Deal, great article.

Wouldn't it be great if, just as President Obama took the stage, all of the pro-life students would fall to their knees and begin praying the Rosary for the protection of the unborn children and for his conversion?

Nothing disruptive or disrespectful; simply an act of love and peace.

All serious Catholic students know that wiping ones child's life from the face of the earth is a horrific evil. All serious Catholic students (and anyone with a conscience) knows that sticking a scissors into the head of a baby as it's been born is murder. All serious Catholic students (and anyone with a soul) knows that to allow a born baby to die, alone, unheld, without nutrition or love, is Satanic.

The man Notre Dame would laud approves and promotes these evils (and many others).

They have made Notre Dame collusional in evil. And even worse, they have done it in the name of Jesus Christ, and his blessed mother Mary (who, if she had aborted the son of God would have aborted man's redemption).

There will be a heavy judgment for this evil and for those who have perpetrated it.

The way to make the Church completely irrelevant is to have it tolerate any evil, and any promoter of evil whatsoever.

My son attends Notre Dame and is nauseous and ashamed and angry.

For what profiteth it to gain the whole world and to lose your soul?

James

The World won't beat Our Holy Mother read this prediction from Tom O'Toole June last year?!

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/otoole/090320

Great article, Deal!

I love Alan's idea. I think that silent, charitable, MLK type witnessing remains our strength and hope - a faith practice which now calls upon us all. I have a great fear ... that President Obama is strategically using people like Doug Kmiec and institutions like Notre Dame and very-well meaning groups like Democrats For Life to rally people of conscience behind a tailored agenda devoid of sincere intention. Recently, I read this boast at a PP site of Cecilia Richards, Pres of Planned Parenthood, "Richards was one of the select few who was asked to speak during the [White House Health Care] summit." - a summit that conspicuously shut out pro-life advocates. http://www.lifenews.com/nat4888.html How can you even "reduce" abortion if the pro-life voice is mocked, shamed, shut out and silenced? The good news is this: we don't need to speak ... we have many Christ-modeled ways to be heard.

"a Catholic university is where the Church does its thinking, and that thinking, to be beneficial, must come from an intellectually rigorous engagement with the world."

Oh, right, ok then. I guess I might as well shut down my blog and inform the program committee I won't be able to give my paper at the conference this fall, and I certainly won't bother finish writing my book.

I wonder if the V-Monologues is available on DVD? Or should I read the book? Because, obviously, none of us will be capable of rigorously engaging the world until we get all those new words and all that feminist anger into our heads so we can think beneficially.

There goes my book and DVD budget for the month!



hmmmpph,

Kamilla

I am an alumnus and current student and I continue to be enraged and ashamed about the whole affair. My question, though, is "What concrete options are available to diocesan ordinaries?" - short of, that is, stripping a university of the name Catholic, the use of which I believe they do have the power to police and protect. In other words, letters are useful, but only to a point. Bp. D'Arcy is a solid pastor when it comes to speaking out against immorality in the diocese, but as I told my wife he will write a letter, it will get less than or equal to one day in the press, and the whole situation will unfold as if he had never spoken (except for the offhand remarks to the tune of "but I think the bishop disagreed with Fr. Jenkins").

Despite what I think are some real qualitative differences, this situation is very similar to that of pro-choice politicians receiving the Eucharist. What happens there? Scandal is caused by their immoral behavior, the majority of the nation's bishops issue a reminder that, no, in fact, Catholics are not allowed to support or promote abortion, nothing changes, and the scandal remains. With universities it is not just the most recent case of Notre Dame but the entire Catholic university system in general: schools take official action in violation of Catholic faith and/or morals, bishops may or may not issue some sort of accurate but ultimately weak public response, and the scandal continues unabated.

With politicians, however, our bishops who have a real care for souls can do their duty and enforce the canons, thus removing the scandal (at least within their own territories). Is there any comparable solution for bishops who want to be true pastors of flocks burdened by recalcitrant educational institutions?

Fr. Jenkins makes this decision during a time when the nation has lost 1/3 of it's wealth in four months? It may be a little hasty when considering the printing of 1 Trillion dollars last Wednesday, the 11 Trillion dollar debt and the plans announced tomorrow to "resolve" the toxic loans.

I understand that having the leader of the free world speak at graduation is a great honor...but why so hasty? We've heard that the biggest enemy to 1/3 of the hospitals in the USA is FOCA, and the "speaker" is the lead proponent of FOCA.

This is a very difficult time to raise children as a Catholic man as it is. Our kids have so many outside influences and critisims and now as parents we can't even point the way to Notre Dame? How do I explain this to my 14 yr old son? Sheesh!

Deal, Thank you for this article. Perhaps the Catholics can get up and leave when Pres. Obama begins his talk, or when he receives his honorary degree?
Notre Dame seems to have gone out of its way to attack the Catholic Church. Why would it do this? What's in it for Notre Dame?

Thank you for continuing to bring attention to this issue.

I am speechless at the whole thing, I really am.

rather, he is confused. catholic universities are not where the church does its thinking. they are where it does its teaching. the vatican, and the national bishops conferences, are where the church does its thinking.

and this thinking doesn't have to engage the world in dialogue to be beneficial. instead, it has to speak the truth, and courageously witness to it, as did the prophets and apostles in times past. people need to be inspired, not debated or persuaded.

What are you doing Father Jenkins?

Are you still Catholic?

Are you still a follower of Jesus?

Stop this?

It can't get any clearer than this. My question is this: if a Catholic college claims to uphold "Catholics in Political Life," but honors President Obama, who exactly would it reject such a platform to? If not him, then who?

Good article, Deal. I'm sure we'll soon hear about how you're a partisan hack, etc, etc. Pay no attention to the heap of dead babies.

Deal,
The silent protest is a great idea. I have also heard of alumni enclosing their ND rings in their letters of protest. However, until the tuition money from good pro-life Catholics ceases to flow to these schools they will continue to dissent and to spread poison to the young minds in their charge. Money talks.

Perhaps....perhaps.....Almighty God is allowing all of this in order to bring about something very good. Somthing good for all of us...for His Church....for the world. What is about to happen at Notre Dame should not surprise any of us really. Look around. Look what we have become. The forces of evil are seemingly in total control about everywhere...but.....we know that is not true. Almighty God is...and the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. They are trying....make no mistake about this. It is hard to comprehend and hard to understand. It is the mystery of evil. Should not we be praying....Lord...I don't understand this.....I don't want this....but You must. You know everything...and...there must be a reason Lord. Thy will be done.

Suspension of the Faculties of Fr. Jenkins and asking for his removal from the diocese would in the end be the only actions the bishop could make the seriousness of all this stick. But it would have serious consequences for relationships between bishops and religious orders. If the Holy Cross superiors would take the same action it would be better.

I doubt that Notre Dame will succomb to Rovian Republican pressure.

Surely, Father Jenkins is aware of The Republican Party Great Hypocrisy: talk very loudly about defending the unborn, especially every two and four years, but do nothing while in power to significantly decrease the number of abortions performed in this country in defiance of fundamental Catholic moral principles.

Surely, Father Jenkins sees through the transparent "outrage" created by the usual "politics-first" suspects who manipulate the pro-life sentiments of good Catholics to further cynical political goals.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once told parents that they should send their children to secular colleges where they will have to fight for their faith rather than have their faith gradually eroded at a nominally Catholic college. Surveys indicate that 60% of the Notre Dame student body and 70% of the faculty supported Barrack Hussein Obama in the general election. Honoring Mr. Obama is a highly cynical act, contemptuous of the Church's prophetic voice in civil society and wagering that there will be no retribution. If a mid-western school seeks attention by granting Mr. Obama an honorary doctorate in law , the next logical step would be to grant Judas Iscariot posthumously an honorary doctorate in business administration.

Rev. George W. Rutler

True to form. You never fail to disappoint, Proud American.

Thank you, Father, for the biblical reference that I had also thought most accurate. It seems that Spy Wednesday would have been a far better day to announce the speaker than the weekend of Laetare Sunday - does anyone doubt that Notre Dame has chosen this course in order to get its thirty pieces of silver?

Dear Father:

We are in a state of shock over the decision to honor the President at Notre Dame.

As an advocate of abortion, world wide, he attacks, head on, the Catholic Church. Catholic institutions should alway remain true to the Church and its teachings. No platform shuld be made available for anyone to attack the Church and its teachings.

The abortion debate is over, and it is and has been, once for all declared intrinsically wrong. No debate changes that.

We pray Father Notre Dame stands with the Church in this case.

I agree with Rev. Rutler, but notice that he uses the president's middle name like Ann Coulter likes to do. Why is this? It erodes credibility and belies fairness and respect.

