Notre Dame's Bishop Boycotts Obama-Honoring Graduation (contact info and msm coverage)

LifeSite News ^ | March 24, 2009

[NYer]

NOTRE DAME, Indiana, March 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The bishop of the diocese where the University of Notre Dame is located, Bishop John D'Arcy, released a statement this afternoon strongly criticizing the university's decision to invite President Obama to offer this year's commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17.  The bishop said that he would boycott the event.

This past Friday afternoon it was announced that President Obama had accepted the invitation put forward by the university. The announcement sparked a strong backlash from Catholics and Notre Dame alumni, who say that Obama's liberal policies on abortion and other social issues should preclude him from being honored at the prestigious Catholic university. As of Tuesday afternoon, a petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society protesting against the president's appearance had been signed by over 75,000 people.

Bishop D'Arcy wrote that he has decided not to attend the graduation - a decision he said was "not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life."

"President Obama," said the bishop, "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."

"Even as I continue to ponder in prayer these events, which many have found shocking, so must Notre Dame," wrote the bishop.  "Indeed, as a Catholic University, Notre Dame must ask itself, if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth."

D'Arcy also explained that while he has "always revered the Office of the Presidency," and means no disrespect to the president, "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."

Reflecting on the U.S. bishops' statement disallowing honors to pro-abortion politicians, Bishop D'Arcy wrote: "Indeed, the measure of any Catholic institution is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for."

The bishop said that he was not informed about the invitation until shortly before the White House announcement confirming Obama's acceptance Friday afternoon. 

The bishop ended by invoking "Our Lady to intercede for the university named in her honor, that it may recommit itself to the primacy of truth over prestige."

Following a deluge of outrage from tens of thousands of concerned Catholics following the announcement that Obama had accepted the invitation to speak, University president Fr. John Jenkins stated over the weekend that he would not reconsider the invitation.

To view the bishop's full statement, go to: http://www.diocesefwsb.org/COMMUNICATIONS/statements.htm

To contact Notre Dame:
Phone: (574) 631-5000
email form: http://president.nd.edu/contact-us

Notre Dame Fellows:
Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., President, U. of Portland
(503) 943-7101

Patrick F. McCartan, Senior partner, Jones Day
(216) 586-7272
Email: pmccartan@jonesday.com

William M. Goodyear, CEO, Navigant Consulting
main: (312) 583-5700

list of all Notre Dame Fellows: http://www.nd.edu/leadership/fellows/

To contact the USCCB:

Cardinal Francis George, President
Archdiocese of Chicago
phone: 312-751- 8200
email: mfox@archchicago.org

Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Chairman, Committee on Education
Diocese of Worcester
phone: 508-791-7171
committee email: catholiceducation@usccb.org

To contact Notre Dame's bishop:
Bishop John D'Arcy, Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese
Fort Wayne Chancery
phone: (260) 422-4611

[NYer]

And from Thomas Peters at American Papist

---

Day 4: MSM takes note of Notre Dame scandal (finally)

It took awhile, but the mainstream media is finally taking note of the Notre Dame scandal, aided no doubt by the tends of thousands of signatures gathered by the Cardinal Newman Society (and more by the minute).

Drudge recently posted this story with the headline: "Obama faces Notre Dame Catholic backlash..." and once Drudge picks it up, it's news. Numerous media outlets are posting their own coverage of the controversy.

{update - the story has also made the front page of FoxNews.com...

...

told you the story would be big.}

This means we can now expect such enlightened commentary as this from the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder:

"Life, Taken For Granted: Given that President Obama went out of his way to give pro-life pastors a prominent place at his inauguration, aren't the demands of those who want Notre Dame to rescind its commencement invitation to Obama a little.... well... of course they're predictable...but mostly... uncivil? Also: aren't both side of the abortion debate more mature than this now? Shouldn't pro-lifers want as much contact with Obama as possible?"

First of all, that's a very ironic title, because most people who have life do in fact take it for granted. Second - let me get this straight: Obama invites a few folks who happen to be pro-life to his inauguration and that means the debate about life issues is over?! Third, isn't it a problem in the first place that pro-lifers have had so little involvement in Obama's administration? Pro-life Catholics shouldn't have to pander for face time.

