Wheeling Jesuit U. in its search for a new president “received no applications from Jesuits, [but] did receive applications from other religious,” Margaret “Mimie” Helm, chair of the Presidential Search Committee and vice chair of the WJU board of directors, told the Wheeling Intelligencer.

We are confident that we will locate an applicant who will stay true to the Jesuit tradition of women and men for others, she added, stressing that the Jesuit identity is a fundamental priority for the search.

They were duly informed:

As part of the process, all Jesuit colleges and universities and all Jesuit provincials were contacted to let them know of the search at the local university, she added.

I’d say the longest shots among them would be the other religious order members, especially male.  A Dominican, for instance, might require de-programming.

The wheels are turning at Wheeling Jesuit:

WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) – At least 35 candidates are interested in becoming the next president of Wheeling Jesuit University, and seven have made the first cut.

Three will remain after interviews Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 12–13 in the search for a replacement for Rev. Julio Giulietti, S.J., who was fired after two years, as explained and discussed here and here and here. 

Later: I wondered why this was in the AP story, clearly just passing on what the U. said:

Many [of the candidates] have either been educated in or worked in Jesuit institutions and some alumni are among the contenders.

So what?  Ah, but as the anonymous commenter says below, no Jesuits applied! 

For the first time in [WJU’s] history, not a Jesuit [was] among them.

So the U. had to emphasize the Jesuit-ness of applicants.  Hmmm.

Read this story at Chicago Catholic News that adds to what I have below, such as that the chancellor of the archdiocese is an Ascension parishioner.  He is Jimmy Lago, a former Democratic precinct captain and later lobbyist in Springfield for the archdiocese, who was cited by the St. Edmund pro-life chairman, Susan Jordan, in her complaint to the archdiocese.

“I would have thought someone as high ranking as the chancellor would have gone to the pastor and said, ‘You need to change this,’ but that didn’t happen,” apparently until the very last minute, said Jordan . . . who singled out Lago in her complaint.

Lago defended himself to ChicagoCatholicNews:

“I had nothing to do with the . . . forum. (When I became aware of it) I insisted it be non-partisan, if held; meaning no candidates for office and emphasis was to be given to the [U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’] position on healthcare reform.”

As it was, the event turned out to be “a political event masquerading as a forum,” Jordan told CCN.  She said she “had pro-life friends who were told their questions would not be submitted” to the panel. 

But the pastor, Fr. Larry McNally, was very pleased with the event, he told Wednesday Journal.

“I would do it over again . . .   I thought it was very fair. I didn’t feel we were promoting anything other than answering questions from folks.  I thought it was very good.  I really did.  I thought, boy, this turned out to be terrific.  It was just an emotional two hours.  It was a very positive experience.” 

Danny Davis, as mentioned below, was told by McNally as he arrived that he could not speak.  Those who know of Davis simply not showing up where he’s expected — a few weeks ago at a Saturday morning pro-ObamaCare event at a Maywood church, for one — might consider it poetic justice. 

In any case, he appeared “upset by the decision to bar him from talking,” according to descriptions by “more than one person at the event,” said CCN.  Later, however, he told CCN he was “totally fine with it . . .”