Now, a U.S. cardinal denounces Notre Dame's Obama invite

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo has become the first American cardinal to denounce the University of Notre Dame for inviting Democratic President Barack Obama as its commencement speaker in May and to receive an honorary degree.

Four Catholic bishops have now criticized the school for its decision to invite a pro-choice president to address its university body, including as The Ticket reported here the other day, Bishop John D'Arcy of northern Indiana announcing that he would boycott the famous Catholic school's May 17 commencement exercises over the invitation to the president, who recently broadened funding of stemcell research.

More than 120,000 others have signed an online petition urging the institution to rescind the invitation.

A Notre Dame spokesman for President John Jenkins has stated the school stands firmly by its invitation, one of three commencement address Obama will make this spring.

Now, Cardinal DiNardo has joined the fray over faith, writing in his pastoral newsletter this weekend:

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 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.

The Bishops of the United States published a document a few years ago asking all....

...Catholic universities to avoid giving a platform or an award to those politicians or public figures who promote the taking of unborn human life.

Even given the dignity of Office of the President, this offer is still providing a platform and an award for 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.

Cardinal DiNardo was joined in his Notre Dame criticism by fellow Texas Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin, who denounced the school for not "living up to its Catholic identity."

"In my opinion,” that Bishop writes in his newsletter this week, “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.”

Notre Dame has taken special public relations pride in its ability to attract prominent graduation speakers to its South Bend campus over the years, especially newly-installed presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Associated Press (Cardinal Daniel DiNardo); University of Notre Dame.

Comments

[Mexichick67]

Obama believes in the right to choose. He would rather a woman have other options to abortion, but he wants to make sure that it's safe and legal. I'm pro-choice, but would never have an abortion. It's not something to take lightly. The Catholic Church should focus it's energy on providing support to those women who chose to have a baby. Perhaps then women would have fewer abortions. Unfortunately the Catholic Church opposes pretty much very form of birth control (except the rhythm - aka Russian Roulette).

[Timoteo]

These throwbacks to the Middle Ages must be condemned and then ignored. Their primitive mindsets become more ridiculous every day.
This is the same church whose "supreme iman" said last week in Africa that condoms cause HIV, rather than prevent it.
He's also the same guy who voided the excommunication of a bishop who's both a holocaust denier and advocate of subjegation and physical abuse of women.
Thank God that Notre Dame has recognized its importance as a beacon of academic freedom and stood its ground against those intending to turn U.S. Catholic universities into madrassas.
The leadership of the Catholic Church deserves both men and women who can provide a greater understanding of the Faith, based upon reason, tradition and Scripture. What we're getting right now is the result of an institution that's growing more totalitarian and increasingly irrelevant. As that process continues, it also becomes more and more dangerous to those whose conscience and belief differ. That's what the Inquisition was all about.

[Sean k]

If that is truly the way they feel, then let the radical right wing Catholics have their way. If they truely are a majority on campus, then let Notre Dame and the Catholic Church deal with the fallout of refusing to let the first African American president of the United States address their graduating class based a point that is supported by no one on the planet who isn't a right wing ideologue. At this point in our country's history, they have a lot more to lose than Obama does. Maybe Bob Jones University will join in their refusal to recognize the importance of our first black commander in chief just because he isn't lockstep in tune with their radical agenda. The first step in equating Catholics with right wing nutball protestants might just me eye opening for the majority of Americans. Do it. It will only push the rationally minded people of the world that much closer to atheism. As a proud atheist I can only say, Thanks for the PR Notre Dame!

[Andrew]

As million of children die yearly of malnutrition, disease and violence, these pontificating people who represent a religion known for its violence toward young boys and history of torture, killing and pillaging of indiginous races has the gall to stand up and decry what science is trying to learn? What pathetic hypocrits! As a practicing catholic i have walked away from your hypocracy and BS. Like the rest of all religions, yours has no authority to condemn the actions of anyone!!!

[markiejoe]

The idealogue ramblings of Cardinal DiNardo are just another example of why so many of us recovering Catholics and graduates of Catholic colleges have left the church behind. DiNardo reminds me of the old button that reads "If God were alive today, he'd be an athiest."

[scorpdewd]

What I find offensive is the hypocrisy of the Catholic church management. Let's be frank about it, that's basically what the elevated clergy is, and yet while they sit in comfort and riches, they denounce those practices that hold out hope for the hopeless that are in the realm of the secular. If they cared that much for human life, they should have protested the fact that the previous President served as the governor of a state that leads the nation in fulfilling capital punishment sentences, yet strangely they were quiet on that. And the Church management is silent on the abuses in sub-Sahara Africa, reckless when it comes to disregarding the use of condoms in HIV/AIDS wreaked nations, and in this country silent when child abuse was happening on their watch. With this level of involvement in government affairs and national policy, they are no longer within their own non-secular margins, and as such, perhaps they should no longer enjoy the tax-free status they have long enjoyed. Surely taxing the Roamn Catholic and all the other churches properties and holdings should be studied as a means of getting the economy turned around. Finally, and there is some irony here, they should render to Caesar what is Caesar's....

