,The Church has a rich history of fostering the exchange of ideas with charismatic leaders.
Posted on 03/26/2009 6:11:35 AM PDT by rhema
A coalition of student groups formed an ad hoc committee to "lead student response" in condemning the University's invitation to President Barack Obama to deliver Notre Dame's 2009 Commencement address, according to a press release.
The coalition - including Notre Dame Right to Life, Notre Dame College Republicans, the Irish Rover student newspaper and six other campus groups - created a Web site, ndresponse.com, and released a formal statement Wednesday denouncing University President Fr. John Jenkin's choice of speaker.
"In response to the University's decision, we pledge ourselves to acts of witness that will be characterized by respect, prayerfulness, outspoken fidelity to the Church and true concern for the good of our University," the statement said of the coalition's purpose.
Although outside religious and pro-life groups have been outspoken against the University, this coalition is the first formal student response.
But several Facebook groups have sprung up with the purpose of garnering support for Jenkins' decision. The largest group, titled "We will be honored to have President Obama at Notre Dame," claims 3,453 members as of press time.
Despite the controversy, Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, said the president is honored to speak to Notre Dame students.
"Notre Dame is one of the first universities President Obama will visit as president," Inouye said. "He is honored to address the graduating class, their families and the faculty of a school with such a rich history of fostering the exchange of ideas."
Mary Daly, president of Notre Dame Right to Life, said the coalition's Web site has already gotten a huge response.
"I personally have gotten over 55 pages of e-mails, and the e-mail of the coalition just today has received a massive response very quickly," Daly said.
Daly said the coalition is the result of a meeting on Tuesday that was organized by Right to Life but extended to all interested groups and individuals.
"It initiated some communication amongst the groups and after debating, we decided it was best to collaborate on the basis of our common ground based on our beliefs," she said. "We thought it would be most effective if we worked together on the issue."
Daly said she cannot comment specifically about the coalition's plans because they are in the very beginning stages, but the group's Web site lists an event slated for March 31 in which the coalition will deliver red envelops to Jenkins representing abortions.
According to the site, the letters will say: "Fr. Jenkins, This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world. This envelope was going to be sent to President Obama on March 31st. However, as he is scheduled to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Notre Dame on May 17th, we ask that you deliver it to him on our behalf at that time."
Daly said the coalition aims to "provide concrete, solid leadership" and have students primarily leading the protests, but will tap into the resources of outside groups that have offered help.
"This is an issue that's much bigger than this University to be honest, and so it affects everybody and everyone associated in any remote way with the University," she said. "Even people who have never stepped on campus."
However, Daly said the coalition has not reached out to or made any formal alliances with any outside groups or individuals.
"Outside groups have been in contact with us, but we have not reached out to anyone because we think it's important that we are expressing a student voice," she said. "We have been receiving a barrage of e-mails, but we aren't at a point to formally cooperate or organize anything."
Assistant Vice President for News and Information Dennis Brown told The Observer student groups can sponsor these kinds of events and the University supports the engagement of dialogue.
"It's important to hear a variety of opinions on a college campus," he said.
About Us
In defense of the unborn, we wish to express our deepest opposition to Reverend John I. Jenkins, CSC’s invitation of President Barack Obama to be the University of Notre Dame’s principal commencement speaker and the recipient of an honorary degree. Our objection is not a matter of political partisanship, but of President Obama’s hostility to the Catholic Church’s teachings on the sanctity of human life at its earliest stages. Further, the University’s decision runs counter to the policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops against honoring pro-choice politicians. We cannot sit by idly while the University honors someone who believes that an entire class of human beings is undeserving of the most basic of all legal rights, the right to live.
Additionally, Fr. Jenkins has put some of his students into a position of moral dilemma as to whether they can attend their own graduation. Many pro-life seniors, along with their families, now feel personally conflicted about participating in the commencement. The lack of concern for these devoted sons and daughters of Notre Dame, who love this University and the Catholic principles on which it was built, is shameful.
An Ad Hoc committee sponsored by a coalition of University-sponsored student groups has been organized to lead student response. These groups include Notre Dame Right to Life, Jus Vitae (Notre Dame Law School Right to Life), the Irish Rover independent student newspaper, Notre Dame College Republicans, The University of Notre Dame Anscombe Society, The Identity Project of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Militia Immaculata, Notre Dame Children of Mary, the Orestes Brownson Council, Notre Dame Law St. Thomas More Society, and the Federalist Society of the Notre Dame Law School.
. . .It is a great irony that the University has chosen to award President Obama an honorary law degree. As the oldest Catholic law school in the country, the Notre Dame Law School states that its mission is “to facilitate greater understanding of and commitment to the relationship between law and social justice.” The social justice issue of our day is the deliberate, legal attack on the most vulnerable members of society, the unborn. To award a Notre Dame law degree to a lawyer and politician who has used the law to deny equality to the unborn diminishes the value of the degree itself.
fostering the exchange of ideas, huh.
