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Archbishop Chaput: Habit of "vanity and compromise" led to ND scandal...

"There is much needed in change We see, My children, in the schools: both your public schools and your private schools, even those who call themselves Catholic. They are Catholic, My children, in name only, for they have sold themselves for pieces of silver." - Our Lady of the Roses, December 31, 1974

LifeSiteNews.com reported on May 7, 2009:

The University of Notre Dame's decision to honor pro-abortion President Odama resulted from "vanity and compromise" with modern culture, said Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver yesterday.  Chaput also remarked on the controversy stirred by President Odama's statement that America is "not a Christian nation," asserting that America is under attack from groups working "very vigorously" to de-Christianize popular culture.

The Catholic News Agency published portions of the archbishop's remarks to the American Bible Society in New York City yesterday, where he received the Becket Fund's Canterbury Medal, which honors those who "most resolutely refused to render to Caesar that which is God's."

Reflecting on the spirituality of St. Paul as the theme of his talk, Chaput urged American Catholics to be uncompromising in witnessing to their faith.  "As even St. Peter discovered, Paul never let shallow courtesies interfere with his witness for Jesus Christ," he said.

Chaput addressed the tendency of American Catholics to blend in to modern culture with the result that "too many of us are happy with our complacency, vanity, compromises, comfort and bad formation."

This habit of "vanity and compromise," he said, is behind the University of Notre Dame's decision to honor President Odama with the commencement address and an honorary law degree May 17.  The decision has been heavily criticized by dozens of U.S. bishops and over 350,000 petitioners.

Chaput said that while Odama is "a sincere and able man," his deeply pro-abortion principles "run directly against Catholic belief."

"And a Catholic institution should not honor that kind of behavior," he said.

While sinfulness is always present in society, said Chaput, "What's new about our current moment is that too many Christians have made peace with that sinfulness, baptized it with the language of personal conscience, and stopped trying to convert anybody - including themselves."

Archbishop Chaput also warned that American Christians' witness to their faith is "softening," while some groups are simultaneously working "very vigorously" to secularize modern culture.

The archbishop noted President B. Odama's comment that Americans do not consider themselves "a Christian nation."  While the President's words should not be taken out of context, said Chaput, the remarks come at a time when the country's leaders are "much less friendly" to the Christian faith than in the past. 

The archbishop said it would be "foolish and delusional" to deny the United States' Christian origins, quoting Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Discussing society's apparent descent into a "post-Christian" state, Chaput said that while such a society may seem similar to the pagan world St. Paul challenged, it is actually far worse.  While ancient paganism was ignorant of Christ, he said, the paganism of today requires "a specific choice against Jesus Christ."

Ultimately, however, Archbishop Chaput said there was no such thing as a "post-Christian" society: "The redemptive mission of Jesus Christ is unique, unrepeatable and forever. Christ is the center and meaning of history.

"There is nothing after Jesus Christ except a void."

See related LifeSiteNews.com article:

Archbishop Chaput Criticizes "Creative Reasoning" Behind ND Defense of Odama Invitation: 53 Opposing Bishops
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042905.html

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A total of 62 bishops have publicly condemned the Notre Dame scandal, with three more bishops expressing solidarity with Notre Dame's Bishop John D'Arcy and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) policy against honoring pro-abortion politicians.  The University of Notre Dame has invited President Odama to give the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree May 17.

Bishop Reymundo Pena of Brownsville, TX has published an April 24 letter addressed to both President Odama and University President Fr. John Jenkins condemning the scandal.  (http://www.cdob.org/bishop/column/2009/4-24-09.htm)

Citing USCCB policy, Pena told Fr. Jenkins: "The prestige that the president will lend to your commencement is not sufficient reason to disregard these principles. There are numerous prominent public figures distinguished for their moral rectitude and record of public service from which you could have drawn."

Bishop Pena pointed to the dozens of bishops and over 350,000 petitioning Catholics who have expressed outrage at the invitation. 

"Surely their collective voice has made it clear that they consider your action to be scandalously inconsistent with Notre Dame's symbolic mission to showcase how Catholic faith can positively influence modern life and culture," the bishop wrote.  "Why have you refused to meet with twelve university student groups, who have asked to talk with you about your choice?

