Four more Bishops make thirteen opposed to Notre Dame Prez invitation

Four more Bishops make thirteen opposed to Notre Dame Prez invitation...

"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 April 1, 2009:

Four more Catholic bishops have come out in opposition to the Catholic University of Notre Dame's decision to invite President O. to be this year's commencement speaker and to receive an honorary doctorate. The latest statements bring the total number of bishops who have publicly opposed the decision to thirteen (see list at bottom).

In addition to the bishops, a petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society in protest against the invitation has been signed by more than 225,000 individuals (To sign the petition, go to: http://www.notredamescandal.com)

The four bishops who have most recently criticized the decision are Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, Reverend Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg, and Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City.

The archbishop of Newark, Archbishop Myers, released a statement earlier today saying that he was "pained" to hear of the university's invitation to Odama.

The archbishop said, "When we extend honors to people who do not share our respect and reverence for life in all stages, and give them a prominent stage in our parishes, schools and other institutions, we unfortunately create the perception that we endorse their public positions on these issues."

He continued, "We cannot justify such actions, and the Bishops have stated so clearly and strongly."

Myers concluded his statement, saying, "If the president of Notre Dame University truly wishes to show that his institution is rooted in Catholic teaching and tradition and committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he must underscore this message at commencement plainly and clearly, and invite everyone to embrace an immutable and all-inclusive reverence for life."

In a letter sent to Fr. Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, Bishop Slattery of Tulsa "plead" with the president to cancel the invitation.

"Faithful Catholics and all men and women of good will are appalled by the sin of abortion," he wrote. "It is a cancer in our society which is eating away at all the other pro-life issues because abortion destroys human life at its very beginning and has become so common.

"For President O. to be honored by Notre Dame is more than a disappointment, it is a scandal."

Another statement put out by Paul CB Schenck, Director of the Office of Respect Life Activities for Harrisburg, on behalf of Bishop Rhoades, said that the bishop has written to the university to express his disapproval of the invitation.

"It is disheartening and distressing when an institution that is regarded as Catholic, such as Notre Dame, fails to follow the guidelines set forth by the Bishops of the Catholic Church, especially in these vital moral matters," says the statement.

"It is Bishop Rhoades' hope and prayer that all the institutions that bear the name 'Catholic' will affirm the Church's teachings, expose the culture of death and build up the Culture of Life."

In a column published in "The Catholic Globe," the Catholic newspaper of Sioux City, Bishop Nickless said that, "This is truly a sad day for the famous university dedicated to our Blessed Mother.

"I encourage those who care to write to Father Jenkins and express their displeasure with this invitation. May Father Jenkins have the courage to rescind this invitation and not be afraid of the possible embarrassment by admitting that he has made a bad decision."

Bishop Nickless concluded, "Catholic institutions of higher learning must always be places where the Catholic values we hold so dearly will always be supported and promoted - not where the culture of death is allowed to be honored or valued. Let us pray for those who work so hard to keep our Catholic institutions truly Catholic in all they do to promote the gospel of life."

The bishops who have so far publicly come out in opposition to the Notre Dame invitation are:

1) Bishop John D'Arcy - Fort Wayne-South Bend
2) Cardinal Francis George - Chicago, President, USCCB
3) Archbishop John C. Nienstedt - Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota
4) Bishop Morlino - Madison
5) Bishop Robert Lynch - St. Petersburg
6) Archbishop Timothy Dolan - New York
7) Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Houston
8) Bishop Thomas Olmsted
9) Bishop Gregory Aymond - Austin A
10) Archbishop John J. Myers - Newark
11) Reverend Edward J. Slattery, Tulsa
12) Bishop Kevin Rhoades - Harrisburg
13) Bishop R. Walker Nickless - Sioux City.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Newly Appointed Archbishop of New York on ND Scandal: "They Made a Big Mistake"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033001.html

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend Odama-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Odama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Odama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Three more Bishops, Rush Limbaugh join chorus of condemnation for ND scandal...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 31, 2009:

Another archbishop and two more U.S. bishops have swelled the ranks of Catholics and conservatives who are expressing criticism of the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President O. to give the school's commencement address and receive an honorary law degree May 17. Conservative pundit Rush Limbaugh also slammed the move by Notre Dame during his show on Friday.

