Father John Jenkins

Third Bishop Reproach's Notre Dame Decision

Published Friday, March 27, 2009 A.D. | By Tito Edwards

Bishop Gregory Aymond of the Diocese of Austin has reproached the decision rendered by the University of Notre Dame to allow President Obama to do the 2009 commencement address and receive an honorary law degree. In an E-Pistle issued earlier today, Bishop Aymond had this to say:

“I, along with many other Catholics, express great disappointment and sadness that a Catholic university would honor someone who is pro-choice and who holds many values contrary to our Catholic belief.”

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The Bishop Speaks

Published Tuesday, March 24, 2009 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

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Hattip to Dale Price. Bishop John M. D’Arcy has made his statement:

“Concerning President Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame
graduation, receiving honorary law degree

March 24, 2009

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.

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Notre Dame-Obama Scandal Roundup

Published Saturday, March 21, 2009 A.D. | By Tito Edwards

News spread fast with the announcement that the University of Notre Dame (ND) will have President Obama at its commencement speaker and receive an honorary degree. Our very own Donald R. McClarey was johnny-on-the-spot with the breaking news last night. Here is the official press release states as follows:

“Mr. Obama will be the ninth U.S. president to be awarded an honorary degree by the University and the sixth to be the Commencement speaker.”

Here’s a round up of the near-unanimous condemnation of this invitation to Pro-Abortion President Barack Obama:

1. Bishop John D’Arcy has been very critical of ND in the past. Bishop D’Arcy has also defended unborn children againstPresident Obama’s anti-life agenda in the past. His Excellency will have quite a bit to say come Monday.

2. The ND switchboard was overwhelmed late last night with all calls expressing their outrage at the invitation of a president with blood on his hands of innocent children. The voice mailbox for the President, Fr. John Jenkins, Vice-President, Provost, assistant-provost and PR director of ND were all full by 9pm EST.

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Notre Dame Honors Pro-Abort

Published Friday, March 20, 2009 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

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The University of Notre Dame announced today that President Obama will be the commencement speaker this year and receive an honorary degree. Leaving aside the spit in the face insult to Our Lady that this invitation constitutes, the bishops of this country* spoke on this point 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.”

I hope that faithful Catholics will do their best to persuade the administration of Notre Dame to rethink this invitation. If the administration does not, I hope that enough faithful Catholics show up on May 17, 2009 to make the protest of the speech a memorable one. I also trust that the students of Notre Dame who take their Faith seriously will also find means during the speech to express their displeasure over the choice of speaker known.

* United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or USCCB

Update I: As usual, Ed Morrissey at Hot Air is on top of the story.

Update II: Totus chimes in.

Update III: For those of you who would like to make your views known to the president of Notre Dame, click here.

Update IV: Good. There is a website set up to organize resistance to this invitation.