Fr. Corapi On Notre Dame; (Full Text) Statement On Behalf Of The Cardinal Newman Society

It is my privilege to be able to deliver the following message on behalf of the Cardinal Newman Society:

As you know, the University of Notre Dame—an old and honored Catholic institution of higher learning in the United States—recently dishonored itself, and to some extent the entire Catholic world, by inviting President Barack Obama to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, and to deliver the commencement address on May 17th.

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. He is the first to be so honored, however, that has such an obviously public and pernicious anti-life, and anti-Catholic/Christian bias.

The Catholic Church has taught and does teach that every human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (CCC 2270).

Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law (CCC 2271). On more than one occasion Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa of Calcutta called it “murder.”

No president in history has been so damaging to the cause of respect for life than this one, and he’s only just begun. His constant and unwavering support for the right to choose the homicide of abortion is a matter of record—and not only abortion, but partial-birth abortion, infanticide, fetal stem cell research, and even removing the right of medical professionals to act in accordance with their conscience marks him as a singular enemy of essential elements of the Catholic Church’s moral teaching.

This man the University of Notre Dame invites to receive an honorary doctorate degree and deliver the commencement address? Whether intended or not, this sends a terrible message to the Catholic world and to the world at large. A picture is worth a thousand words. Which thousand words will be articulated to an already morally relativistic culture by the picture of Mr. Obama receiving such honors from a Catholic University? Metaphorically and morally it’s like shooting yourself in the foot. So Notre Dame limps on.

Many of you did what you could to prevent this travesty from actually happening, and at this moment barring a bolt of lightning or divine intervention, it looks like it will happen. We want to sincerely thank the more than 350,000 people that signed the petition of protest against Notre Dame’s obvious lack of good judgment in making a singularly public statement that not only dilutes the University’s Catholic credibility and identity, but undermines the authentically Catholic identity and credibility of the Church in this country.

Almost 70 bishops have likewise voiced their disapproval in no uncertain terms, thereby demonstrating their courage and strong pastoral leadership. We are very thankful to them as well.

This strong and courageous witness is truly a sign of hope. It needs to grow. Authentic Catholic identity has to be restored in our Catholic Universities and other institutions of learning. If it is restored, our nation will be restored. If it is not restored we shall have much to answer for in the moral unraveling of a great nation, and ultimately the loss of souls.

The Catholic Church and its educational institutions must return to a position of strong and uncompromising moral leadership, integrity, and credibility. If we stand for nothing we begin to fall for everything. If, indeed, we “choose prestige over principles and popularity over morality” then we become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Pray for the University of Notre Dame, its president, its board of directors, and students. And pray for our bishops, for in the end the burden will rest on their shoulders to decide whether the University of Notre Dame, and others like it, are Catholic or not.

The battle is not over, my friends, it’s just now begun in earnest. So, fight the good fight, and run the race to the finish line, for in the end we have the certain knowledge that truth will triumph over lies, light over darkness, and good over evil.

The bishops who have so far expressed disapproval of Notre Dame's invitation to Obama (in alphabetical order) are:

Current count: 68 bishops

Bishop Joseph V. Adamec - Altoona-Johnstown, PA
Statement: http://www.ajdiocese.org/documents//April_8__2009_-_Notre_Dame_University.pdf
LSN http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050718.html

For a list of contact information regarding the Notre Dame scandal, go to: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032706.html

He's a great apologist and catechist — he's probably right, he wouldn't be a good pastor, but (if I had to compare him to one of the first apostles) it would be St. Paul. Father Groeschel would probably be my vision of St. Peter.

I never thought I would say this, but here it is for what it's worth.

I DO NOT, NOR WILL I EVER, support abortion except as the last possible choice for the life of the mother. Having said that, the President is correct. It is an ethical and moral matter. It is the DUTY of the government to make certain that if abortion is offered (in my belief, under my criteria outlined above), that it is available, safe and legal. It is the DUTY of ALL men and women of faith (and those of us in Christ) to make certain that no one, other than a mother whose life may slip away, has need of one or the desire to obtain one.

Nothing will be solved until we do our jobs to educate and proselytize those over whom we have influence. You cannot legislate a change of heart. Moses found that out 5,000 years ago. So, it means we can only influence those with whom we share this road to salvation. Therefore, the Catholic Church has the right to defend itself from this assault on its values by shunning it. It means that we need to make certain this subject is taught and lived within our own lives. All life is precious. Treat it as such.

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