Today the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) published a letter to the school by Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, who protested the "egregious decision" on the part of Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins to honor O.

Listing President O.'s record against life, Nienstedt wrote, "It is a travesty that the University of Notre Dame, considered by many to be a Catholic University, should give its public support to such an anti-Catholic politician.

"I hope that you are able to reconsider this decision. If not, please do not expect me to support your University in the future," he concluded.

Nienstedt is the eighth bishop, and the second archbishop, to condemn the decision since Notre Dame's own Bishop John D'Arcy criticized the move and announced his intention to boycott the ceremony last week.

At the second annual Illinois Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Chicago on Friday, Bishop Morlino of Madison said he would not have invited O., according to the Catholic Citizens of Illinois.

Bishop Robert Lynch of the diocese of St. Petersburg also commented on the scandal on his blog last Friday, saying the invitation "is a very prestigious platform to offer a President who is leading the battle for an expansion of abortion rights which may ultimately end up being unparalleled in recent history."

Lynch, however, emphasized the need for outraged Catholics to avoid "uncivil and venomous" rhetoric that "ill-serves the cause of life."

The bishop noted that most Notre Dame alumni he knew "are ardently pro-life and like myself are probably disappointed with their alma mater," He added that "they and I will choose to convey our sadness to the Board of Trustees and Administration in a calm and dignified manner."

Conservative talk radio guru Rush Limbaugh discussed the scandal on Friday's edition of his program. Limbaugh, who is not a Catholic, said the invite "does not pass the common sense test."

"I understand the tradition of inviting newly elected presidents. I understand the historical nature of President O.'s election. I understand all of that," he said. "But do none of our institutions value their principles anymore or their core beliefs or their religious foundations? Are they so easily discarded for public relations or political correctness?"

Limbaugh said it was a "shock" to him that "something as venerable as Notre Dame University" would cast aside their core beliefs "for reasons of comparitively no substance." "Does not the tradition of having the newly elected president do your commencement address pale in comparison to the foundational building blocks of the university and the church on which it's founded?" he asked.

Referring to a large mosaic of Christ on display over Notre Dame's football field, Limbaugh mused: "Are they going to have to cover up Touchdown Jesus the day O. makes his speech?

"How could they not?"

An online petition sponsored by the Cardinal Newman Society protesting O.'s appearance at the university has gathered over 221,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning. (http://www.notredamescandal.com)

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Newly Appointed Archbishop of New York on ND Scandal: "They Made a Big Mistake"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033001.html

Houston Cardinal Becomes Highest Ranking Official, 4th Bishop to Condemn Notre Dame Scandal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032717.html

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend Odama-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Odama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Odama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Newly appointed Archbishop of New York on ND scandal: "They made a big mistake"...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 30, 2009:

The bishop recently appointed to head up the archdiocese of New York - one of the most influential positions in the U.S. Catholic Church - said in an interview yesterday that Notre Dame "made a big mistake" by inviting President O. to receive an honorary degree and give the commencement address at the school on May 17.

"They made a big mistake ... in an issue that is very close to the heart of Catholic world view, namely, the protection of innocent life in the womb, [O.] has unfortunately taken a position very much at odds with the Church," Archbishop Timothy Dolan told host Charlie Sykes on the "Sunday Insight" program of Milwaukee station TMJ4.

Dolan is the fifth bishop to condemn the university's decision since the March 20 announcement that O. had accepted the invitation, and announcement sparked a wave of protest from the American Catholic community.

Last Friday, the Texas Catholic Herald published Houston Cardinal Nicholas DiNardo's "Shepherd's Message" in which the Cardinal said the "very disappointing" invite "requires charitable but vigorous critique."

"Though I can understand the desire by a university to have the prestige of a commencement address by the President of the United States, the fundamental moral issue of the inestimable worth of the human person from conception to natural death is a principle that soaks all our lives as Catholics, and all our efforts at formation, especially education at Catholic places of higher learning," wrote DiNardo.

