Increasingly mired in today’s progressive secularism, academic institutions with strong religious traditions are shedding their Christian ethos in what appear to be alarming cases of spiritual identity crises.

The Dominican University of California, just outside San Francisco, is the latest. Founded in 1850 by a group of nuns called the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, the university today is apparently “Catholic” in name only.

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Interestingly, the Catholic Church has disaffiliated from Dominican University, Life News reports.

“Despite the misleading name of Dominican University — which alludes to its founding by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, the great Catholic evangelist St. Dominic, and a formerly authentic Catholic education — it is important to make Catholic families aware that Dominican University of California is no longer recognized as a Catholic university by Church authority,” a representative from the Cardinal Newman Society told LifeNews.

So the truth is revealed –– even if Dominican University continues to tout its spiritual foundation on its webpages, attempting to appeal to Christian families who will pay big dollars for a Catholic-based education.

In light of this, inviting an aggressive abortion and pro-choice advocate as an “honored guest” makes perfect sense. On Thursday of this week, Dominican hosted a book-signing event for Cecile Richards, the outgoing President of Planned Parenthood. She oversaw some 3.5 million abortions from 2006 to 2018 in her role at the nation’s largest abortion provider.

Related: Five Most Outrageous Statements by Cecile Richards, Formerly of Planned Parenthood

“Dominican educates and prepares students to be ethical leaders and socially responsible global citizens who incorporate the Dominican values of study, reflection, community, and service into their lives,” reads the school’s website. “The university is committed to diversity, sustainability, and the integration of the liberal arts, the sciences, and professional programs.”

Then again, ethical leadership and Dominican values, at least in this case, seem entirely subjective.

Inquiries from LifeZette about the book event directed to Sarah Gardner, Dominican’s senior director of media relations and communications, were not returned.

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Dominican University has plenty of company in aligning with the latest social justice crusade benignly termed “reproductive rights.” Let’s not kid ourselves, though: The term is a euphemism for abortion on demand, talk of which is sweeping college campuses nationwide.

Not long ago, LifeZette reported that the University of Arizona’s (UA) Women’s Center was urging college students to fight for “reproductive justice” by joining the school’s Planned Parenthood club, called VOX (an acronym for Voices for Planned Parenthood), an advocacy group founded by students.

Related: At Catholic College, Walkouts on Pence Commencement Speech
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Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said it was “extremely disappointing” that a once-Catholic university would “highlight an event headed by Cecile Richards, someone who personally directed Planned Parenthood while abortion vendors she controlled ended the lives of 3 [and-a-half] million pre-born babies,” according to LifeSiteNews.

Equally worrisome is that some once-Catholic institutions, which valued the sanctity of the unborn, are now turning a blind eye toward abortion — even elevating it as a social justice issue. 

Nothing could be further from the truth — which is never subjective.

Families, take note. That “Catholic” college you are eager for your child to attend may be anything, and everything, but.

Elizabeth M. Economou is a former CNBC staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.

(photo credit, homepage images: Dominican University of California, CC BY-SA 4.0, by Runner1928 / Cecile Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0, by Lorie Shaull; photo credit, article images: Dominican University of California, CC0, by Mr. Granger / Cecile Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0, by Lorie Shaull)