"I join my voice to this growing chorus of protesters, and I encourage Valley Catholics to express what is in their hearts to you,  Father Jenkins."
 
In the portion addressed to President Odama, the bishop lauded the president's personal accomplishments, but acknowledged the "deep divide between you and the majority of Americans on the paramount moral issue of our time: the right to life vs. the claimed right to abortion."

"Mr. President, less than 18 months ago, Pope Benedict XVI canceled a speaking engagement at La Sapienza University in Rome, simply because some of the students reacted negatively to the announcement of his coming," wrote Bishop Pena.  "Rather than risk throwing the university into turmoil, the pope humbly withdrew. 

"I respectfully ask you to consider freely withdrawing your commitment to speak at Notre Dame University, for the same reason."

In response to requests for comment on the scandal, Bishop Edward Cullen of Allentown, PA, issued a statement in the April 30 edition of the diocesan newspaper, the AD Times.

Bishop Cullen called the Notre Dame decision "disappointing" and "not in harmony" with the 2004 USCCB directive against honoring pro-abortion politicians.  The bishop made note of an administrative letter to Notre Dame trustees, published by LifeSiteNews.com, in which Fr. Jenkins said the USCCB injunction as not applicable because President Odama is not Catholic.

The Allentown bishop pointed out Bishop D'Arcy's correction of Fr. Jenkin's interpretation, and voiced agreement with Bishop D'Arcy's statement: "When there is a doubt about the meaning of a document of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, where does one find an authentic interpretation? A fundamental, canonical and theological principle states that it is found in the local bishop, who is the teacher and law-giver in his diocese."

"I stand in solidarity with my brother bishop and share the sentiments that he expressed in his letter," wrote Bishop Cullen.  "As does he, I regret that this situation has taken place and call on the leadership at Notre Dame to face the issue squarely."

Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis, MO stated in the St. Louis Review that "Father Jenkins has no excuse for not standing up for a strong Catholic identity at Notre Dame."

The bishop encouraged Notre Dame alumni to "organize the alumni in such a way that funding and students would be withheld until there is a change of direction on the Board of Directors."

"I am quite confident that if there is a change of direction on the part of the board, Father Jenkins will quickly change or leave," wrote the bishop.

Bishop Hermann noted that "there is no better time" for withdrawing donations than during the current weak economy.  "I would appeal especially to major donors who love the university enough to withhold donations until there are substantial changes in leadership," he added.

(Bp. Hermann's full column: (subscription required) http://stlouisreview.com/article/2009-04-30/i-thought-you-sh...)