Notre Dame's own Bishop John D'Arcy responded soon after the scandal broke with a statement condemning the invitation and announcing his decision to boycott the graduation ceremony.

An online petition sponsored by the Cardinal Newman Society has gathered over 212,000 signatures as of Monday morning. (http://www.notredamescandal.com)

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Houston Cardinal Becomes Highest Ranking Official, 4th Bishop to Condemn Notre Dame Scandal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032717.html

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend O.-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Petition against O.'s Notre Dame Honor Skyrockets Past 103,000 Signatures in Four Days
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032410.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor O.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by O.'s Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give O. Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Houston Cardinal becomes highest ranking official, 4th Bishop to condemn Notre Dame scandal...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 27, 2009:

American Cardinal Nicholas DiNardo has criticized the decision of the Catholic University of Notre Dame to honor President B. O. by inviting him to be this year's commencement speaker and awarding him with an honorary doctorate. The Cardinal said that the "disappointing" invitation "requires charitable but vigorous critique."

The Cardinal's remarks constitute the highest-ranking criticism yet from a member of the Catholic Church hierarchy against the University's decision. So far three other American bishops have criticized the invitation, including the bishop of the diocese where Notre Dame is located, Bishop John D'Arcy.

In his weekly "Shepherd's Message" column, published today in the print edition of the Texas Catholic Herald, and reprinted on the Whispers in the Loggia blog, Cardinal DiNardo says, "I find the invitation very disappointing.

"Though I can understand the desire by a university to have the prestige of a commencement address by the President of the United States, the fundamental moral issue of the inestimable worth of the human person from conception to natural death is a principle that soaks all our lives as Catholics, and all our efforts at formation, especially education at Catholic places of higher learning."

The president, says the cardinal, "has made clear by word and deed that he will promote abortion and will remove even those limited sanctions that control this act of violence against the human person."

Referring to a 2004 directive by U.S. bishops that Catholic schools not honor or give platform to politicians who favor abortion, the cardinal noted, "Even given the dignity of the Office of the President, this offer is still providing a platform and an award to a public figure who has been candid on his pro-abortion views.

"Particularly troubling is the Honorary Law Degree since it recognizes that the person is a 'Teacher,' in this case of the Law. I think that this decision requires charitable but vigorous critique."

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Bishop Olmsted: Notre Dame's O. Honor "Public Act of Disobedience to U.S. Bishops"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032605.html

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend O.-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Petition against O.'s Notre Dame Honor Skyrockets Past 103,000 Signatures in Four Days
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032410.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Odama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by O.'s Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give O. Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Third Bishop condemns Notre Dame scandal: "It is very clear ND does not live up to Catholic identity"...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 27, 2009:

A third bishop has publicly condemned an invitation to President O. by the Catholic University of Notre Dame to receive an honorary law degree and offer the commencement address on May 17.

In the latest issue of the Austin diocese's "E-pistle," Bishop Gregory Aymond states, regarding the scandal: "I, along with many other Catholics, express great disappointment and sadness that a Catholic university would honor someone who is pro-choice and who holds many values contrary to our Catholic belief.

"In the midst of such a sad situation, as Catholics we must continue to be pro-life and to proclaim with even greater strength the values of Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

"In my opinion, it is very clear that in this case the University of Notre Dame does not live up to its Catholic identity in giving this award and their leadership needs our prayerful support," said Bishop Aymond.

Bishop Aymond's words follow a Wednesday letter by Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix to University president Fr. John Jenkins, in which Olmsted decried the honor as a "public act of disobedience to the Bishops of the United States." Prior to that, Notre Dame's Bishop D'Arcy issued his own criticism of the invitation and stated he would not attend the ceremony.

An online petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society immediately after the invitation was revealed last Friday has topped 185,000 signatures (to sign the petition, go to: http://www.notredamescandal.com).

Fr. Jenkins and University spokesmen have said they do not plan to rescind the invitation despite the wave of protests.

