Obama calls for "common ground" on abortion at Notre Dame graduation ceremony. I agree, but I can't help but feel this is a little like slave owners calling for common ground on slavery.- Brian Hagedorn
Showing posts with label Notre Dame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Notre Dame. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2009
Quote of the day
Thoughts on the president's speech Sunday at the Notre Dame commencement ceremony
If we take the president at his word, always a dodgey proposition I concede, we do see in his speech a concession that there is something intrinsically wrong with abortion.
That's when we begin to say, "Maybe we won't agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this heart-wrenching decision for any woman is not made casually, it has both moral and spiritual dimensions.
So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions, let's reduce unintended pregnancies.
If there was nothing wrong with abortion, it would not have those "moral and spiritual dimensions" and we should have no desire to see the number of them reduced.
So if we are to seek common ground, we must begin at the understanding that abortion destroys human life. If that is what the president also understands, then quite apart from any theological considerations he has a moral and ethical responsibility to oppose abortion. If that is not what the president understands, than any hope of common ground is lost and the president's wish for less abortions is just a bunch of meaningless pixels on the teleprompter. He asks for fair words, we might ask for honesty.
That said, whatever hope Fr. Jenkins may had for "dialogue" was certainly not achieved by the president's appearance at Notre Dame and the acceptance of the honorary degree. The cost to Notre Dame was high in donations and in its reputation. What good did it achieve?
One other remark from the president stood out:
And I also want to thank you for the honorary degree that I received. I know it has not been without controversy. I don't know if you're aware of this, but these honorary degrees are apparently pretty hard to come by. (Laughter.) So far I'm only 1 for 2 as President. (Laughter and applause.) Father Hesburgh is 150 for 150. (Laughter and applause.) I guess that's better. (Laughter.) So, Father Ted, after the ceremony, maybe you can give me some pointers to boost my average.
How petty. President Obama spoke at Arizona State's commencement last week and some Obama supporters were bugged he didn't receive the wall decoration honorary degree. And on Sunday Obama revealed his own irritation.
How else can you explain the rude and ungrateful remarks of the president? Surely being asked to speak at a major university's commencement was honor enough?
His little attempt at humor would be like if you went to dinner at one friend's house and they didn't offer dessert. The next week you went to another friend's home within the same circle. When they brought out dessert, you announced how grateful you were to be in a home that understood the importance of dessert - unlike some people. Who within that circle of friends would think highly of you after that obnoxious display?
We have the measure of Obama's character, I think, and it is vindictive and small.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Quote of the day
“We’re standing up for prestige instead of standing up for the church.”
- Notre Dame graduating senior Jon Buttaci
- Notre Dame graduating senior Jon Buttaci
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Quote of the day
“Certainly NARAL or Planned Parenthood would never invite Benedict XVI, much less extend an award to him.”
- Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, ND
The American Papist has the video, too.
- Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, ND
The American Papist has the video, too.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Understanding Notre Dame's mission better than Notre Dame
At the same Notre Dame University commencement ceremony where President Barack Obama is expected to speak, Mary Ann Glendon was to receive the Laetare Medal, an annual award given in recognition of outstanding service to the Roman Catholic church.
Because of the invitation to President Obama, the granting of an honorary degree, and the subsequent controversy, Glendon has decided not to accept the Laetare Medal. (Ht: Dad29)
In her letter to Fr. Jenkins of Notre Dame, she wrote:
Because of the invitation to President Obama, the granting of an honorary degree, and the subsequent controversy, Glendon has decided not to accept the Laetare Medal. (Ht: Dad29)
In her letter to Fr. Jenkins of Notre Dame, she wrote:
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.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Obama goes back to school
When it was learned that President Obama was not going to get an honorary degree from Arizona State, the left “netroots” were outraged. How could a sitting president speaking at a graduation commencement be denied an honorary degree?
And you can see their concern. After all, it’s not like President Obama has much else to his resume to justify a mention in Who’s Who. A couple of honorary degrees on the wall to fluff up his anemic record of experience can only help.
Meanwhile, Catholic university Notre Dame is being a bit more hospitable. President Obama has been invited to speak at their graduation commencement as well, and they, too, are adding a decoration to the President’s wall.
Unfortunately, the issue is a bit more serious than at ASU.
Notre Dame is a Catholic university. As a Catholic university, the expectation of the university is that it attempts to inculcate some semblance of Catholic teaching in it’s student body, and that the scholarship should be to the promotion of Catholic beliefs.
President Obama is not Catholic. That in itself is not a problem. Notre Dame welcomes all to its campus in expectation that something of the Catholic experience will touch all who come to visit and to learn.
But President Obama is actively hostile to some of the very basic tenets of the Catholic Church, including the sanctity of human life, especially at its earliest stages. More over, President Obama is actively hostile to the very notion that the Catholic belief should be respected beyond just as a source of identity.
President Obama is supportive of the passage of the misnamed “Freedom of Choice Act.” FOCA, as it is known, would make national the legalization of abortion under any circumstance. Worse, FOCA as it is currently conceived would deny the right of Catholic medical providers (and others) not to perform abortions despite the Catholic prohibition to abortion.
No less a figure than New York’s new Archbishop Timothy Dolan has said if FOCA were to become law, Catholic hospitals across the country would be forced to close.
This is not an idle threat. When Massachusetts legalized gay marriage, and required that adoption agencies recognize gay marriages when considering the placement of children, the Catholic adoption agencies in that state closed.
It’s a matter of deepest conscience and faith, and while many on the left seek to limit the influence of religious thought in the public square, President Obama and his followers do not see that the public square should have any limits in imposing its will upon the Catholic faith.
