College Catholics Ask Support for Philip Berrigan

Four members of the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic community delivered a letter on May 19 to the office of Humberto Medeiros, Archbishop of Boston, requesting that Medeiros "make a contribution to the Berrigan Defense Fund" and publicly endorse Father Philip Berrigan.

The letter, which was signed by more than 100 people, also asked Medeiros to meet with representatives from the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic community in order to exchange views on the Berrigan case.

Thus far, Medeiros's only response has been to send a letter to the Rev. Richard B. Griffin S.J. '51, the Catholic chaplain of Harvard and Radcliffe. According to Griffin, Medeiros did not mention either the Berrigan Defense Fund or any meeting with Harvard-Radcliffe Catholics in his letter.

"I don't think Medeiros is trying to avoid the issue," Griffin said last night. "He's just surrounded by a lot of people who like to shield him from unnecessary contact, and I doubt if he's had a chance to really look at the letter."

Medeiros was unavailable for comment last night.