As a catholic I am gratified that the President of the United States has accepted the invitation of the university. Christ " The Teacher" would never deny a person the chance to understand His position. This is an opportunity for all of us. Mr Obama knows the atmospere, but he is apparently willing to engage us by his presence. God bless ND and Mr Obama

The scandal President Jenkins and Notre Dame are perpetuating by inviting President Obama is almost too much to bear.

Why did it have to be Notre Dame? That University with so much Catholic tradition - there's a reason why Notre Dame is so closely associated, practically equated, with Catholic higher education - has to both honor Obama and offer him an unchallenged pulpit to spew ideas and proposals diametrically opposed to Catholicism.

Why did it have to be Notre Dame? That University whose namesake is the pro-life Woman chooses to sanction a man who wouldn't mind forcing Catholic doctors to choose between abortion and their profession.

Why did it have to be Notre Dame? That University whose motto is, of all things, Life, Sweetness, Hope; that University whose Fightin' Irish spirit has sweltered under the suffocating heat of popularity, prestiege, and political correctness.

I wonder what President Obama will read from his telepromter that day? Will he offer lipservice to the young men and women who are solid Catholic graduates? Obviously they will never have a significant voice in his administration. Will he offer his version of "Catholic social teaching," the all-issues-are-equal rhetoric that got him elected?

The University that gave us real men like Rockne and Rudy now give us...OBAMA?

I wonder if Condiliza(sp) Rice, a noted Notre Dame alumni, was ever asked to deliver the commencement address. She held one of the most powerful positions in the world, could speak to the experience of the Afican-American, could stand strong for the dignity and equality of women, could. .

Oh, yea, probably not becuase she was part of an administration that supported the involable right to existance of all humanity, despite their developmental stage and dared to support a war that, right or wrong, immediately disqualified you from an valid opinion or intellect in the eyes of the academic elite.

I am a practicing Catholic in the Diocese of Fort-Wayne South Bend and have attended two Eucharistic Congress's on the Campus of Notre Dame, in 2000, and 2008. As it did on the two days where I remember at least 20,000 Catholics recieved the Body of Christ together, I pray the Holy Spirit will move in the committed Catholic students and attendees to some action.

I agree with Alan. Use this opportunity not to sow more discord amongst Catholics which already exist. If the President speaks, let all Catholics use the opportunity to protest by petitioning Our Mother by saying her Holy Rosary aloud together as soon as he starts speaking. I'm sure that would generate more conversation in the nation for Catholics and non-Catholics alike than yet another intellectual protest between brothers and sisters.

How beautiful would it be to witness Catholics petition Our Lady for our President's conversion via her Rosary at Our Lady's (Notre Dame) University!

Seize the Opportunity and stop the infighting!!

The irony of this post is astounding.

This article is strictly about the scandal that a Catholic Institution is causing by honoring a public figure completely at odds with Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church.
Nowhere in Deal's post is the Republican Party even mentioned.

The only person commenting thus far who can possibly be accused of putting "politics first," Proud American, is you.

Dear David F,

Thank you for agreeing with me. It is kind of you to say so. I use Mr. Obama's full name because he uses it, at his inauguration and frequently since. I do not understand what is improper about using one's proper name. In the same sense, although I regret connotations of the name Luther, I do not refer to Martin Luther King, Jr. as Martin King, Jr. Barrack Hussein Obama has lost credibility faster than any sitting president, not because of his name but because of what he done. And, to indulge paraleipsis, I am sure that is was only in haste that you ungrammatically used the title "Rev." with only a surname.

Rev. George William Albinson Rutler

"As a catholic I am gratified that the President of the United States has accepted the invitation of the university. Christ 'The Teacher' would never deny a person the chance to understand His position. This is an opportunity for all of us. Mr Obama knows the atmospere, but he is apparently willing to engage us by his presence. God bless ND and Mr Obama."

I was under the impression that President Obama was giving the address. So, it turns out, he is not giving the address? That he is going to Notre Dame to be taught? Wow, the White House has been duped on this one.

If so, then who was selected "to teach" President Obama on May 17? Perhaps it will be Ralph McInerny: http://www.thecatholicthing.org/content/view/1346/

[quote=Jason Arbogast]I wonder if Condiliza(sp) Rice, a noted Notre Dame alumni, was ever asked to deliver the commencement address.

I wouldn't classify Condoleezza Rice as a noted Notre Dame alumna. She obtained her BA in political science from the University of Denver in 1974, and in 1975 received a Master's in political science from UND.

What a sucker punch this invitaiton is to all the Catholics who for so long have taken pride in the beautiful school named after Our Lady, which we felt represented so much of what's right about being Catholic in America; to all the parents who sacrificed so much to send their children there.

There was a feeling of pride one got seeing so many walking to the chapels for Mass after a football game, seeing the players coming out of the Basilica to walk to the Stadium, the invocation before games. You knew this was a Catholic place. This changes it all for me -- never again will I be able to feel the same.

And I never attended UND. I can only imagine the dissapointment and shame for the uncounted thousands who did, and to whom the school means so much and who know this is wrong.

Outlined against a blue-gray March sky, the Four Horsepersons rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Political Correctness, Modern Feminism, American Antipathy, and Indifference to the Magisterium.

You may be inclined to disagree with the Republican past president and his policies, philosophy and/or person. However, to state that he did nothing to while in power to protect the unborn is outrageous. Just as President Obama was expected to be and is proving to be our most pro-abortion president, President Bush was our most pro-life and pro-Catholic president.

What I see here is not an attempt by the university to “honor” Obama so much as a way to further reflect its reform of Catholic higher education. These self styled academic elitist actually believe Obama will help to identify them as a “leading progressive religious community of higher learning” as the media may choose to address them.
There is no shame left in them. After years of near silent whispers of dissent and stealth shredding of the moral fabric of our faith one value at a time and amassing enough like neo-politico brethren within and outside of the Church they are simply bold enough to publicly act out their policy and intentions. Is this not obvious to any serious observer?

Notre Dame is not alone in its slander in sacred service. Christian universities across the nation are being questioned, finally, concerning the depths of their “diversity” theology as well as their “political posture”. If you think about it candidate Obama , in his own way but at an accelerated pace, followed a similar path politically. The difference is, to arrive at today’s new alter of common worship Obama has driven his political philosophy to the point of a religion; the educators have driven their religious philosophy to a point of politics. It’s a marriage made in hell, a union of church and state we never thought possible.

Emotions are running high over this President. I didn't vote for him and, as the mother of a child with special needs, he didn't endear himself any further with his Special Olympics comment.
However, while attending the West Coast Biblical Conference in January, great Catholic theologians such as Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. Brant Pitre and Michael Barber were exhorting us to PRAY for our president, for a change of heart. I think we need to continue to pray for all misguided Catholics, such as Fr. Jenkins, that the Holy Spirit enlightens them with the Truth of Jesus Christ and gives them the courage of St. Michael the Archangel to defend and uphold life and our faith.

I am embarrassed and ashamed that a Catholic university would invite ANYONE who is pro-choice to give a speech, even if he is our president. I think it would be suitable if no one showed up for the occasion. That might send a message to Rev. Jenkins and Pres. Obama.

I got pregnant during the summer of my sophomore year at ND. I resisted the temptation to abort the "burden" (Obama's words) despite the convenience of the Planned Parenthood building a few blocks from campus. I had the courage and fortitude to face the consequences of sex outside of marriage due to my strong Catholic upbringing and education. ND is sending mixed messages by inviting Obama. Our Lady's university is saying, "abortion is bad, but not that bad", or "abortion is an important issue, but it's not the only important issue". Isn't it the most important issue? I wonder if I would have made the same decision if I got pregnant after my Catholic university honored a pro-abortion politician like Obama...

As has been said previously, and in other responses to you, Proud American, you're nothing if not a lurker and a partisan hack for liberal politics. Why bother with your drive-by contributions to this board if you've got no interest in honest debate or conversation?

Best for the rest of the boards just to ignore Proud American. He won't meaningfully engage you in any questions or conversations you may wish to have. Partisan first, and perhaps partisan only?

Molly,

Thank you for choosing life.

Kamilla

The twins will be 18 on the 25th!

Please, Andy K, no more transparent outrage.

At InsideCatholic, Deal Hudson IS the Republican Party. He served on George Bush's and John McCain's Catholic (election) Committees. One can't be too much more Republican than that.

As I said, manipulative politics first.

It is truly a shame and slap in the face that this illustrious University will sink to this depth. By this move, Fr. Jenkins has stepped on a slippery slope in the representation of the values of the Catholic Faith, Education and Preservation of Life. As one who has relatives and friends who graduated from that wonderful university, I can guarantee that when they read this article, they will withhold alumni sponsorship due to this action. May FR. Jenkins take to heart all adverse comments that are pouring in because of this shameful act. I hope the Bishop of Fort Wayne/South Bend Diocese will stop this action as it is against Catholic belief and demeans Notre Dame as a prominent school.