Also: you will see this insinuation of Ambinder's repeated by others which basically goes "isn't it time to move on?" It's an extremely patronizing misdirection which dismisses debate without even attempting a response ... because they'd much sooner have us stay quiet. Consider for a moment: how much attention do you think the media would be paying to Obama's position on life issues right now if this protest wasn't taking place?

---

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[AndrewWalden]

This is the latest reflection of the Gramscian perfessers’ scheme to transform those who would likely become the core of the next conservative generation into guilt-ridden social democrats.

[GBA]

Thank you, Bishop John D’Arcy!

[Niuhuru]

I love how the Catholic Church is taking a stand against The One. say what you will about them, they have gumption when it counts.

[Man50D]

Petition http://www.notredamescandal.com/

[NYer]

Help Stop the Scandal at Our Lady's University

Join the petition opposing Notre Dame's decision to host and honor President Barack Obama at commencement. The Cardinal Newman Society & CatholicVote.org & more than 81,630 signers.

SIGN HERE

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"The bishop ended by invoking "Our Lady to intercede for the university named in her honor, that it may recommit itself to the primacy of truth over prestige."

Nice touch.

[napscoordinator]

What does the senior class say? This should be asked of them to see what they say. Now being the good Catholics they are, they should ask for a replacement. The problem is having a President (popular or not) is such an honor that it might be difficult for the seniors to turn down this. I met three Presidents (Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II) and just meeting one President for most people is incredible. I am just talking about the office of the President...I am unsure what FREEPERS getting involved is any business of ours. We would have FREAKED if the liberals did this to President Bush speaking at Harvard...How did this start anyway??? Is this because the President is Democrat? I think some Catholics are Democrats but not many.

[annalex]

From the Statutes:

(e) The essential character of the University as a Catholic institution of higher learning shall at all times be maintained, it being the stated intention and desire of the present Fellows of the University that the University shall retain in perpetuity its identity as such an institution.

Charter and Statutes of the University of Notre Dame

[Dionysius]

They should have shown this gumption when they allowed the majority of Catholics to vote for a baby-killer.

[annalex]

We would have FREAKED if the liberals did this to President Bush speaking at Harvard

Depends on what grounds. If Harvard disinvited Bush because his policies violated the Harvard charter, as principles individuals that we are we would understand their decision.

[napscoordinator]

I think that is wishful thinking. I am not sure we would react that way. I am against abortion but I just wonder if this has ever happened before. Did Clinton speak at a Catholic University? Did Reagan who was not Catholic? Even the Bush’s were not Catholic? So how far do we go?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

A FAR BETTER gesture would be for the Bishop, Prof. McInerny,
and the others who have spoken out to lead the faithful in recitation of the Rosary at the Lourdes Grotto during Obama’s speech. Nice visual and audible symbolic gesture for the TV cameras and news crews. Perhaps FOXNEWS and EWTN would broadcast the protest.

[ConorMacNessa]

This was also on Fox News - I signed the petition. The website was extremely slow - I presume because of the traffic to it.

[Emmett McCarthy]

No, it is EMPHATICALLY not because he’s a Democrat. It is because he is the most heinously pro-muder politician ever to come upon the national stage. And, sadly, many Catholics vote Democrat pretending that the abortion and eutanasia issues are just not that important. Obama got 54% of the so-called “Catholic” vote.

[353FMG]

“Whatever may be President Obama’s admirable qualities...”

?

[Klondike]

Martha McCallum, FOX news asked the idiot Phil Donahue about Obama going to Notre Dame. He felt that the Church would be more popular with young people if they would only quit teaching stuff about morals.
Martha said that her parish was packed, with five masses each Sunday. Her other guest, Father Morris was very nice to Donahue but should have pointed out that the truth is not up for a vote. He did point out that his seminary, (Legionaires of Christ) is full at 450 seminarians and indeed very relevant to young people.

[353FMG]

“...many Catholics vote Democrat pretending that the abortion and eutanasia issues are just not that important.”

Then, pray tell, what IS important to these Catholics?

[Logical me]

What confuses me is the volume of Catholics that followed this cult leader, King Obama, and helped put him is Office. Just goes to show you how weak some of the Catholic followers are.