Notre Dame and Emily’s List

National Catholic Register ^ | 6/1/11 | WILLIAM McGURN

[rhema]

During the firestorm that followed the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Barack Obama two commencements ago, the university’s president, Father John Jenkins, wrote a letter to the Class of 2009 explaining his position. He stated his sadness that the honors bestowed on Obama had been taken as “ambiguity in our position on matters of Catholic teaching.” Notre Dame, he asserted, “was unequivocally committed to the sanctity of human life and to its protection from conception to natural death.”

Remember those words: “unequivocally committed” with no “ambiguity in our position.” How are these words reconciled with the university’s announcement that Roxanne Martino has been elected to the board of trustees? For it turns out that Martino, an accomplished businesswoman and ND alumna, has given more than $25,000 over the years to Emily’s List.

Emily’s List is not just any group. The New York Times recently called it a “fundraising powerhouse.” Arguably, it is one of America’s best known and most prominent political organizations in the country. And it is dedicated to abortion rights.

What was Notre Dame’s response? The chairman of the university’s board of trustees, Richard Notebaert, sent out an email to fellow trustees, saying that Martino is “fully supportive of Church teaching on the sanctity of human life.”

Notebaert went on to say that Martino “has through the years contributed to organizations that provide a wide range of important services and support to women. She did not realize, however, that several of these organizations also take a pro-choice position.”

He’s not the only one putting that line out there. Now Father Jenkins has chimed in, sending some concerned alumni an email from “the Office of the President” that is almost word for word the same as Notebaert’s.

[bwc2221]

Unfortunately, there's nothing Catholic about 95% of so-called Catholic colleges (including Notre Dame), My daughter just graduated from a very traditional Catholic high school. There's no way I would send her to most Catholic colleges. She will be attending a quality state university and I will save $20k a year on tuition.

[YHAOS]

"We didn't know!"

Where have I heard that before?

[SuziQ]

"She did not realize, however, that several of these organizations also take a pro-choice position.”

Emily's List was FOUNDED for the purpose of raising money for pro-abortion women for elective office. If Ms. Martino claims she didn't know this, then I maintain she is too STOOPID to sit on Notre Dame's Board of Directors.

I suspect she knew exactly what the group does, and ND is spinning for her.

[nd76]

Roxanne manages a $9 billion hedge fund.

It all comes down to the Holy Father, Cardinal George in Chicago and Bishop Rhoads in Fort Wayne-South Bend. They could easily take care of this problem by removing Jenkins priestly faculties (under ND’s corporate documents, this would remove him from the presidency of the university) and excommunicate Notebaert, Roxanne and her husband, and all other “Catholic” trustees.

[stevem]

Notre Dame isn’t a Catholic University and hasn’t been for a long, long time.

[hinckley buzzard]

Notebaert and Jenkins are stone cold liars.

No one doesn't know about Emily's list which exists for one purpose and one only, to elect abortionists to office.

[hinckley buzzard]

Consider U of Steubenville in Ohio, a truly catholic institution. Forget Marquette, G-town, ND, USF, whorehouses all.

[SuziQ]

You might also look at Ave Maria Univ. in Ave Maria FL, which is North and East of Naples. Our daughter has found it to be a challenging place academically, and completely faithful to Church teachings. It’s about half the cost of ND, Georgetown, or Boston College.

[SuziQ]

I believe Father Jenkins is in a religious order, and his order is the entity that would censure him.