"Cheer Cheer for Old Notre Dame!"

I am a Double Domer - and regard myself as a good, practicing Catholic - but I bet some won't. You see, like the majority of U.S. Catholics, I voted for Obama and i am quite proud that he is the commencement speaker at Notre Dame, the nation's premier Catholic University. You see, most of us (the "uncatechized"), while we wouldn't have an abortion and would like to see fewer of them, don't believe that prosecuting women who have abortions for felony murder and driving abortions underground is good public policy - at least we see it as a point on which Catholics of good will can disagree. Those who call for an Edict of Excommunication, better make it out for the millions of intellegent, experienced and well-intentioned American Catholics who didn't vote Republican! Suppose it will need to be backdated to 1977 when President Carter, also pro-choice, spoke at Notre Dame.

I concur with Alan. Considering the context in which this scandal is going to be staged, I think the best way to show our outrage would be the gentle and dignified gesture of getting on our knees and invoking Our Lady's intercession for Mr. Obama's change of heart.

Way to knock down those straw men, Chip! You and Don Quijote could battle those nasty windmills together on the Spanish mesetas!

Now, as an "uncatechized Catholic" (self-referential on your part, not a slam on my part), what is your take on every other Obama policy since his inauguration that violates the dignity of human life? By way of reminder, those include government funding of abortions and contraception overseas (via remission of the Mexico City policy); tacit support of the Freedom of Choice Act, removing all Federal and state-level restrictions on abortions in the US (including freedom of conscience clauses for pro-life medical personnel); Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research that guarantees the destruction of viable embryos for laboratory purposes and paves the way for human cloning. Let's see how many straw-man arguments you can come up with to defend Obama's policies in these areas, where he clearly not only violates, but tramples on, the Natural Law and the clear, infallible teachings of the Catholic Church.

We have been on our knees praying the rosary and this is very good and we will continue. We also need to be more vocal. It's time to get together and stand shoulder to shoulder and loudly and clearly and peacefully proclaim our opposition, not only to Notre Dames presidents decisions but also to Obama's positions. Every parish could send groups. We need good leaders and we need to get very active and very vocal.
We are people of good conscience and we are capable of protesting loudly and peacefully.

Intelligent? Perhaps in other areas.

Experienced? Rather vague and not exactly in the first or second-tier of theological sources which ought to guide our moral reasoning.

Well-intentioned? I'll stipulate it, though out of horrendously ill-formed consciences. Can Catholics of good will disagree as to whether abortion should be legal or illegal? Most clearly no.

Deviations of the civil law from natural and/or divine positive law can be tolerated in certain areas, but never in areas fundamental to the bare maintenance of society, such as the prohibition of taking innocent life. The Magisterium has made it exceedingly clear that all Catholics have a duty to defend life from the moment of conception, which includes opposing any legalization of abortion to the best of their ability. Anything else is just wishful thinking.

Thus you are perfectly correct that no pro-choice president should ever have been honored by Notre Dame, including Jimmy Carter. The fact that it happened (at a time when Notre Dame was really at an embarrassing theological nadir) doesn't make it right. Didn't Cuomo also articulate his intellectually flaccid "personally opposed, but" policy at Notre Dame? That piece of rationalization has certainly reaped great benefits for the unborn, as I'm sure this latest piece of legerdemain will as well.

The world is truly upside down.

This is the Laocedian Church. The subversion of the Chruch for everyone to see. Obama stands for tyranny in so many ways. Now I can see how 1933 Germany happened.

Perhaps the readership of this website is not diverse enough to provoke a sincere, thoughtful, even-handed discussion about this, but here's a voice of dissent. I am a student at Notre Dame, and though I am not as Catholic as I used to be, I am pro-life, and I firmly believe that I will compromise nothing in welcoming the leader of the free world to Our Lady's University. Notre Dame is a Catholic university, yes, but it is an academic institution first, and it is an honor for any academic institution to have the President of the United States deliver an address to its graduates.

This galvanizing, all-or-nothing stance on issues of life hurts the cause. Moral elitism does not make friends, and it does not win battles, especially when they are this personal and this important. There is a long list of leaders and historical figures who would also be disqualified based on these short-sighted criteria and yet welcomed with open arms (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for one, since we're throwing his name around) by any university in the nation, including this one.

There are many appropriate platforms for this debate. But a college graduation, the culmination of thousands of young lives on the brink of the real world, is absolutely not one of them. Please respect the student body and leave the politics at the door, just for one day.

One spring morning, in South Bend, IN, President Barack Obama called Fr. Jenkins at Notre Dame. He told the priest that he wanted to give the Commencement Address at Notre Dame's gradation and needed some help. He was trying to get Governor Kathleen Sebelius confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, but was running into problems with faithful Catholics trying to prevent this. He asked if Fr. Jenkins would kindly say a few words during the Commencement that would include calling Sebelius a saint.

Fr. Jenkins replied, "No, I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over certain of Sebelius's views."

Obama then said, "Look, I'll approve $1 billion in government funds for Notre Dame scholarships, if you'll just tell the graduating class you see Sebelius as a saint."

Fr. Jenkins thought about it and said, "Well, the university can use the money, so I'll work your request into the graduation ceremony."

Fr. Jenkins introduced President Obama and said a few words about him. Then the priest went on to state to the graduating class, "While the choice of a Catholic governor as the Secretary of Health and Human Services is probably an honor to some, she is not my favorite person. Some of her views are contrary to those of the church. Kathleen Sebelius has partnered with pro-abortion forces for her political expediency and to remove restrictions on abortions. She has supported George Tiller, the corrupt late-term abortionist. Because of her disdain for Catholic teaching and her support for abortion rights, her bishop has told her she may not receive Communion. Kathleen Sebelius is the worst example of a Catholic I've ever personally witnessed. She simply isn't to be trusted with the health of our nation."

The priest completed his view of Sebelius with, "But, when compared to President Barack Obama, Governor Sebelius is a saint."

Notre Dame is a Catholic university, yes, but it is an academic institution first

Sounds like the new motto is about to be finalized.

John, I'm going to say this as gently as possible: the fact that you regard questions of Catholic identity and the witness of Catholic values to the world as mere political issues to be set aside when a famous political figure is coming to visit speaks sad volumes.

Good heavens man. Moral Elitism? How pro-life are you?

And I'm unsure how Dr. King, who was pro-life (and _shudder_ a Republican) would not be allowed to speak. How are you using this metaphor?

Also, why does your celebration merit no one speaking out about the issue? I call you a coward. You're thinking about yourself rather than the holocaust that the man is perfectly willing to _increase_.

Rice, who is not pro-life, is a bad example. I'd support her being denied an honorary doctorate just as much as I support Obamma being denied one.

And yes, she is a brilliant woman with an incredible story. She just fails on the same criteria (as far as I am aware).

"Those who call for an Edict of Excommunication, better make it out for the millions of intellegent, experienced and well-intentioned American Catholics who didn't vote Republican! Suppose it will need to be backdated to 1977 when President Carter, also pro-choice, spoke at Notre Dame."

Dear "Chip,"

I am glad that you consider yourself an "intellegent" Catholic. Your case would be stronger if you spelled the word correctly.

Sorry, I typed quickly and didn't run it through "spell-check" -but perhaps, Father Rutler, you should run your comments through "snide-check."

Dear Mr. Chip

All good wishes to you. I am grateful that, totally undeserving, I had the advantages of an education that did not require "spell-check."

True - you are my better. I do admire your wit, culture and strong opinions in your show "Christ in the City" and always read with your pieces in this website with real appreciation.

And I ran this through "spell-check".

I regretted that I didn't have a class ring to send back to my alma mater, St. Louis University, when in 2007 it obtained tax increment financing by denying - to the Missouri Supreme Court - that it was "controlled by the creed of a religion." (See Masonic Temple Association Of St. Louis vs. St. Louis University.) Are the Holy Cross Fathers as much in decline as the Jesuits?

http://intoonwiththeworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/nd-betrayal.html

Really? Then you might have used that quality education to avoid the howlers in your earlier comment (#29):

I can recommend a good spell-checker, if you like.

Sigh... I was really enjoying this thread until the boys started one upping each other.

Mr. Pumphrey,
This is nonsense. Jesus did not even speak to or acknowledge Herod Antipas

Let's get away from the personal back-and-forth and return to the subject of the column: President Obama at Notre Dame.

Thank you in advance.

For all who seem dismayed that Notre Dame would honor an absolutist on abortion reminds me of the famous scene in Casablanca where Claude Rains, as the character Renault, closes Rick's Americana down on the bidding of his German masters. When the character is asked to give a reason for his edict he responds, "I'm shocked, shocked that gambling is going on here." Renault is then handed his winnings from his nigh of gambling.

