Referencing Website:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/articles/a0000509.shtml

Thousands protest against decision to honour Obama
By Ed West
27 March 2009

Over 62,000 people have signed a petition protesting at a Catholic university's decision to ask President Barack Obama to give its commencement address.

The president is due to give the address at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, on May 17, despite consistently voting in favour of abortion throughout his career as a senator.

The petition to Fr John Jenkins, president of the university, is in protest at the decision to invite the President to speak and to give him an honorary law degree.

The campaign is organised by the university's Cardinal Newman Society, and is backed by Dr Ralph McInerny, a professor at Notre Dame for more than 50 years, who wrote on The Catholic Thing website: "By inviting Barack Obama as commencement speaker, Notre Dame is telling the nation that the teaching of the Catholic Church on this fundamental matter [abortion] can be ignored."

According to Catholic commentator Thomas Peters, writing on his American Papist blog, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has encouraged Catholics to write to Notre Dame to protest against the decision.

The petition reads: "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 honour on President Obama given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage.

"Instead Notre Dame has chosen prestige over principles, popularity over morality. Whatever may be President Obama's admirable qualities, this honour comes on the heels of some of the most anti-life actions of any American president, including expanding federal funding for abortions and inviting taxpayer-funded research on stem cells from human embryos."

Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected President in November, becoming the first African-American US leader. One of his first acts as President was to overturn Ronald Reagan's Mexico City Policy, which banned American government funds from being used to promote abortion overseas.

Fr John Jenkins, president of the university, said: "The invitation to President Obama to be our commencement speaker should not be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of human life, including abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. Yet, we see his visit as a basis for further positive engagement."

I will be there at Notre Dame in May.

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a blessed Lent, filled with prayer and union with Jesus...
I plan to take lots of photos there...will post them here.
Love, Phillie

Thank you Prof. Mary Ann Glendon

April 27, 2009
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame

Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame’s most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.

Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.

First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions “should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles” and that such persons “should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:


• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”

• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops’ guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame’s example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.

It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.

In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

Yours Very Truly,

Mary Ann Glendon

http://www.ndresponse.com/

Steven

Here we are Holy Mother Mary, lead us please.

thanks Steven, Linda, olov
I sign up for 30 rosary prayer


easter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?fc_c=1416004x3044189x153087063&v=X89_XLYbpxU
click on small arrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub4TnFFH1Qk&feature=related
click on small arrow

WOW!!


Father John Jenkins, CSC, President
Notre Dame University
Corby Hall
Notre Dame, Indiana

Dear Father

I am writing this letter to you early Good Friday morning, April 10. I am trying to make holy this Holy Week by immersing myself completely into the agony, sufferings and disappointments endured by Jesus my Lord and Redeemer for me and for all mankind.

Notre Dame inviting President Obama to its graduation ceremony keeps coming up in my thoughts. From the first moment I heard of your regrettable, ill-advised action I was very disappointed. Your decision reminded me of words of God, in particular, on the morning of Friday the Fourth Week of Lent as I prayed in the Office of Readings. I read Psalm 78. Salvation history reveals the goodness of God and the faithlessness of His people. God has been very good to Notre dame and more and more, gradually, you have “forgotten God’s deeds,” you choose, to be a defiant and rebellious race” your heart is “fickle”, you “forget the things He has done” and “you have failed to keep God’s covenant and would not walk according to His law.” Psalm 78 is “a didactic Psalm drawing savatory lessons from Israel’s history.” (New American Bible)

Since my boyhood I have been a passionate Notre Dame fan not only of football but of the Nation’s best known catholic university. I rearranged my priestly schedule many a Saturday to watch Notre dame football and basketball games on T.V.

One of my life’s highlights as a Bishop was to be present for the graduation of my nieces as I sat on the stage with your President Father Edward Malloy along with Cardinal Kasper and your Bishop Most Rev. John D’Arcy.

I always attended the Notre Dame sponsored receptions at the Bishops’ meetings. I was privileged to be main celebrant of your famed Sunday Mass on campus. I was your guest at a Saturday afternoon football game at Notre Dame.

In conscience I can no longer support Notre Dame as a Catholic College. I am deeply offended how you treat my wife of 54 years, the Church I love whose head is Jesus Christ.

On this Good Friday, as I try to put myself into Christ’s place I feel Him being rejected, beaten and crucified again by my own sinfulness, lack of faith, indifference and lack of courage. All sinners in their unfaithfulness join me in caressing His Passion and Death.

I see myself associated with those associated with His death, i.e., Judas, Peter, Pilate, Caiaphas, Herod, soldiers, etc. I also see Notre Dame crucifying Our Lord once again. Our Blessed Mother must be sorrowful for what you are doing to her Son, using her name in doing so.

Blessed Mother Teresa said: "Do you think that God is going to bless a nation that kills its unborn babies?” Do you think God is going to continue to bless Notre Dame?

A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting and being in the presence of Lech Walesa over a three-day period. Several times, publicly and privately, he said the United States will cease being the sole super power if we (USA) cease to be the world’s moral leader. Christ spoke of seeing “the signs of the times” in our midst.