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

1. Bishop John D'Arcy - Fort Wayne-South Bend, IN
2. Bishop Samuel Aquila - Fargo, ND
3. Bishop Gregory Aymond - Austin, TX
4. Bishop Gerald Barbarito - Palm Beach, FL
5. Bishop Leonard Blair - Toledo, OH
6. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein - Indianapolis, IN
7. Bishop Robert Baker - Birmingham, AL
8. Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz - Lincoln, NE
9. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran - Oklahoma City, OK
10. Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú - San Antonio, TX
11. Archbishop Charles Chaput - Denver, CO
12. Bishop Paul Coakley - Salina, KS
13. Bishop Edward Cullen - Allentown, PA
14. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Houston, TX
15. Archbishop Timothy Dolan - New York, NY
16. Bishop Thomas Doran - Rockford, IL
17. Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty - Scranton, PA
18. Bishop Robert Finn - Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO
19. Bishop Joseph Galante - Camden, NJ
20. Bishop Victor Galeone - St. Augustine, FL
21. Cardinal Francis George - Chicago, IL; President, USCCB
22. Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger - Evansville, IN
23. Archbishop José Gomez - San Antonio, TX
24. Bishop Bernard Harrington - Winona, MN
25. Bishop Robert Hermann - St. Louis, MO
26. Bishop William Higi - Lafayette, IN
27. Archbishop Alfred Hughes - New Orleans, LA
28. Bishop Michael O. Jackels - Wichita, KS
29. Bishop James V. Johnston - Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO
30. Bishop Peter Jugis - Charlotte, NC
31. Bishop Joseph Latino - Jackson, MS
32. Bishop John LeVoir - New Ulm, MN
33. Bishop Jerome Listecki - La Crosse, WI
34. Bishop William E. Lori - Bridgeport, CT
35. Bishop Paul Loverde - Arlington, VA
36. Bishop George Lucas - Springfield, IL
37. Bishop Robert Lynch - St. Petersburg, FL
38. Bishop Joseph Martino - Scranton, PA
39. Bishop John McCormack - Manchester, NH
40. Bishop Robert Morlino - Madison, WI
41. Bishop William Murphy - Rockville Centre, NY
42. Bishop George Murry - Youngstown, OH
43. Archbishop John J. Myers - Newark, NJ
44. Archbishop Joseph Naumann - Kansas City, KS
45. Bishop R. Walker Nickless - Sioux City, IA
46. Archbishop John C. Nienstedt - St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN
47. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien - Baltimore, MD
48. Bishop Thomas Olmsted - Phoenix, AZ
49. Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk - Cincinnati, OH
50. Bishop Reymundo Pena - Brownsville, TX
51. Bishop Glen Provost - Lake Charles, LA
52. Cardinal Justin Rigali - Philadelphia, PA; Chairman, USCCB Pro-Life Committee
53. Bishop Kevin Rhoades - Harrisburg, PA
54. Bishop Alexander Sample - Marquette, MI
55. Bishop Edward J. Slattery - Tulsa, OK
56. Bishop Richard Stika - Knoxville, TN
57. Bishop Anthony Taylor - Little Rock, AR
58. Bishop Robert Vasa - Baker, OR
59. Bishop Michael Warfel - Great Falls-Billings, MT
60. Bishop Thomas Wenski - Orlando, FL
61. Archbishop Donald Wuerl - Washington, D.C.
62. Bishop David Zubick - Pittsburgh, PA

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

59: Two More Bishops Condemn Notre Dame "Embarrassment"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050105.html
 

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In response to the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President B. Odama to deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary degree on May 17, the Pro-Life Action League has erected two large billboards located near the South Bend, Ind., campus.

The billboards, to go up May 4 on the Indiana Toll Road, Interstate 80/90, will read, "NOTRE DAME: Odama is pro abortion choice. How dare you honor him," along with a picture of a baby in utero sucking its thumb. They also will list a Web address, NotreDameProtest.com, where visitors can get information on the protests planned during the graduation weekend at Notre Dame.

"These billboards will be seen by hundreds of thousands of motorists, including most of the families coming to Notre Dame for the graduation exercises," said Eric Scheidler, the League's communications director. "They will help make the direct and irrefutable connection between B. Odama and abortion."

The League and its national director Joe Scheidler, a Notre Dame alumnus and former teacher there, already have called on the university's president, Rev. John Jenkins, to rescind his invitation to Odama. They have protested at the university, and have said they will return to decry Odama's appearance on May 17 if Jenkins' invite stands. Nearly 60 Catholic bishops and scores of pro-life leaders have written Jenkins, urging him to cancel Odama's talk, or otherwise protested his decision.

"As scandalous as the Odama invitation is, it presents us with a welcome opportunity to highlight B. Odama's pro-abortion record--something which was largely concealed by the Odama campaign and the media during last year's campaign," Scheidler said. "Odama's extreme pro-abortion agenda is out of step with the majority of Americans, and that news is finally getting out, thanks to this controversy."

One of the League's billboards will be located on Interstate 80/90 east, half a mile east of the Elkhart exit No. 92, about 15 miles east of the Notre Dame exit, and the other on Interstate 80/90 west near Rolling Prairie, about 25 miles west of the Notre Dame exit. The League has rented the two billboards for 30 days each, so they will be in place for two weeks leading up to the Notre Dame commencement, as well as two weeks afterward.

The Michigan-based pro-life group, Citizens for a Pro- Life Society, also contributed to the cost of the billboards.