Notre Dame and just about every other so-called catholic university ceased to be just that many many moons ago. It is tragic. This institution honoring Obama though is just in keeping with what it has become and following the path it has traveled for decades which has produced a majority student body population and a majority faculty that I'm confident voted with a clear "conscience" for the current president.

Can an article by the insipid Richard McBrien bemoaning the yahoos and reactionaries who object to Notre Damen's actions be far behind?

Our Lady takes another one to the heart.

Interesting logic. BTW, I'll bet you're a much better Democrat than Catholic............

We can honor one part of a man, but not the other?

This is what Fr. Jenkins is arguing.

It makes no sense.

Dear Fr. Rutler,
I took your quote from this blogsite when you said that if Obama won that there would be a "calculated persecution of the Church". I forwarded your statement to all of my Catholic friends and acquaintances. Some found it a bit exaggerated...

Can you believe how quickly your "prophecy" is coming to pass? Can you please elaborate on what you meant and how even this Notre Dame scandal is revealing that even alleged "catholics" are playing roles as persecutors?

God bless you Father!

Yes, and we all remember how Pope Pius IX excommunicated any Catholic who voted for Lincoln's opponents in 1860. Those were the days.

THE TRUTH: ABORTION IS SACRIFICING OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO DEVILS (ref: Psalm 106:37)

The Bells of St. Mary's are being silenced by Church and elected leaders without backbones, who accept the Obama nation being christened and the "culture of death" being confirmed.

"...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." –John Donne (1624)

Don McLean (his allegory to R&R not withstanding) was rightly prophetic when he penned in 1972: "Not a word was spoken, the Church bells all were broken."

And as for "the Three Men he admired most"...well they skipped town and were heard singing, "Bye Bye Miss American Pie..."

We need solidarity now, before we are reduced to being no better than rats in individual cages.

A Rosary/Eucharistic March to Washington and sustained public witness to the Truth is urgently needed.

I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me..........was it Ted Kennedy or John Kerry who was excommunicated? I simply can't recall because there have been so many.

Dear MATT in OR-

I suppose "he done" woud be a howler to anyone innocent of the Elizabethan pluperfect. It even has Chaucerian antecedents and Wodehouse tried to revive it. I humbly follow in his footsteps.

Dear MATT in OR

PS - Before you ask, "woud" is Middle English.

In the end, we should all be asking ourselves what kind of society-- 36 years and 50 million abortions later-- kills its own children. Setting aside snarkiness, it takes a certain kind of double-speak to justify honoring a man at Our Lady's university who is such a rabid advocate of abortion. Such arguments are merely smoke and mirrors. Conviction in one's beliefs often results in unpopularity. Many Catholics should worry less about prestige and more about the truth. If a thing is true, it should be defended. Publicly. Period.

Abortion is overwhelmingly used as a means of birth control or a vehicle of eugenics. "Back alley abortion" arguments are bankrupt. The "noble refusal" to allow a child to enter a poverty-stricken and violent world is a lie . If a society has problems, we work to eliminate the problems, not the people.

Abortion is the bitter fruit of ideology coupled with selfishness, masquerading as a "right." Our president has an atrocious track record, one we are all familiar with. A Catholic university should not honor him unless it wishes to exchange conviction for prestige. This is not an issue about "academic freedom" or the "exchange of ideas" as some would like to say it is; it is an issue of principle. ND talks the talk. If only it would walk the walk.

"Barring some miracle of divine intervention, the world will soon watch as the preeminent Catholic university in the country lauds the world's leading advocate for killing children in the womb."

Mr. Hudson-

This statement is factually inaccurate in several senses, and far from being peripheral, it rather stands at the crux of your criticism. Mr. Obama is not an "advocate for killing children in the womb," and so the university could hardly be honoring him for that reason. Obama has a position on the government's policy towards individuals and institutions that engage in abortion. Many Catholics find it odious, but Fr. Jenkins was quite clear that this was not at all why the university has invited him to speak to their graduates.

I realize that this splitting-of-hairs is likely completely unsatisfactory to most in this forum, but since Notre Dame is my alma mater, I feel compelled to ask you to at least be fair to their position.

That is perfect... I hope some ND students see this and take you up on a great idea!

Could the football teams recent record be a sign from the Blessed Mother of her unhappiness with Notre Dame's new moral fiber?

What "educational value" could the Notre Dame grads possibly derive from Obama giving the commencement address and receiving an honorary doctorate that he SHOULD NOT be receiving, according to the U.S. bishops? Perhaps the ONLY value is seeing what happens when Fr. Jenkins betrays the university's Catholic mission -- an act that would certainly prompt a "get thee behind me, Satan!" rebuke from Jesus for thinking in the ways of man and not of God.

Oh, maybe there's one other educational tidbit in store: learning a lesson that playing with fire is never a good thing. How inconsiderate of Fr. Jenkins to do so in light of the impact it would have on what should have been an uneventful and memorable moment to reward them for their years of hard work.

Hopefully the students will end up teaching HIM a lesson he'll never forget -- one way or another. I like the idea of drowning out Obama's speech with a recitation of the rosary and/or leaving a third of the chairs empty to represent the brothers and sisters of the grads who could not share in the moment with them because they were victims of "choice."

anyone see this riest's take on all this?

Illegitimi non carborundum - personal reflections from a faithful Catholic priest in the trenches

Saturday, March 21, 2009
Obama and the Notre Dame controversy



The Catholic Internet sites and blogs have been expressing shock regarding a recent announcement that the University of Notre Dame has invited President Barack Obama to deliver this year's commencement address and receive an honory law degree.

A brief personal commentary: The Catholic Church in America has been in schism with Rome since 1968. The University of Notre Dame has been an integral part of that schism, most especially during the years that Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. was president. Fr. Hesburgh played an important role in the Land of Lakes Decision. (More information about the Land of Lakes Decision)

Whatever happened to the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae? If the present Holy Father operates from a position of weakness and no longer insists that Catholic institutions of higher learning really be truly Catholic, then a visit from someone like President Obama is really no surprise at all. I have a question for the University of Notre Dame. Have you, as an institution accepted and implemented Ex Corde Ecclesiae?

If an institution like Notre Dame can tolerate someone like Fr. Richard McBrien on their faculty, then why would they not be welcoming to Barack Obama?

Another words, let's not waste any time on an institution that has lost it decades ago. We should focus on the new colleges that are doing their best to educate young Catholics according to the mind of the Church.
Posted by Fr. James Farfaglia at 9:35 AM

All North States with heavy Catholic populations help vote this guy in and now we must all live with the consquences of their falling for the glisty Hollywood show that Obama is.

He has a pretty package like most movie stars (I'm thinking Madonna, Brad Pitt etc.) and nothing to offer but sleaze one day and of course adopting African Children or rescuing endangerd species on another, which fools the masses from thinking ill of them.

Do we take the good with the bad as this esteemed President of ND sugguests? 1.5 Million abortions a Year in this county vs. 3000 soldiers who died in Iraq in 7 years. But nobody see the aborted children everyday on the news do we?

Would a historically Black College invite a KKK leader to give a comencement address? Would an Abolishtionist have been invited to give commencement at the University of South Carolina in the 1860's. Would MLK have been invited to give commencment at the University of Alabama in the 1960's? Would Hitler be invited to give commencement at a University in Poland in the 1930's? I'm sure they have 'common ground' on other issues of their time. i.e. Taxes, Education etc.
Unthinkable! to all of these without even giving it a second thought unless you educated at on of the Historically Catholic cafeteria's which are most catholic colleges today.

But today Catholic Colleges and Universities can be swayed by anyone whose rhetoric sound unifying but ends up
appeasing all the godless views and giving Christians a wink and a nod as they get 'thrills up their legs' like at a hollywood red carpet.

I agree! What a great idea. May all the pro-lifers in attendance feel the same way and kneel and pray the rosary as the president gets set to speak. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou amongst women and blessed in the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death amen. Pray the Rosary graduates and show the president AND Rev. Jenkins what the pro-life movement represents! God bless all of you!

Chip,
Tell me where you have ever heard Catholics talking about prosecuting women who have abortions for felony murder??? Where does this stuff come from?? The Church looks upon these women as victims of the evil of abortion, also. I often hear people on the left make this claim and I have NEVER heard this expressed by the Church nor any pro-life Catholic that I know. Stop this nonsensical lie!