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Bishop Olmsted: Notre Dame's O. Honor "Public Act of Disobedience to U.S. Bishops"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032605.html

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend O.-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Petition against O.'s Notre Dame Honor Skyrockets Past 103,000 Signatures in Four Days
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032410.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor O.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by O.'s Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give O. Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Bishop Olmsted: ND's Prez honor "public act of disobedience to U.S. Bishops"...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 26, 2009:

Bishop Thomas Olmsted has written a letter to University of Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins condemning the invitation to President O. to offer the school's commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17.

Olmsted's letter follows a statement earlier this week by Notre Dame's own Bishop John D'Arcy, in which the bishop criticized the decision and announced his intent to boycott the ceremony.

American Papist blogger Thomas Peters broke the news of the letter from Bishop Olmsted, dated yesterday, in which Olmsted told Jenkins he was "saddened and heavy of heart about your decision to invite President O. to speak at Notre Dame University and even to receive an honorary degree" (See: http://www.americanpapist.com/blog).

"It is a public act of disobedience to the Bishops of the United States," said the bishop, who cited the U.S. bishops' 2004 directive that pro-abortion politicians "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

"I pray that you come to see the grave mistake of your decision, and the way that it undercuts the Church's proclamation of the Gospel of Life in our day," Olmsted concluded.

Since news broke of the invitation to O. late last Friday, Catholic leaders and Notre Dame alumni have unleashed a steady stream of protest and calls to reconsider the move. A fast-moving online petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society on a website formed immediately after the Friday announcement (http://www.notredamescandal.com/) has gathered over 165,000 signatures as of early Thursday afternoon. Fr. Jenkins has said he would not rescind the offer despite protests.

To read the complete text of Bishop Olmsted's letter, see: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032606.html

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage which contains contact information:

Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend O.-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor O.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by O.'s Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give O. Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Petition against Prez's Notre Dame honor skyrockets past 103,000 signatures in four days...

"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 March 24, 2009:

As of Tuesday night, over 103,000 signatures have poured into an online petition launched this past Friday by the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS). The petition opposes Notre Dame's honoring President O. with an invitation to offer the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17.

CNS introduced the petition on a new website dedicated to the scandal, http://www.notredamescandal.com, almost immediately after the White House and Notre Dame's website simultaneously broke the news on Friday afternoon that O. had accepted the invitation. Since then, the petition has gathered signatures at lightning speed, averaging 1,000 new signatures every 15 minutes.

"People are outraged, and the alumni of Notre Dame in particular are communicating to each other," CNS president Patrick J. Reilly said in an interview with LifeSiteNews.com today. Reilly noted that he recently spoke with a Notre Dame alumnus who said he "barely slept because all day yesterday, and much of the night, he was on email and on the phone with other alumni."

"It's amazing the outrage that we're seeing," he added.

Reilly said he did not expect such a large response. "We see outrages all the time, and I think this for many people was the last straw," he said. "The president has been waging a campaign of human destruction with his policies, and abortion, and stem-cell research, and now trying to eliminate conscience protections for healthcare workers.

"And in the meantime, Catholic institutions - in particular Catholic universities - have been very quick to abandon their Catholic mission for the sake of prestige. And this is probably the most prominent Catholic University hosting the most prominent leader of the Culture of Death."

Responding to Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkin's statement that the invitation would stand, and was intended to recognize O.'s "accomplishments and leadership," Reilly referred to Notre Dame Bishop John D'Arcy's condemnation of the invite, which invoked a 2004 directive by U.S. bishops not to honor pro-abortion politicians. (To see the bishop's full statement, go to: http://www.diocesefwsb.org/COMMUNICATIONS/statements.htm)

"Fr. Jenkins' bishop has made it clear that this is a violation of the bishops' policy against honoring pro-abortion politicians," said Reilly.

Jenkins had argued that he was following the bishops' directive not to give pro-abortion politicians honors, "which would suggest support for their actions," because O.'s specific position on life issues is "not what we're honoring."