[John Bas]

"The President 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."

Is that true Cardinal DeNardo? Is removing interest group pandering and politically motivated restrictions on access to information an "act of violence against the human person"

Was that true when Galileo championed Copernicanism or medicine in the 16th century introduced surgery on cadavers to instruct and save lives?

Is that the logic behind excommunicating a 9 year old Brazilian, along with her her doctors, for having an abortion to save her life but not the step father who raped her?

[paul]

Fitting picture of Cardinal DiNardo. Does anyone really believe in religion now a days?

[Hector]

As Catholic it is shameful that the organization that lacked the courage to speak out against Hitler and who even now shelters child molesters has the gall to protest the participation of our President in a commencement ceremony. I will go to mass but I stopped giving money long ago. Until the church changes, other catholics should do the same.

[phil]

Where was this outrage when the victims of sexual abuse were coming forward. Why is there no outrage that Cardinal Mahony is still the Cardinal in Los Angeles. Will these same critics come out against Notre Dame if one of the politicians they invite supported either war in Iraq or Afghanistan? The Catholic church needs to clean its own house before it goes poking at the political views of our president.

[rob worms]

What a shame these higher ranking people of the church didnt put the same vigor in towards the past 40 years of church abuse

[TD]

the catholic church has gotten really creepy. not the church i remember. at this point i would consider being snubbed by the church a good thing.

[ross]

This from an organization whose leader recently discouraged parishioners in AIDS-ravaged Africa from using condoms. I was once Catholic. Not anymore. I cannot morally justify attending Mass and supporting the church.

[LCMc]

This is why I no longer go to the Catholic Church. The dogma overcomes common sense.

[Brian]

They say that anti-Catholicism is the anti-Semitism of liberals. Thus it is not surprising to see the liberals supporting the decision to give Obama a degree from a Catholic university on free speech grounds.

I agree with them. I think that Yeshiva University should invite Holocaust deniers to speak at their graduation and Moorehouse College should invite a Klansman to speak at their graduation--all in the name of free speech.

[Scy]

This is the same group that hid pedophilia and recently excommunicate a mother who took her 9 year old incest victim to have an abortion? Oh WHAT a moral high groud.

If this idiot "church" wants to impress us here's how. Sell ALL of your assets and give them to the poor. That camel through the eye of a needle thing's a pain ain't it?

[tw]

Hypocrites....the Catholic Church should remember not to throw stones....maybe they can have some pedofile priests address the graduating class....

[David]

Did the cardinal also denounce speeches given at Notre Dame by politicians, such as George W. Bush, who support the death penalty? If not, then he is a liar and a partisan thug who twists Catholic teaching for political reasons.

[Moe DeLon]

"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."

So, he shouldn't speak at Notre Dame on law because he is in agreement with the law of the country of which he is President?

[Larry]

President Obama does not promote abortion. He has said that even though he supports a woman's right to choose we must do our best to REDUCE the number of abortions. The cardinal should speak all the facts before he pronounces his judgements.

[maksym]

This guy on the photo has a look of a total religious fanatic,
this kind of people are responsible for wars.
Maksym

[T-Prop]

President Obama was INVITED.

Had he turned ND down, the malcontents would be whining a different tune.

And why don't any of the ecclesiasticals look fundamentally healthy, or well even??

[art estrada]

How come these big mouth troublemakers Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Bishop Gregory Aymond don't make a stink about their priest molesting young Boys!

[Marcus]

Who cares? The Catholic Religion is a sham anyway, with so many of their priests engaged in pedophilia and sundry other sexually deviant acts I'm surprised that they all aren't driven to suicide. Religion is a superstitious belief in something you don't understand, have trouble describing, and rarely follow unless you are in trouble. Is it any wonder that "God" spelled backwards is "dog". That "live" spelled backwards is "evil" and that the previous statements make about as much sense as Cardinal Daniel DiNardo's stance on President Obama's upcoming speech at Notre Dame. I live by the "do unto others" rule and it's been good for me so far!

[John Shean]

It would seem that Notre Dame's administrative decisions are starting to match the pitiful record of their football teams in recent years. How any unversity that calls itself "Catholic" can invite the most pro-abortion president in our history to speak, and be awarded a degree. is beyond belief. Somebody better "SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER FROM THE SKY" and wake 'em up in South Bend.

John Shean
San Diego