I amazed and saddened at the blindness of individuals who are coming to the aid and support of Fr. Jenkins and Notre Dame. Clearly, they have not spoken to women or men who have been physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually damaged by the intrinsic evil of abortion. Moreover, obviously they have not been outside the abortion mills in our nation's cities and seen the faces of women young and old alike who just had an act of homicide done in their wombs as they exit those businesses of death. And clearly they do not understand the magnitude of suffering inflicted on mulitiple levels to women and men who have been involved in abortions. God forgives these individuals through the sacrament of confession when they repent but they have a very hard time of forgiving themselves, sometimes it takes many years. I see the effects of this intrinsic evil almost daily as a priest. Do you call yourself Christian? Do you believe yourself to be a follower of Christ? Then what are you doing to stop the slaughter of the innocent and help those being wounded by this horrible evil? I suppose Hitler would have loved to have had the stage at Notre Dame as well. Would you have supported the priest and Notre Dame if this would have happened? Our Lord is clear about us being our brothers keeper. (cf the good samaritan). Who is my brother? Every human being from natural conception to natural death and every where in between is my brother. How can you justify honoring "Hitler"? Don't tell me how he has done or will do all these other great things while he systematically presides over a "machine" bent on killing the most innocent on demand worldwide. Hitler was effective as a leader on multiple levels: efficient highway systems, turned around the economy in a matter of years and made Germany a country leader, and lowered unemployment. He just had one "small problem". He didn't think a segment of the population deserved life. You can't dialogue with someone of this caliber of evil all you can do is pray for him. And certainly the Lord doesn't ask you to invite him over to your "house". May God have mercy us! May our Blessed Mother obtain the grace of an illumination of consciences!

I don't like the idea of using the rosary to "drown out" a speaker.....Rude and perhaps not a good way to pray. How about every graduate and their parents absenting themselves from
the graduation. I would Love to see President Obama and Fr. Jenkins "honor" each other and be happy that the graduates have a "right to choose" staying away...... What a great day if noone showed up.

Amen to that Sue. Prayer is always the answer.

It's not Fr.Jenkins at the crossroads, but Ms. Glendon. Will she share the stage with The Abortion President? Will she allow herself to be used? Will she decline the "honor"? Or use the stage as an opportunity to catechize?

Alan, this was truly inspired! I pray that the Pro-Life Student group on the campus of Notre Dame is reading this. God bless!

There will always be people, including clueless Catholics who voted for Obama, who will defend him to his death, and look at him as a god. Please explain something to me - how can you be "not as Catholic as I used to be"? I truly was not aware that there is varying levels of being Catholic. If you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is very clear on the teachings of the church, and is not negotiable! This includes abortion, which is muurder. The president of Notre Dame should be ashamed of himself for creating this scandal, which is exactly what it is - to invite a pro-abortion president to speak at a commencement. How disgraceful! I think Obama has accepted this engagement to stick it to the pro-life groups, and he'll do it with the same phony smile he always has. I'm surprised he has time to do this between talk show engagements.
Maybe he should be spending more time on perfecting his lies about not knowing anything about the AIG bonuses. Gee, Mr. Obama, wasn't that part of the stimulus package that no one had time to read before they had to vote on it?? Pretty sure that was in the fine print. But I do digress. Perhaps the next step for Notre Dame would be to build a statue of him on campus so worship will be easier.

Vincent,

How is Dr. Glendon involved?

Kamilla

She is slated to receive the Laetare Medal at the very same commencement ceremony. What a sticky situation for her to be in.

The following is a letter I wrote to Fr. John Jenkins on 3/21/09:

Fr. John Jenkins, President
University of Notre Dame
South Bend, Indiana

Dear Fr. Jenkins,

It has come to my attention that President Obama is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame on 5/17/09.

As a very concerned Catholic Christian I am officially registering my opposition to this intention. To have a morally relativistic, pro abortion leader in a position to advise and lead the graduating class of 2009 into the future, is, in my opinion, totally contrary to what Notre Dame should represent. Why would you permit this?

For a school named after Our Lady, the Blessed Mother, to provide him with a platform, goes counter to everything that is Our Lady. Having President Obama give discourse shows blatant disregard to the teachings of our Lord and the Church. It grieves me that our President, whom I did not vote for, is the most pro abortion President in our history. The Blessed Mother of our Lord also grieves and weeps over the 50 million plus legal abortions that have been performed in our country since 1973, not to mention the ravaging and devastation to generations of women.

I am not a Notre Dame alumnus but I am a recent convert to the Church. I did have an abortion at age 19, uninformed, blind and buying into the lie that it was just a clump of cells, not a baby "yet". I am now 53 years old. For 34 years that decision to abort my child has informed every major decision of my life. It affected all my relationships, led me into guilt, shame and wounds that I thought would never be healed. And even though God has healed me, there are scars and repercussions to others that can never be undone. However, I refuse to be silent in my opposition to an individual, leader, group or political party who represents and promotes the culture of death.

"In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Matthew 2:18

Please reconsider your decision to have this politician, who appears to be in a popularity contest, speak to these young people. By allowing him to speak, you appear to give assent and endorsement of the values he espouses, i.e. ,

Asked to define sin, Barack Obama replied that sin is "being out of alignment with my values."
"...I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

For over 2000 years the Catholic Church has NOT been popular because it adheres to the teachings of the gospels as handed down to the apostles before there were any written records. As an ordained priest of this apostolic heritage, how can you permit a platform for someone who has publicly avowed disregard for the truth? How can you promote the culture of death by giving him a platform to further his agenda?

I appeal to your conscience in what you KNOW to be true. You know this is wrong. I can only imagine the weeping of Our Lady, Notre Dame, over President Obama's casual attitudes to sin and the deaths of souls unborn. It is a grave insult to her Son, Our Lord, whom she bore in her womb for our salvation.

Fr. Jenkins, my fervent prayer is that, in your position of responsible leadership and accountability to Almighty God, that you will do the right thing.

Respectfully,

Kay McCormick


Kay McCormick, RN.
Augusta, GA
Diocese of Savannah, GA

Andy,

Thanks. After I posted that, I did find a news link, but then my "never mind" post here seems to have gotten eaten by the spam filter.

kamilla

The publication of the encyclical letter,"Humanae Vitae" on July 25, 1968, created a schism in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Many Catholic Colleges,including Notre Dame, started to drift away from the teaching authority of the Church.
Papal dissident flourished; contraceptive behavior tolerated; the teaching of the Faith was watered down.
On November 4, 2008 54% of Catholics were instrumental in electing the most pro-abortion President in the history of our country. The May 2009 commencement invitation is a recognition of this fact.
I contend it's time to move on and support the handful of Catholic Colleges that adhere to the Magisterium. Some of these colleges are as follows:
Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California
Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio
Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia
Magdalene College, New Hampshire
There are others but they are few in number.
Let us pray to Our Blessed Mother that Notre Dame will realize the error of its ways.

John O'Donnell

The only thing that can explain Fr Jenkins support of the most evil President this country has elected is that Fr Jenkins is either a member of Freemasonry, or Satan had
blinded him to the truth. Here is the horrific trail of evil this President has wrought upon the unborn, and upon God-fearing Catholics and Christians (from www.lifesitenews.com):

11/5/2008- Obama selects pro-abortion Rep. Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has a 0% pro-life voting record according to National Right to Life.

11/19/2008 - Obama picks pro-abortion former Sen. Tom Daschle as his Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has a long pro-abortion voting record according to National Right to Life. He is a lapsed Catholic. Thankfully, he withdrew his nomination
when it was disclosed he cheated on his taxes.

11/20/2008 - Obama chooses former NARAL legal director Dawn Johnsen to serve as a member of his Department of Justice Review Team. Later, he finalizes her appointment as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Legal Counsel in the Obama administration.

11/24/2008 - Obama appoints Ellen Moran, the former director of the pro-abortion group Emily's List as his White House communications director. Emily's List only supported candidates who favored taxpayer funded abortions and opposed a partial-birth abortion ban.

11/24/2008 - Obama puts former Emily's List board member Melody Barnes in place as his director of the Domestic Policy Council.

11/30/2008 - Obama named pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. Clinton has an unblemished pro-abortion voting record and has supported making unlimited abortions an international right.

12/10/2008 - Obama selects pro-abortion former Clinton administration official Jeanne Lambrew to become the deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Planned Parenthood is "excited" about the selection.

12/10/2008 - Obama transition team publishes memo from dozens of pro-abortion groups listing their laundry list of pro-abortions actions they want him to take.

1/5/2009 - Obama picks pro-abortion Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as the chairman of the Democratic Party.

1/6/2009 - Obama chooses Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife, as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department.

1/22/2009 - Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.

1/23/2009 - Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.

1/26/2009 - Obama nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg, tells members of the Senate that taxpayers should be forced to fund abortions. Nominee erroneously says limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.

1/29/2009 - President Obama nominates pro-abortion David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General.