Let zerO exchange ideas with those catholic ideologues about why baby termination (even after birth) has moral value.
Please Note: Events will be added as they are finalized
27-28 March
Notre Dame Right to Life Collegiate Conference Featuring Dr. Francis Beckwith speaking on "What the Abortion Debate is Really About", Chaunie Brusie of Feminists for Life, and others. Open to the public (free, registration encouraged).
31 March
Red Envelope Day, Notre Dame Edition
We will be delivering red envelopes to Fr. Jenkins, stating:
"Fr. Jenkins, This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion.
It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.
This envelope was going to be sent to President Obama on March 31st. However, as he is scheduled to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Notre Dame on May 17th, we ask that you deliver it to him on our behalf at that time."
GREAT tagline! I love Chesterton.
ditto....used him for my tag line as well.
More from NDresponse.com:
"...The University’s decision runs counter to the policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops against honoring pro-choice politicians. In their June 2004 statement Catholics in Political Life, the bishops said,“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.” Fr. Jenkins defends his invitation by saying that it does not honor or suggest support for the President’s views on abortion, but rather support for his leadership. But our “fundamental moral principles” must be respected at all times. And the principle that requires us to refrain from the direct killing of the innocent has a special status even among the most fundamental principles. President Obama’s actions have consistently shown contempt for this principle, and he has sought political gain by making light of its clear political implications. Leadership that puts the lives of the most innocent at risk is leadership we must disdain. In the face of President Obama’s actions, Father Jenkins’ words ring hollow.
Indeed! (and thanks for the excerpt)
I sent the exact quote from the USCCB to the president of Notre Dame yesterday.
I also encourage people to contact Cardinal Levada (Prefect for Congregation of the Faith) at the Vatican.
;-)
Another example of how the Communist sympathizers have infiltrated even the highest levels of the Catholic Church. They need a "Father Joe MacCarthy" too. IOW a Bishop (Maybe the Bishop of Rome) with the cajones to kick the heretics out.
,Would a Jewish university invite a Nazi to speak at its commencement? Would a black university invite a KKK-er to speak at its commencement? Would a woman’s university invite someone who opposed the education of females to speak at its commencement?
I think we all know the answer to all 3 of those questions.
So why should Notre Dame or any other Roman Catholic university invite any pro-abortion person(President or not) to be its commencement speaker?
Good post
Where are the Notre Dame College Democrats?
EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo is discussing this with Laura Ingraham on her show right now.
Keep hammering Notre Dame by FReeping these links.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=28#28
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=87#87
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=101#101
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=102#102
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=29#29
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=37#37
Red Envelope Day, Notre Dame Edition
March 31, 2009, is Red Envelope Day, a national protest against President Obama's pro-choice policies.
Supporters of the pro-life movement from around the country will be sending an empty red envelope to the president to represent a child lost by abortion. (See the Facebook group for more information.)
As you all know, President Obama has been invited to speak at the 2009 Commencement at the University of Notre Dame du Lac and will receive an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University. It is an outrage that a vehemetly pro-choice politician has been selected to receive a doctorate of Laws from a Catholic university, particularly given the 2004 statement by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops:
"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." (Catholics in Political Life)
Therefore, we, students at the University of Notre Dame du Lac, are extending an invitation to participate in a Notre Dame edition of Red Envelope Day to those who are rightfully concerned or disappointed by the University's decision.
To participate:
on the front of a red envelope, write:
President Barack Obama
on the back, write:
Fr. Jenkins,
This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion.
It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.
This envelope was going to be sent to President Obama on March 31st. However, as he is scheduled to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Notre Dame on May 17th, we ask that you deliver it to him on our behalf at that time.
Drop off the red envelope at the Knights of Columbus Building by 1:00 pm on March 31st and we will deliver it to Fr. Jenkins. Alternatively, you may choose to deliver it yourself. (Please note that this project is not sponsored by the KofC, but is merely using their building as a collection point.)
If you do not wish to come to campus, you may mail your red envelope to 721 Corby Blvd. South Bend, IN 46617. Please enclose the red envelope in a second envelope in order to mail it.
Barack Obama spoke at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund event, uttering the now infamous line, "Well, the first thing I'd do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
An empty red envelope will send a message to President Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue (The Freedom of Choice Act), which will essentially undo every law currently in place to limit abortion in the U.S. (i.e., parental consent laws, parental notification, waiting periods, prohibition of transporting a minor girl across state lines to obtain an abortion, etc.). It will send a message to Fr. Jenkins that University students do not believe in honoring politicians who promote anti-life laws. It will be quiet, but clear.
The Right to Life movement is to be applauded for standing against Obama’s horrific advocacy of abortion.
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