 

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"Our hearts are torn because of the wanton murder of the young by evil man. Abortion, My children, is murder, the most foulest of deeds, that is punishable by death! And what is worse than death of the soul?
     "I say unto you, as your Mother, that any man or woman who performs or takes part of this abomination of the murder of the unborn shall be given a heavy penance upon earth, or if this penance is not given upon earth, that person found guilty in the eyes of his God shall suffer eternal damnation in the fires of hell." - Our Lady of the Roses, December 28, 1976 

"For that one reason among many, the United States will suffer unless there is placed into your government a group that fears the Lord if they cannot love the Lord. They will fear Him and find measures to stop the slaughter of the unborn." - Our Lady of the Roses, April 14, 1984

The awesome Bayside Prophecies...  https://www.tldm.org/Bayside/default.htm  
These prophecies came from Jesus, Mary, and the saints to Veronica Lueken at Bayside, NY, from 1968 to 1995:

SIN OF OMISSION
"The sin of omission shall condemn many to hell, be they layman or Hierarchy.  I repeat:  not the sin of commission, but the sin of omission will commit many to hell.  Among them there will be also mitres." - Our Lady, October 6, 1980

U.S. SHALL BE FIRST STRUCK
"One of the reasons the Eternal Father chose your city and your state for My appearance was because of abortion, the murder of the holy innocents. Your nation, without repentance, shall be the first struck." - Our Lady, March 15, 1978

THE UNITED STATES SHALL FALL
"How can a great country like the United States fall, you say, My child?  You ask Me in your heart.  I read your heart.  I will tell you why.  Because they have given themselves over to satan.  When a country has lost its morality and seeks the pleasures of the flesh, giving over, themselves over, to all manner of abominations, like homosexuality, and condoning this up the highest courts of the land, then that country shall fall." - Our Lady of the Roses, November 1, 1985

DOCTORS
"Doctors now are profaning their profession, those who have given themselves over to destroying human life in abortions." - Jesus, June 6, 1987

FOULEST OF DEEDS
"Our hearts are torn because of the wanton murder of the young by evil man. Abortion, My children, is murder, the most foulest of deeds, that is punishable by death! And what is worse than death of the soul?
     "I say unto you, as your Mother, that any man or woman who performs or takes part of this abomination of the murder of the unborn shall be given a heavy penance upon earth, or if this penance is not given upon earth, that person found guilty in the eyes of his God shall suffer eternal damnation in the fires of hell." - Our Lady, December 28, 1976 

DESTROYED
"All who become part of or condone abortion, the murder of the young, shall be destroyed!" - Jesus, June 2, 1979

HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED
"The Eternal Father command that you stop these murders at once! You will not destroy the lives of the unborn. Human life is sacred in the eyes of your God. No man has the right to destroy a life. The Father, He sends this life to you, and only He will decide when it will return back to the Kingdom.
     "Do not, My children, be deceived by the words of the evil ones about you who cry to you of no space left for man. There is space, for My Father has a plan for every life He sends." - Our Lady, August 5, 1971

WILL NEVER BE CONDONED
"You will remember, My children and My child, to guard the young. Your clergy have fallen into darkness. Abortion will never be condoned. But We must have others who fervently will go forward and bring out to the minds of those who have actually seduced the country and the children--bring them the knowledge of Heaven, hell and purgatory. Then they will not have free license to sin." - Our Lady, May 28, 1983

GOVERNMENT
"For that one reason among many, the United States will suffer unless there is placed into your government a group that fears the Lord if they cannot love the Lord. They will fear Him and find measures to stop the slaughter of the unborn." - Our Lady, April 14, 1984

NUNS
"That is what makes My heart ache, My child. That is one of the reasons Theresa is crying constantly when she looks into the convents and sees what is going on. Many now believe in abortion, the murders of the children; and many have committed this act upon themselves." - Jesus, October 1, 1988

SIXTY MILLION
"I say this for this reason: the Eternal Father is much disturbed at the numbers of abortions being committed throughout your country and the world. These numbers go upwards to fifty to sixty million in one year throughout the world." - Our Lady, June 18, 1986

TREATED AS GARBAGE
"O My child, My tears fall upon you all when I see all of the innocent little babies being slaughtered . . . cast into garbage pails like nothing but dirt and scum. They are living human beings! And all murderers shall get their just recompense." - Our Lady, March 18, 1983

BOMBS IN THE UNITED STATES
"These interlopers upon the serenity of the United States have dark skins.... With their plans there will be bombs placed in strategic places and many shall die at the hands of these ruffians....
     "One big reason for permitting this disaster in New York would be the abortion mills throughout the city and the country." - Jesus, October 1, 1988