2/12/2009 - Obama nominates pro-abortion Elena Kagan to serve as Solicitor General.

2/27/2009 - Starts the process of overturning pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.

2/28/2009 - Barack Obama nominates pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius to become Secretary of Health and Human Services. She is confirmed.

3/5/2009 - The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.

3/9/2009 - President Barack Obama signed an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.

3/10/2009 - Obama announces the creation of a new foreign policy position to focus on women's issues. He names Melanne Verveer, an abortion advocate, to occupy the post.

3/10/2009 - Reverses an executive order to press for more research into ways of obtaining embryonic stem cells without harming human life. The order Obama scrapped would have promoted new forms of stem cell research.

more to follow...

3/11/2009 - Obama signed an executive order establishing a new agency within his administration known as the White House Council on Women and Girls. Obama's director of public liaison at the White House, Tina Tchen, an abortion advocate, becme director of it.

3/11/2009 - Obama administration promotes an unlimited right to abortion at a United Nations meeting.

3/11/2009 - Obama administration officials deny negative effects of abortion at United Nation's meeting.

3/17/2009 - President Barack Obama makes his first judicial appointment and names pro-abortion federal Judge David Hamilton to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Wake up valient and faithful men and women of the Cross of Our Lord Jesus - the enemy has breached the gates of Our Lady's University. It is time to battle these demons from hell, come in disguise as men. Listen to the prophecy of St Paul:
" For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths" (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

And also heed the warning from St Matthew: "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matt. 7:15).

I am having trouble typing my comments because of the tears in my eyes. Tears for Notre Dame, my Alma Mater, class of 1952.

Sad, Sad that the school dedicated to The Blessed Virgin, the purest of God's creation, would give a platform and an honor to a man that is so totally opposed to Catholic teaching on life.

Please pray for Notre Dame.
Please pray for America.

ashamed of himself. But unfortunately, he is incapable of experiencing shame.

I guess to follow his own logic he would have had little hesitation inviting Adolf Hitler (6 million dead) or Joe Stalin (41 million dead) to receive a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Notre Dame so that he could engage them in dialogue.

But Barack Hussein O'Bama is most worthy because he stands on the shoulders of those most responsible for giving us 50,000,000 dead children.

Hats off to the Fighting Irish for recognizing greatness among us!

Molly, if by chance you read this, your witness is powerful. If you feel so called, please contact me at The Cardinal Newman Society. We would love to tell your story for the sake of the young people today, who are in such a toxic environment.

Everyone, PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AT WWW.NOTREDAMESCANDAL.COM! As of this morning, we have more than 51,000 signatures. We need everyone to be counted on this one.

Obama will return honor with a DVD collection with the wrong regional codes

This man should be ashamed for the disgrace that he has brought to Notre Dame, a CATHOLIC university. He should also hang his head in shame for dishonoring Our Lady, after whom the university is named.

It is embarrassing to me as a Catholic to see a priest who is supposed to be leading Catholics in our faith, betraying that faith. How can such a person be a shepherd when he serves the wolves?

I would suggest that all pro-life graduates refrain from attending the graduation ceremonies. There would be no violence and no confrontation, just a silent and strong statement.

I DEFINITELY like the idea of the rosary!!! It is also encouraging to hear how our students are still strong in the Catholic faith.

How can those in attendance, while staring at and listening to the hypocrisy, lies, insidious manipulation of their souls by one of evil's minions not throw up at their own graduation ceremony?? How memorable!

Those who excuse this presence by pointing to the necessity of it due to the position of "president" make of that position an idol that rises there on that campus above all of God's holy laws and God Himself. And people wonder how, sometime in the future, THE antiChrist will seat himself in God's holy temple! Perhaps these smaller acceptances are those that gradually build the foundation for that future event. It would be bad enough to merely accept a solicitation to speak by the "president" but to request it is far worse.

And perhaps even "she" who solicited funds for her husband's former campaigns on the backs of those babies who had sharp instruments stuck in their tiny heads and had their brains sucked out will also attend - two evil reps for one! This is not some "cool" couple. This is a cold couple with seared consciences.

If this more than likely goes forth (based on the wimps in Catholic authority today) then the Chief Exorcist from Rome should be called to the campus to rid it of the demonic influences permitted to enter the open spaces of its weaknesses. What a nice hors d'oeuvre for satan to get out of the way before he goes after the main course.... and that little maneuver on the very home grounds of She who is his holy nemesis!

First response: prayer--persistent prayer! Yes, pray the rosary daily, pray for Obama's conversion, pray for Fr. Jenkins. Then I say all Notre Dame donors, alumni, and others who contribute in any way to the financial withhold all contributions until Rev. Jenkins is fired and replaced with a priest who is more interested in pleasing God than man, who is more desirous in being obedient to God and to the bishops than to the world. What this man has done by inviting the most extreme pro-abort in this nation is an outrage and a scandal, and seemingly the students and parents of those students and those who love this institution have no recourse. This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church states on scandal:

RESPECT FOR THE SOULS OF OTHERS: SCANDAL

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. the person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."85 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.86

2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.

Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible."87 This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger,88 or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values.

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"89

This is a very grave issue! So everything possible must be done by those who are in a position to do so. And Bishop D'Arcy must act and act quickly. His soul and the souls of all students and their families and everyone who is so concerned and sorrowful about this invitation are most important in this situation. The salvation of souls is ultimately what this life is about!

Suppose it's 1936. It's the University of Tubingen. The president of the university invites the chancellor of Germany to come give a commencement address, and to accept an honorary degree in, I don't know, Law, or Moral Philosophy. Oh, the Herr Kanzler hasn't yet actually engaged in mass murder of Jews, and hasn't even yet advocated the mass murder of Jews. He has, to be sure, stripped the Jews of most of their civil rights, but, you know, a university needs to be open to all points of view, and these are issues about which reasonable people can disagree. Besides, the university chiefs who issue the invitation are friendly to dem Kanzler on other grounds -- they are not, after all, single-issue thinkers, like the Buben and Burschen in the hinterlands, and even like some of the priests and bishops. They may be fine pastors and loyal men of the church -- none better, those priests and bishops, especially for serving the Buben and Burschen -- but they're not intellectuals, don't you know. The chiefs of the university happen to agree with the Herr Kanzler on a range of issues regarding, ach verdammt, was ist das Wort -- social justice, and the place of the dearly beloved Fatherland, und so weiter.

Imagine that -- and imagine the opprobrium that not only the college but the church would suffer for decades after. Deservedly so. "But, but THAT was an issue of basic human dignity, and THIS, well, this is --" This is what, pray tell?

My recommendation for all ND donors: Fund those Catholic sub-institutions within your alma mater, and do so directly. Otherwise, find another Catholic institution to donate your money to. Some schools are struggling to recover their Catholic identity -- and your donations can assist them. Others are genuinely Catholic but are having a difficult time now (St. Thomas More in NH, for one). Give them an assist.

Fr. Jenkins and the administration of Notre Dame have gotten too big for their britches, as witnessed by this latest act of treason against the Catholic church, and the teaching of our children. How do I explain this to my children? "Well, even though the University of Notre Dame has the abortion president and they are honoring him, abortion is stil wrong."

If this takes place...my checks stop. All checks that pay for everything our Bishop does. I say this in belief that Bishop Darcy has the power to remove Fr. Jenkins, and to stop this travesty.

Bishop, the ball is in your court. Be a leader that stands for Jesus and Mary. Do not let Our Holy Nother be slandered through this slap in the face by this spoiled child called Notre Dame.

Office of the President of Notre Dame:
Phone: 574.631.3903

Please be polite but firm

I want to thank Chip and John for helping me out, though. As the Catholic mother of pre-collegiate age children, I am now completely confident in my decision to scratch Notre Dame off my list of prospective schools. Barring what apparently would have to be a nearly miraculous turnaround of the school, I would not allow my children to go there even if they received a full scholarship.



Congratulations, Chip. You sound quite proud. Interestingly enough, aside from the Double Domer part, Nancy Pelosi says the same thing about herself. As with all of us, God will be the judge.



John, I say this with all sincerity, because this truly breaks my heart. As a student at what is supposed to be a Catholic institution, you should not come out ‘less’ Catholic. Does this not tell you something? I suggest you take a hard look at this and other scandalous propaganda that has helped form your views, from a faculty that by a reported margin of 70% supported a man whose record is anathema to the Church’s most fundamental teachings, and then read some TRUTH. Read the works of Pope Benedict XVI and JPII, GK Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, our Founding Fathers, who while most were not Catholic, were obviously Christian men; read about the faith of the martyrs of the Church, and The Bible, with a particular focus on the Book of Revelation... Go to Spiritdaily.com and read the news articles from around the world that you will not be told about listening to liberal indoctrinators, aka college professors, or Stephen Colbert. Your world is in crisis and it is because people are ‘not as Catholic’ as they should be. And pray! Go to Adoration (do they even have Adoration at ND?). If you are still Catholic at all (and that you are here is a good sign), you know that Jesus died for you. Get on your knees and thank him. Pray for Grace. And He will come again... Many believe it is soon. I don’t know, but when you pay close attention to the state of the world, it is easy to see where they get the idea. Pray that you will be ready if it is. Pray for me while you are at it. Being as Catholic as you used to be takes effort. It is a choice that only you can make and must make every day. Pray for the Grace to help you make it. “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” ~G K Chesterton.