"So Fr. Jenkins needs to rethink his argument," concluded Reilly. "And one would hope that now that the bishop has made it clear that Fr. Jenkins' thinking is wrong, that perhaps there will be a reconsideration of this."

Reilly, who recently met with Church officials in Rome, said he thought the scandal would "absolutely" receive attention in the Vatican, as he had been "pleasantly surprised by how well-aware" Vatican officials were of recent scandals in American Catholic universities.

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

Notre Dame Fellows:
The Fellows are the "successors and associates in office" of the original founders of the University

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 Notre Dame Alumni Association Board Members
https://secure.alumni.nd.edu/site/c.luIZLdMOJpE/b.2660531/k....

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Odama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Odama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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Bishop: "Notre Dame must ask itself if it has chosen prestige over truth"

Notre Dame's Bishop will not attend Prez-honoring graduation, criticizes University's decision...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 24, 2009:

The University of Notre Dame's Bishop John D'Arcy released a statement this afternoon criticizing the university's decision to invite President O. to offer the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17.

Bishop D'Arcy wrote that he 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 O.," 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 Odama'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 O. 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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Odama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Odama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

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ND Prof McInerny: "Notre Dame has forfeited its right to call itself a Catholic university."

Notre Dame faces groundswell of outrage after announcing plan to honor President...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 23, 2009:

Within hours of the announcement that Notre Dame has invited President O. to issue the school's commencement address and receive an honorary law degree, thousands of Catholics shook cyberspace - and Notre Dame's telephone switchboard - with outrage and demands to rescind the invitation.

Soon after the simultaneous statements by the White House and Notre Dame were released Friday afternoon, the voicemail boxes of University administrators were reportedly full with complaints against Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkin's decision to honor the leader many refer to as "the abortion president."

Leading the charge is the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), which launched a website immediately following the announcement, offering a petition to combat the school's plans (http://www.notredamescandal.com/). CNS reported Monday afternoon that the petition topped 33,500 signers in 72 hours, averaging 270 signatures an hour, and that the society has received almost 25,000 emails decrying the scandal.

"It is an outrage and a scandal that 'Our Lady's University,' one of the premier Catholic universities in the United States, would bestow such an honor on President O. given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage," the petition reads. CNS president Patrick J. Reilly also faxed a letter to Notre Dame's Bishop John D'Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend requesting intervention.

CatholicVote.com has joined the Society's effort with an email campaign to promote the petition.

"For a prominent Catholic institution to give President O. the benefit of their platform is shocking and disappointing," said CatholicVote.com president Brian Burch. A commencement speaker, he said, is held out as "someone students ought to emulate and admire. There's a clear contradiction between his policies and that which a Catholic institution is presumably bound to promote."

CNS also reports that Project Sycamore, an organization dedicated to protecting Notre Dame's Catholic identity, is organizing alumni to protest the honor.

Ralph McInerny, a prominent Catholic writer and philosophy professor at Notre Dame since 1955, said in an article on The Catholic Thing that, "By inviting B. Odama to be the 2009 commencement speaker, Notre Dame has forfeited its right to call itself a Catholic university."

"Not to put too fine a point on it, this is a deliberate thumbing of the collective nose at the Roman Catholic Church to which Notre Dame purports to be faithful," he wrote. "Faithful? Tell it to Julian the Apostate."

"For one whose fifty-four year career as a member of the Notre Dame faculty is coming to an end this June," wrote McInerny, "it is a bitter thing to reflect on the 2009 commencement speaker. ... One has groaned at previous selections, but the invitation to B. O. is far from being the usual effort of the university to get into warm contact with the power figures of the day. It is an unequivocal abandonment of any pretense at being a Catholic university.

"Lip service may be paid to the teaching on abortion, but it is no impediment to upward mobility, to the truly vulgar lust to be welcomed into secular society, whether on the part of individuals or institutions," he continued.

A National Reporter Online symposium article gathered the words of several high-profile Catholics, including two Notre Dame professors, weighing in on the news. (http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OTBlNmY2NzM4ODdkNDY0NzR...==)

Ethicist and moral theologian Pia de Solenni suggested that the invitation "could be an excellent opportunity for Notre Dame gently and publicly to remind the nation of the university's Catholic identity and the incompatibility of the president's hostile actions with this identity.

