of Justice & Peace and Reverend Joseph Muth, Jr., Pastor of St. Matthew Catholic Church were slated to speak to Henry Rosenberg and Crown's Board of Directors but were denied admission to the meeting by the company's security force.

Crown Boycott News, July-August-September 1999