HOLY SPIRIT
"At the time of conception, the Holy Spirit makes the child, and the breath of the Almighty gives it life." - Our Lady, June 18, 1991

LIMBO
"And what, My children, are We going to do with all the aborted babies? O My child, I know you feel as I do, for I can see the great distress on your face. What are We going to do, My child? Do you understand when they come to Us, they must go to Limbo? They are in Heaven, a happy place, but they cannot see God." - Our Lady, October 2, 1987

SORROWFULLY
"Sorrowfully, the penance that is to come upon the world for the murders of the unborn shall be a chastisement far greater in severity than man has ever witnessed in the past nor ever shall pass through again. Your world is plunging into a deep chasm of suffering and destruction." - Our Lady, May 20, 1978

OATH
"Your once loyal to the oath of a doctor, your once loyal doctors are now butchers! For money they kill the young!" - Our Lady, February 10, 1978

WOE TO THE WOMAN
"Know, My child, this simple lesson, that in these days of the latter times, women will seek to cast off their role as mother and a woman. Women will cast it off under the direction of satan, and murder her children. Woe to the woman who does not repent of this vile abomination! She has walked the road to eternal damnation and hell. Repent, O woman, or forever be lost!" - Our Lady, March 18, 1975  

Directives from Heaven... https://www.tldm.org/directives/directives.htm

D23 - Abortion PDF
D142 - Sin of Omission  PDF
D196 - Life Begins at Conception    PDF
 

Articles...

Pope Benedict to bishops: Make everyone understand the "evil of the crime of abortion"
https://www.tldm.org/News8/PopeBenedictCrimeOfAbortion.htm

Pope Benedict: Abortion, divorce, homosexual unions "are evident signs of de-Christianization"
https://www.tldm.org/News9/PopeSignsOfDe-Christianization.htm

Sleep disorders increase after abortion, says new study
https://www.tldm.org/News9/AbortionSleepDisorders.htm

Pro-abortion scientist finds abortion causes, rather than prevents, serious mental disorders
https://www.tldm.org/News9/AbortionMentalDisorders.htm

Abortion: the ultimate exploitation of women
https://www.tldm.org/news6/exploitation.htm

Abortion and the contraceptive mentality
https://www.tldm.org/news4/contraception_abortion.htm

'Non-persons' in U.S. history
https://www.tldm.org/News9/AbortionNonPerson.htm

Archbishop Chaput says abortion is "central social issue of this moment" in U.S. history
https://www.tldm.org/news6/Chaput3.htm

Archbishop Chaput says those who support abortion "rights" cannot be Catholic
https://www.tldm.org/News7/Chaput.htm

Catholics who vote pro-abortion commit a mortal sin
https://www.tldm.org/News6/VotingPro-ChoiceJohnKerry.htm

Separation of Church and State: "a fatal theory"
https://www.tldm.org/News6/separation.htm

Full text of Cardinal Ratzinger's letter to U.S. bishops, that they must refuse Communion to pro-abort politicians
https://www.tldm.org/News7/Ratzinger.htm

Cardinal Ratzinger says that refusing Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicians is a "doctrine of the Church"
https://www.tldm.org/News7/Ratzinger3.htm

Your names have been written in Heaven… "It is not by accident that you are called by My Mother, for your names have been written in Heaven.... But with this great grace you have great responsibility to send this Message from Heaven throughout the world, for if you are able to recover just one more for Heaven, an additional star shall be placed in your crown." - Jesus, August 5, 1975

A great obligation to go forward... "It is not by accident that you are called by My Mother, for it is by merit and the prayers that have risen to Heaven for your salvation.  For those who have received the grace to hear the Message from Heaven, you have a great obligation to go forward and bring this Message to your brothers and sisters.  Do not expect a rest upon your earth, for you will have eternal rest very soon." - Jesus, June 12, 1976

The sin of omission...  "The sin of omission shall condemn many to hell, be they layman or Hierarchy.  I repeat:  not the sin of commission, but the sin of omission will commit many to hell."  Our Lady of the Roses,  October 6, 1980

We encourage everyone to print or email copies of this web page to all the Bishops and all the clergy.  Also, email or send this web page to the news media and as many people as possible.

Email this page to a friend.

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