I don’t want to seem too pessimistic, but to all those urging a pro-life protest of any sort by the current students, are you really sure there are enough of them to make a point other than that the school is NOT teaching them their Catholic faith? If statistics are correct, the vast majority of college kids (including Catholics) voted for the abortion promoter.

And yes, Thomas, he is an advocate for abortion. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so eager to sign a policy to send our federal dollars (which we need here and actually don't have) to organizations that promote and provide abortions for women all around the world, among many other things including his promises to the abortion lobby. And you’re correct; your splitting of hairs really wasn’t satisfactory, not for me at least. Obama is being honored (in direct disobedience to the Pope’s and bishops’ instructions) for his accomplishments, no? Well, what has he accomplished? Aside from embarrassing us with his almost comical string of corrupt administration picks, insults to our allies, gallows humor…he has done two things: Robbed our children blind with a ‘stimulus’ that stimulates nothing but the acid in my stomach, and promoted abortion/anti-life policies. So, I’d say Deal is correct in his assessment. Perhaps you should be admonishing your Alma Mater instead of Mr. Hudson who, unlike the leadership at Notre Dame, is actually doing his job and what he knows is right, based on fidelity to Church teaching.

Thank you, Deal Hudson.

For me, this is personal. I am frequently introduced as the mother of a Notre Dame football player. It has been a source of pride. Notre Dame and Our Lady have become very meaningful to our family. I only wish that I had enjoyed an education that would allow me to eloquently explain the hurt and dissapointment I feel.

embarrassed

I would like to add one more university to Mr. John O'Donnell's list:
John Paul the Great Catholic University in Oceanside California.
By the way, they are offering on-line courses for a master's degree in Biblical Theology---maybe if more of us pursued a concentrated effort of reading and understanding the covenantal love Our Father has for us as revealed to us in Holy Scripture, we wouldn't be having this debate.

It is interesting that you would reference Hitler in this situation. Not surprising though. In addition to the similarities between the Holocaust wrought by the Nazis and the holocaust of abortion, there seem to be a number of similarities to the rise of Hitler and the support the American public is giving Obama. Have you seen the Obama supporters canvassing neighborhoods and communities to get people to sign pledges supporting Obama? Scary, almost Hitler Youthish stuff...

But back on topic. This is a quote from Albert Einstein. It seems relevant here.



Interesting, isn't it? But here we have a university that is affiliated with the Church, led by a priest that is failing to stand for intellectual truth. Why is the Church today not standing squarely across their path and stopping them from suppressing and even distorting the Truth?

Pamela, you summed it all up sincerely, lovingly, and beautifully as a mother would.

John, she's right, if you've come away from a "Catholic" education less Catholic, then they haven't done their job and your parents' money was wasted.

Thomas, I echo Pamela's thoughts exactly. Mr. Obama considers pregnacies a burden. Do you think your parents thought you were too much of a burden? I don't think so, since they paid for you to attend such a prestigious college. And what would have happened if they did think you a burden, and have gotten rid of you, so that they wouldn't be burdened with the inconvenience of you?

Phil Donahue was just on Fox News and claimed that when he graduated from Notre Dame in 1957, 75% of Catholics in America attended Mass every Sunday while today the number is only 25%.

Get ready for a frightening look into the Liberal "mind" ...

Mr. Donahue concludes that in order to "save the dying Catholic Church" Universities like Notre Dame need to welcome great men like Barack Obama and let the "millions of pro-choice Catholics" receive the Sacraments as they "have a right to do"

Maybe Fr. Pavone should ask for permission to lead a Rosary for Life at the football stadium on graduation day.

"Truth was not something to be learned, but one's daily bread..."

JudieBrown of ALL suggests contacting the Vatican, Bishop D'Arcy, and local newspapers as well:

She notes that it only costs 84 cents to send a letter to the Vatican office

--Most Reverend Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski
Prefect The Congregation for Catholic Education of Seminaries and Institutes of Studies [Secretary: Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès, O.P.] Palazzo della Congregazioni Piazza Pio XII, 3 00193, Roma, Italy or 00120 CITTÀ DEL VATICANO Roma, Italy phone: 011.39.06.69.88.41.67 fax: 011.39.06.69.88.41.72


--Bp. D'Arcy's contact is:
http://www.pewsitter.com/Fort_Wayne_South_Bend_diocese.html

--Letters to the editor in chief of the Notre Dame newspaper, The Observer, Mike Connolly: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

--Managing editor of The Observer, Noreen Gillespie, gill0843@saintmary's.edu

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2212906/posts

Too bad Abraham L isn't available to speak and get an honorary law degree. His position on slavery was you are either for it or against it--there is no in between. One wonders what Abe would say about killing innocents.

Unfortunately ND has been in the middle on this issue since 1984 when they gave the Laetare Medal to Sen. Moynihan, a pro-abortion Dem. If ND won't stand up for the rights of the unborn who will?

http://www.diocesefwsb.org/COMMUNICATIONS/statements.htm

I pray that Marquette University does not follow suit with Notre Dame. We send our children to Catholic Universities because we WANT them to learn within the support of their Catholic faith. I will pray for Notre Dame and all Catholic universities.
Bishop D'Arcy has issued an excellent statement today- he will not be attending the graduation if President Obama will be speaking and honored.

I thank God that I have a bishop like John D'Arcy who always speaks out for the truth and has, as I requested of him, added concrete action to his words by refusing to attend.

Still, if the best that our hierarchs can do about scandalous Catholic institutions is register their disapproval, how will the scandal ever end? Is there nothing more that can be done than to say "I really wish you wouldn't do that"? Without impugning Bp. D'Arcy's response in any way, I would suggest that our nation's bishops as a whole seriously reconsider the medicinal use of ecclesiastical discipline (which has been almost wholesale disregarded, with predictable results), and if the canons do not allow them any appropriate recourse to enter a serious period of reflection, together with the Apostolic See, about how the peace and doctrine of the Church can be safeguarded in the future.

I blame the Bishop for this outrage. Father Jenkins is subject
to religious obedience. Notre Dame IS in his juridiction.
He can easily order Father? Jenkins to recind the invatation.
Or find the Superior in charge of Jenkins and have him do it.

If neither of them act to do so I will Pray to my Lord and
Savior that He visit a part of His justice upon them both,
here and now,for the Salvation of their eternal souls. I would
encourage all believer's in Christ to do the same. Then sit
back and enjoy Our Lord's perfect Justice.

So pray for their eternal souls by asking God to deliver a
part of His Justice upon them now, so they may be humbled
and see the error of their ways, before it is too late for
them both.

We are praying so that you can have a change of heart.

this bishop has spoken:

On Friday, March 21, Father John Jenkins, CSC, phoned to inform me that President Obama had accepted his invitation to speak to the graduating class at Notre Dame and receive an honorary degree. We spoke shortly before the announcement was made public at the White House press briefing. It was the first time that I had been informed that Notre Dame had issued this invitation.

President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred. While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life.

This will be the 25th Notre Dame graduation during my time as bishop. After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation. I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith "in season and out of season," and he teaches not only by his words — but by his actions.

My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life.

I have in mind also the statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 2004. "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." Indeed, the measure of any Catholic institution is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15467

Well-- very good article.
Imagine having the ability to influence our youth by a priest who lives under the title of Notre Dame. His relative way of thinking, I thought truth was not relative but a reality -- and if our bishops do not speak out-- well then Maybe we might pray to St Thomas More who lost his head but not his soul.. I will pray that our bishops will be men of courage because this life does not last long and eternity is forever.
" If a politician forsakes his private conscience for the sake of his public office he sets his country on a short route to chaos " Lawyer St Thomas More ,Chancellor of England, Killed, martyred - Man for All Seasons
If Father Jenkins has the courage and faith to admitt he was wrong then let us welcome him back with open arms, As Jesus said to Peter-- "Do you love me." If not-- then we pray for the Judas within as surly the mother of God as she watched her son crucified prayed for Judas -- one of the 12---May Fr Jenkins have the good counsel of friends who love their God first and then their country. " I am the kings good servant but God's servant first"Sir Thomas More

Thank you Fr. Belli, for speaking truth about abortion from your experience of the anguish women and men feel as they grope their way back to hope and healing.