"At the same time, the university could extend an invitation to dialogue in hopes that the president could come to respect these beliefs even if he does not agree with them," wrote Solenni, who emphasized that "it would have to be eminently clear to all on the part of the university that a tension exists between its professed values and the president's actions."

CNS president Patrick J. Reilly, however, was pessimistic about the possible effects of the invitation. "This is not an academic event; it is an honors ceremony," he wrote. "There will be no questions or dialogue, nothing learned. ...We have been betrayed."

"The invitation to deliver a commencement address, especially when coupled with the award of an honorary degree, is not a neutral act," wrote Catholic author George Weigel. "It's an act by which a Catholic institution of higher learning says, 'This is a life worth emulating according to our understanding of the true, the good, and the beautiful.'" Weigel added it was "frankly beyond my imagining how Notre Dame can say that" of the broadly pro-abortion president.

Pro-life leaders quickly joined the chorus of condemnation.

"American Life League joins the Cardinal Newman Society and all Catholics of good will in condemning Notre Dame University's defamation of Our Lady through its unconscionable invitation to the leading symbol, hero and darling of the culture of death," stated American Life League President Judie Brown, who called the invitation "disgusting pandering to the culture of death" and urged constituents to cease funding the University if it persisted.

"Father Jenkins cannot expect pro-life Catholics to stand back and allow the most pro-abortion president in U.S. history to make a mockery of Notre Dame's Catholic identity," said Pro-Life League National Director Joe Scheidler, himself a graduate of Notre Dame.

Fr. Jenkins insisted over the weekend, after the protests began, that the invitation would remain.

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Odama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

********

Notre Dame President: School "honored" by Prez's acceptance to speak and receive honorary degree...

LifeSiteNews.com reported on March 23, 2009:

In an interview with Notre Dame's "Observer" newspaper, Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins has responded to a deluge of criticism from Catholics and pro-lifers for the school's commencement invitation to President O.

Both the White House and the Notre Dame website announced late Friday afternoon that O. had agreed to offer the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree at the school on May 17.

Jenkins said he does not "foresee circumstances" that would cause Notre Dame to rescind the invitation. Over the weekend, thousands of Catholics, including Notre Dame alumni, set the Internet ablaze and overwhelmed Notre Dame's switchboard with petitions to withdraw the offer.

"We have invited the president and he's honored us by accepting," said Jenkins, adding that the school was "delighted" to have O. join the list of presidents that have addressed Notre Dame.

Responding to outrage that the nation's premier Catholic institution of higher learning invited O., who has been called the most pro-abortion president in history, Jenkins said the invitation "should in no way be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions" on life issues.

"We are not ignoring the critical issue of the protection of life. On the contrary, we invited him because we care so much about those issues, and we hope for this to be the basis of an engagement with him," Jenkins said. "You cannot change the world if you shun the people you want to persuade, and if you cannot persuade them show respect for them and listen to them."

Jenkins said that the school wants to recognize O.'s "very real and significant accomplishments and his leadership," while at the same time wanting to initiate "a positive engagement on the issues we care about." "I think if he is going to reconsider his views, I think Notre Dame is the best possible place to begin that process," he said.

Jenkins also addressed the USCCB's 2004 directive that Catholic schools "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions," arguing that the honorary degree for O. "is not intended to condone or endorse his position on specific issues regarding life." "That's not what we're honoring," Jenkins said.

Jenkins called the President "an inspiring leader" who has addressed the nation's challenges with "intelligence, courage and honesty." He also indicated that he spoke with Notre Dame's Bishop D'Arcy about the affair, but did not speculate how the bishop would respond. The bishop has yet to issue a statement on the controversy.

The Observer article notes that Jenkins stands by earlier statements criticizing the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), which launched a website immediately following the Friday announcement urging Catholics to oppose the invite. (http://www.notredamescandal.com/)

In an April 2008 Wall Street Journal article, Jenkins had scoffed at CNS, which did not include Notre Dame in its list of schools faithful to Catholic teaching. "The Newman Society has no ecclesiastical standing and no academic standing," said Jenkins. "For me, it resembles nothing more than a political action committee."