As a brother to you in the priesthood of Christ, I will pray for you to disinvite our Pro-Abortion president, who has supported and surrounded himself with Catholics who dissent and are stubbornly defiant of the Church’s teaching, i.e., Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Kathleen Sebelius and others.

Sadly, the Body of Christ is being divided in this Country ...and you have joined them: Notre Dame, D.D. – Dissenter and Disuniter.

This is a teachable moment for Notre Dame and all of us. It’s time to review the basics of Christianity and Catholicism, i.e., the Word of God about faithfulness and obedience of Faith, documents on Catholic Education, incredulity (Catechism #2089), your Profession of faith (Canon 833, Paragraph 7) , your relation to your local Bishop and the United States Conference of Catholic bishops.

You have “drawn a line in the sand.” The easiest solution to your dilemma and most pleasing to the Risen Lord, is the “above” route. Just disinvite President Obama- he understands politics very well and the steadfast rock that Jesus put into the world, the Catholic Church.

Should you choose to remain unmoved and continue to be defiant, thereby setting a scandalous example for your students and the nation, I will support the many efforts of bearing witness to the truth.

For example, Notre Dame football is being scheduled to be in San Antonio, October 31. I will be there, not in the Alamodome, but outside near there, joining a legal, peaceful and prayerful protest. I will be praying the Rosary, the Sorrowful Mysteries, praying for the conversion of Notre dame, D.D.

This is a permanent commitment on my part, similar to the one I made in 1993 against abortion chambers and Planned Parenthood, the biggest promoter and executioner of abortions in the United States and the world.

I conclude with words of Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) : “Together with the family, teachers and educators have a particularly valuable contribution to make. Much will depend on them if young people, trained in true freedom, are to be able to preserve for themselves and make known to others new authentic ideals of life, and if they are to grow in respect for and service to every other person, in the family and society.

“Intellectuals also can do much to build a new culture of human life. A special task falls to Catholic intellectuals, who are called to be present and active in the leading centers where culture is formed in schools and Universities. …(EV 98,2,3)"

Again Pope John Paul II states: “The one who accepted “Life” in the name of all and for the sake of all was Mary., the Virgin Mother. (EV 102,2) Mary thus helps the Church to realize that Life is always at the center of the struggle between good and evil, between light and darkness.”(EV 104,3)

Asking our Blessed Mother to interced for you and yours with her Divine Son, I am,

Fraternally in Christ the Priest, Most Rev. John W. Yanta, Bishop Emeritus of Amarillo

Just spoke with my nutty friends over the cellphone picketing at Notre Dame. They are picketing right now, there are about 100 people at the main entrance. They passed out a bunch of signs and rubber Obama masks they bought last Halloween. They have two sign trucks driving around the campus 24 hrs a day. There have been a few arrests already, but it is going well. There is a lot of media coverage. The turnout is real good, which may be keeping the arrests down, the police don’t want to make a scene anymore than what it is.

God Bless

Yes, I wept for some time as well when I saw them arresting Fr. Weslan (not sure of spelling)... God bless this Holy Priest! I was moved to pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet... and wept some more... Where are the other priests and Bishops and other protesters? I pray and hope today will be a better turn out...

I just got home from meeting my new grandson... he's so beautiful and perfect and wonderfully made... the first reaction that came to my mind as I laid my eyes on him for the very first time was how can anyone kill these precious little gifts from God? I've wept much this past week... My heart feels beaten and bruised... I thought about how Our Lord and Our Mother must be feeling, the pain never goes away...Pray, Pray, Pray...

Maranatha!!!

God Bless You Linda and the New Arrival.......

Know that your tears are not in vain......(((Hugs)))

PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Thank you Deb and Cyndi... this weekend the definitive battle line has been drawn... evil appears to be winning and all we can do is pray, pray, and pray knowing that evil will never win, Good has already won. Her Immaculate Heart will Triumph! Ave Maria...

Linda

Yes let's keep praying...especially for the conversion of obama. I really didn't see any news coverage on the peaceful demonstration at Notre Dame...it was all focus on obama .

Fr. Frank Pavone ''exposes" the fallacy thinking of President Obama. Does this indicate he's judging him? (No way.) He "presents" clear - authentic - Christian Catholic teaching.

--------------------
Common Ground
May 20th, 2009

In his Notre Dame speech, President Obama addressed the abortion issue and said that we have to try to find common ground, and have open minds and hearts when we speak and listen to those who disagree with us. Yet he also mentioned in that speech the Brown vs. Board of Education decision of the Supreme Court that outlawed segregation. Certainly he wouldn’t say that we should have an open mind that maybe that decision was wrong. Open minds and common ground only go so far.They stop at the boundary of the truth - and the truth about the sanctity of life is that it deserves protection at every stage, and that government has no authority to deny that protection. Let’s pray that such protection under the law will come soon.

–Fr. Frank

Source: http://www.priestsforlife.org/blog/