We, who ended the lives of our own children, are silenced by shame, put on us so often by un-thinking prolifers. We are made irrelevant by pro-aborts who deny that our children were anything but "cells" or a "choice" or not "human" yet. We, who know the effects of abortion firsthand, have faces and voices. We must not be afraid and speak out! When we speak truth to the power of abortion ill-formed consciences can be changed. When our children have names, and are no longer known by the act which ended their lives, it is much harder to argue the pro-choice position. Courage is a quality of saints!

I would humbly ask that those of us who know abortion first-hand should take advantage of the addresses given in these posts to contact the Church and government officials involved in this scandal. Tell your story and take away the rhetoric that protects abortion...and thus pro-abort Catholics, politicians and others who want to protect them.

The Catholic Church and the sacrament of Reconciliation is the only reason I am sane today. Protect her, pray for her and her priests.

The invitation must be rescinded.

AND

Jenkins must resign.


...OR

Bishop D'Arcy must strip the name "Our Lady" from the university. We'll see how many show up to study at the University of South Bend.

There needs to be a response if indeed this butcher of the unborn speaks as is now planned. Praying the rosary in groups attending the event during the BO speech would surely be noticed. Students have a lot of other options to express their disdain. Nonverbals--baby pictures pinned on their clothes or grad caps -let's put ideas out there. If I was an alum, withhold funds and write to request the chief man's removal.

The Catholics voted for this President knowing full well his beliefs. He said he wouldn't let his daughter be "Punished " with an unwanted pregnacy. Couldn't be any plainer than that. I think the devil is on a rampage in our world today and are we as Catholics shaking his hand and going right along with him??? We worry about the economy but no amount of $$$$ would make up for what is lost when we sacrifice our own flesh and blood to abortion.
Parents spend their hard earned money to send their children to a Catholic University believing that is a safe place and I've heard that it is in those years where many loose their faith.
Prayer is the only thing that will turn us around. God have Mercy!!

A University that would consider allowing the Vagina Monologues shows no respect for any woman and most especially the Christian woman. They have ultimately lost respect for life.
I have a neighbor whose life is in utter chaos, unfortunately; her compass in life is this vulgar presentation. No one seems to mention that this goes beyond radical feminism to the plain old lesbian agenda. Nothing is new under the sun. Remember Merlin Stone's book from the 1970's: God is a Woman. Come on, wake up & discern the spirits.

Satan has certainly entered into many of the Religious orders in my Diocese in the form of New Age philosophies & practices. I no longer trust the Jesuit Order as a whole to be genuinely Catholic (I discern each person individually) & I find it tragicallly ironic that a great many U.S. Marian-named Orders seem the the most New Age. Our Lady of the Snows Shrine even has some Oblates who are more concerned with Eastern Mysticism than with Christianity. Kings Retreat House in Belleville is a prime example of misbelief. I don't trust the USCCB as an entity nor the programs they advocate; especially Social Justice-service types--Is ACORN involved?? I don't want to allocate funding to any heretical priests or theologians for Diocesan education at the same time I'm making possible the Eucharist to shut-ins. I want to tag specifically what I want my contributions to support. I'm tired of supporting evil agendas along with the good.

It is impossible for a true disciple of Christ to walk with one foot in the Faith & one in the world. This is a perfect discription of Obama and a majority of (dissident) "Catholics."
Jesus gave His All for us & expects the same in return. As Revelation says, He would rather we be cold or hot; but lukewarm--he will spew us out of his mouth. Is there no fear of God among many Catholics...it is the beginning of Wisdom. Jesus asks if there will be any faith upon the earth when he returns?
Good question.

The Catholic civic duty to vote is an expression of the Faith in assisting the common good. It is a moral vote to satisfy the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. It is based upon God's principles where there is no room for selfishness. A candiate should not be considered that does not have good moral character & integrity. His/her good actions must match their political promises.
I did not vote for Obama because he believes that infanticide is a civil right--a choice. Abortion is in direct opposition to Health Care. Reproduction management is murder. I am weary of the word game & euphemistic phrases that mask truth. Freedom of Choice Act; where "freedom" is really tyranny....its all a lie to secure power over the people. Christians must not yoke themselves with the secular; at risk of losing their Faith & ultimately their souls. Do all for the Glory of God. (Oh that the Jesuits would recall their motto!)

Something is very amiss within the modern Cathlolic Church in America; on the whole. It was very refreshing to worship with the African people of Cameroon & Angola during the recent Papal visit. They are grateful; they are joyful, they are full of faith & zeal for the Lord...singing & dancing before Him.
I signed the petition & told friends. They should strip the University's Catholic Name. It is an insult to Our Lady. We must stand up & do the right thing. It matters.

I expect this kind of moral vacuum in a public college. Unfortuntely, Fr. Jenkins exemplifies the lack of leadership and moral example in our own catholic institutions -- particularly those of higher learning. He and his like-minded peers are responsible for a generation of catholics that can no longer distinguish between catholic truth and secular fiction.

Perhaps more upsetting than ND inviting Obama to speak is the unbelievable opportunity that was lost. To have broken with tradition in this year, with this president, would have sent a clear moral message to the him and the country. More importantly, it would have shown the ND students both what catholic doctrine is and what it means to take a principled stand on matters of truth. THIS, unlike what Fr. Jenkins appears to think, is the real mission of a catholic college.

Fr. Jenkins has arrogantly, publicly, and unapologetically, chosen tradition over truth. He is an accomplice in creating a new generation of un-convicted catholics, and in helping to expand and strengthen the grave evil of abortion in our country. It is both an outrage and an insult.

ND has every right to invite Obama to speak; but it has no right to do so as a catholic institution. If defense of the unborn and other foundations of catholic doctrine are causes Fr. Jenkins can no longer support, then he should re-establish the university as the secular institution it has become.

While he's at it, he should consider turning in his collar. I pray that the local bishop and U.S. council of bishops, act with the firmness and moral clarity that this very public matter deserves. Until they do so, we can expect more of the same.

Thanks for your article.

Laura

is the resurgence of authenticCatholic Colleges and Universities throughout the United States. Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society, after over two years of intensive research and investigation of the 200+ American "Catholic" higher education institutions, recommended 21.

They may be smaller, less funded, and less prestigious than Notre Dame, but I tend to think size and money are not as important as seeking Truth.

You'll find them in "The Newman Guide To Choosing a Catholic College," edited by Joseph Esposito, former Deputy Under Secretary at the Dept. of Education.

Yes, this whole Notre Dame business is outrageous, but can we not also use our precious time, energy, and (dare I say?) money to promote those Colleges that take authentic Catholic education seriously?

Let's not just protest, let's PROMOTE.

the university as the secular institution it has become"

In the name of "economic stimulus" Catholic donors to Notre Dame should be repaid with interest! If not charge them with mail fraud!

Bishop D'Arcy's announcement that he will not attend the commencement exercises causes me to wonder:

The next time Bishop D'Arcy learns that one of his priests is molesting kids, will the bishop put his foot down, and boycott the parish's Fall Supper?

...does any authority over Catholic educational entities, as a whole, exist?

If so, does that authority have any control over funding for those entities? Or, perhaps, the cooperative sharing of donations to those entities?

I ask because, as I look at the Cardinal Newman Society's "Newman Guide" of faithful Catholic colleges, I see there some entities that could benefit from additional funds.

I can imagine a great deal of good being done if, say, the entire funding for Georgetown were redirected to Ave Maria University or DeSales, or the entire funding for Notre Dame were redirected to Southern Catholic College and Belmont Abbey.

That kind of action would be, I think, most instructive for heads of Catholic learning institutions who seem culturally or congenitally unable to grasp what faithfulness to the Magisterium would look like.

But perhaps this is unworkable, because no such authority structure exists?

Perhaps there should be such a structure?

The day Obama walks on to Notre Dame, is the day I walk out of the Catholic Church forever.

one wrong does not a church make.

As a Catholic priest once said


"You use Scripture like a drunk uses a lamppost - for support rather than illumination."

Dear Father Jenkins,

I assume from your title that you believe in God and good. If you believe in God and good, do you also believe in Satan and evil? I will make the assumption that you believe in Satan and evil. When I examine abortion under these two beliefs, I ask a question. Whose work is abortion? Is abortion God's work? If it is not God's work then it must be Satan's work. Why would a Catholic University honor someone who actively supports Satan's work?

I am sure Satan must delight in intellectuals. As the prince of lies it must amuse Satan to reason with them for his gain. Those who are not so intellectual have only faith as a defense. The black and white of faith may not be as easy to overcome as the grays of reason.

Father, do you hear a hint of unexplained laughter?

You are in my prayers.