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Obama's Notre Dame Invite Embarrasses Many US Bishops
By John P. Connolly, The Bulletin
The decision to host pro-abortion President Barack Obama at the University of Notre Dame has prompted a growing number of Catholic bishops to speak out against the move.
Cardinal Francis George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), called the May 17 commencement arrangement an “extreme embarrassment,” urging faithful Catholics everywhere to continue writing to Notre Dame in an attempt to get Fr. John Jenkins, president of the university, to reverse the choice.
“The problem is in that you have a Catholic university — the flagship Catholic university — do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic,” he said. “So whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn’t understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation, and didn’t anticipate the kind of uproar that would be consequent to the decision, at least not to the extent that it has happened.”
Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark explained his own opposition to Mr. Obama’s visit, in light of how it affects the credibility of the Catholic Church as a moral teacher.
“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,” said Archbishop Myers. “We cannot justify such actions, and the Bishops have stated so clearly and strongly. If the president of Notre Dame ... 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.”
Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg all joined in, what has become, a closing of ranks over the controversial invitation.
“For President Obama to be honored by Notre Dame is more than a disappointment, it is a scandal — especially to young adults,” said Bishop Slattery in a letter to Fr. Jenkins. “His being honored by Notre Dame will make it easier for a woman who contemplates abortion to actually submit herself to this cruel and deadly procedure.”
Bishop Nickless emphasized the duty of all Catholic learning institutions, not just Notre Dame, to uphold Catholic teaching.
“Catholic institutions of higher learning must always be places where the Catholic values we hold so dearly will always be supported and promoted,” he said. “Not where the culture of death is allowed to be honored or valued.”
An online petition hosted by the Cardinal Newman Society at www.notredamescandal.com has gained more than 227,000 signatures.
John P. Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@thebulletin.us
Cardinal Francis George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), called the May 17 commencement arrangement an “extreme embarrassment,” urging faithful Catholics everywhere to continue writing to Notre Dame in an attempt to get Fr. John Jenkins, president of the university, to reverse the choice.
“The problem is in that you have a Catholic university — the flagship Catholic university — do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic,” he said. “So whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn’t understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation, and didn’t anticipate the kind of uproar that would be consequent to the decision, at least not to the extent that it has happened.”
Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark explained his own opposition to Mr. Obama’s visit, in light of how it affects the credibility of the Catholic Church as a moral teacher.
“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,” said Archbishop Myers. “We cannot justify such actions, and the Bishops have stated so clearly and strongly. If the president of Notre Dame ... 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.”
Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Harrisburg all joined in, what has become, a closing of ranks over the controversial invitation.
“For President Obama to be honored by Notre Dame is more than a disappointment, it is a scandal — especially to young adults,” said Bishop Slattery in a letter to Fr. Jenkins. “His being honored by Notre Dame will make it easier for a woman who contemplates abortion to actually submit herself to this cruel and deadly procedure.”
Bishop Nickless emphasized the duty of all Catholic learning institutions, not just Notre Dame, to uphold Catholic teaching.
“Catholic institutions of higher learning must always be places where the Catholic values we hold so dearly will always be supported and promoted,” he said. “Not where the culture of death is allowed to be honored or valued.”
An online petition hosted by the Cardinal Newman Society at www.notredamescandal.com has gained more than 227,000 signatures.
John P. Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@thebulletin.us
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