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

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Odama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html

"Your country and many countries of the world have given themselves to satan. They seek now to unite My Son's houses, churches, with the world. And know now that should this take place, when the world and My Son's Church become one, the end has been reached.
"Pray a constant vigilance of prayer. Shout My message from the rooftops! Hurry, My children; I must beg you to make great haste, for the time is coming.” – Our Lady of the Roses, February 10, 1975

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D17 - Fall of Education PDF
D161 - The Great Apostasy PDF
D174 - Homosexuality, Part 2 PDF
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D304 - When the world and the Church unite as one PDF

Articles...

SHOCKER: Catholic Georgetown University will now fund law students to lobby for abortion
https://www.tldm.org/News11/ApostasyGeorgetown.htm

Catholic University of Detroit proposing abortion agencies as career opportunities for students
https://www.tldm.org/News10/ApostasyUniversityofDetroitMercy.htm

Militant pro-abortionist speaks to bioethics class at Catholic Loyola University
https://www.tldm.org/News9/abortionLoyolaChicago.htm

Apostate Catholic turned Muslim is "acting chair" of religious studies at Catholic St. Thomas University
https://www.tldm.org/News10/ApostasySt.ThomasUniversity.htm

13 U.S. Catholic colleges caught honoring abortion advocates and dissidents
https://www.tldm.org/News8/AbortionCatholicColleges.htm

Second major study shows modern Catholic universities harm students' faith life
https://www.tldm.org/News8/CatholicUniversitiesStudentFaithLife.htm

Marymount Manhattan College no longer a Catholic institution
https://www.tldm.org/News8/MarymountManhattanCollege.htm

Crucifix on front and back door... The only real protection against terrorists...
Jesus - "Pray and wear your sacramentals. And, also, My children, I ask you again to place a crucifix upon your door. Both front and back doors must have a crucifix. I say this to you because there will be carnage within your areas, and this will pass you by if you keep your crucifix upon your doors." (6-30-84) (Testimonies of lives and homes saved by the crucifixes.) https://www.tldm.org/news/crucifix.htm

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Our Lady tells us to be protected from all evil, we must wear the following sacramentals around our necks: a rosary, a crucifix, the St. Benedict medal, Our Lady of the Roses medal, the Miraculous Medal, and the scapular. We have all of these sacramentals in a packet we call "Heaven's Personal Protection Packet." This packet is available for a donation of $5.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling. Send $8.00 to TLD Ministries, P.O. Box 40, Lowell, MI 49331. Item # P5 (Order Form)

    Our Lady of the Roses, Mary Help of Mothers promises to help protect our children. On September 13, 1977, She said, "He has an army of ogres wandering now throughout your country and all of the countries of the world. They are in possession of great power; so wear your sacramentals, and protect your children and your households. Learn the use every day of holy water throughout your household. Insist even with obstructions, insist that your children always wear a sacramental. One day they will understand that they will repel the demons."
    On February 1, 1974, Our Lady said, "My children, know the value of these sacramentals. Guard your children well. You must awaken to the knowledge that you will not be protected without the sacramentals. Guard your children's souls. They must be surrounded with an aura of purity. Remove them if necessary from the sources of contamination, be it your schools or even false pastors."
    This Heaven’s Personal Protection Packet is available for a donation of $5.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling. Send $8.00 to TLD Ministries, P.O. Box 40, Lowell, MI 49331. You may use your MasterCard, VISA, or American Express and call 1-616-698-6448. Item # P5 (Order Form)

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The six volumes have all of Our Lady’s Bayside messages from 1970 through 1994. Some of these have never been published before. This is a type of a survival book. It tells what is coming and how to prepare for it spiritually and materially. It is a must book for the days ahead. This is a great way to spread Our Lady’s messages to our family, friends and relatives. Item #001 Cost $6.95 (Order Form)

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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

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