President Obama’s support of legalized abortion surpasses those elected officials who claim to be opposed to abortion personally but believe it’s legal status should be protected. Upon taking office, President Obama reversed the “Mexico City” policy and federal funds again flowed to overseas organizations that promote abortion as a means of birth control.
This promotion of abortion is not for the usual exceptions cited: rape, incest and the life (health) of the mother. The change in policy is to promote more abortions among the poor of the Third World, as if those lives have less importance.
President Obama is also an advocate of using human embryos for scientific research, and using federal funds to promote the practice. We’re fortunate that so far his administration’s draft policy (subject to change) limits the killing of human embryos to those discarded as part of in-vitro fertilization, but having drawn such an artificial line of moral judgment the question remains how long before his administration will allow the cloning of human embryos in the lab solely for the purpose of scientific experimentation.
On these fundamental questions on which the Catholic Church has weighed in with full authority President Obama has revealed himself to be hostile to the very nature of Catholic teaching on the importance and sanctity of human life.
If there was any doubt that President Obama is hostile to the intent and mission of the Catholic universities, last week’s events surrounding the president’s appearance at Georgetown University should have erased them. Using the Catholic university as the backdrop for a public policy address, President Obama’s team made sure to eradicate any sight of religious imagery from the public’s eye as the president spoke.
Draping a cover over a statue by former Attorney General John Ashcroft was enough to draw the continual jeers by a Washington press corps ready to make sport of the religious. But President Obama’s fear of being pictured with any symbols of Christ and the Catholic religion has largely drawn silence of the mainstream media.
But Catholics should ask, if the President cannot stand to be seen by the side of Christ or the symbols of the Catholic Church, why then do we invite such a hostile figure into our academies of Catholic teaching? What is to be gained?
We understand why the president would seek such highly visible moments before the Catholic faithful. During his presidential campaign, it was reported how President Obama found himself short of Catholic support in the presidential primaries. As a politician, it’s natural to reach out to constituencies, especially those that have traditionally been part of the Democratic political coalition.
However, Catholicism is not an ethic identity, or just another social identity to be wooed like African Americans or union members. Being Catholic is not only something into which someone is born, but also a faith with strong teachings and intellectual traditions. Catholics are called to believe in a series of teachings starting with the recognition that Jesus Christ is Our Savior, that His Sacrifice is Our Redemption from mortal sin.
These teachings cannot be conveniently ignored when Caesar decides to bestow his greatness upon our presence. No more than the Jews would accept the statue of Caligula in their temple, or Christ tolerated the presence of the moneychangers in the temple, should we honor those who are hostile to the very precepts of our Church, regardless of the recognition and honor we would receive from secular sources in return?
Notre Dame’s president Father Jenkins wishes to honor the symbolic achievement of America electing an African American as president. Laudable, and President’s Obama’s rise to the position of the head of state should be congratulated, if uneasily. However, this can be done without honoring the president himself or providing a Catholic stage for his views. For in honoring President Obama, we honor the pride in the secular achievement over the sacred.
Father Jenkins assures the public that Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama is part of a “dialogue” with him. Whom Father Jenkins has in mind to challenge President Obama’s thinking on his hostility to the basic protections of human life demanded by the Catholic Church he does not reveal.
It would certainly be unprecedented to have such a dialogue at a graduation commencement, when normally the speaker is expected to convey some important insight as advice to the graduating class. It’s normally assumed the speaker is an authority to whom the graduates should listen. What wisdom is it that Father Jenkins is hoping President Obama will convey to the graduating class?
Having lost sight of the meaning and mission of a Catholic university, perhaps Father Jenkins does not understand why the faithful among his students are protesting, why local Bishop D’Arcy has cancelled plans to attend, why Catholic bishops and organizations across the country are protesting Notre Dame’s invitation to the president and the university’s plan to give President Obama an honorary degree.
Maybe it’s because a degree from Notre Dame should represent a Catholic education, and not just a decoration on the wall.
And you can see their concern. After all, it’s not like President Obama has much else to his resume to justify a mention in Who’s Who. A couple of honorary degrees on the wall to fluff up his anemic record of experience can only help.
Meanwhile, Catholic university Notre Dame is being a bit more hospitable. President Obama has been invited to speak at their graduation commencement as well, and they, too, are adding a decoration to the President’s wall.
Unfortunately, the issue is a bit more serious than at ASU.
Notre Dame is a Catholic university. As a Catholic university, the expectation of the university is that it attempts to inculcate some semblance of Catholic teaching in it’s student body, and that the scholarship should be to the promotion of Catholic beliefs.
President Obama is not Catholic. That in itself is not a problem. Notre Dame welcomes all to its campus in expectation that something of the Catholic experience will touch all who come to visit and to learn.
But President Obama is actively hostile to some of the very basic tenets of the Catholic Church, including the sanctity of human life, especially at its earliest stages. More over, President Obama is actively hostile to the very notion that the Catholic belief should be respected beyond just as a source of identity.
President Obama is supportive of the passage of the misnamed “Freedom of Choice Act.” FOCA, as it is known, would make national the legalization of abortion under any circumstance. Worse, FOCA as it is currently conceived would deny the right of Catholic medical providers (and others) not to perform abortions despite the Catholic prohibition to abortion.
No less a figure than New York’s new Archbishop Timothy Dolan has said if FOCA were to become law, Catholic hospitals across the country would be forced to close.
This is not an idle threat. When Massachusetts legalized gay marriage, and required that adoption agencies recognize gay marriages when considering the placement of children, the Catholic adoption agencies in that state closed.
It’s a matter of deepest conscience and faith, and while many on the left seek to limit the influence of religious thought in the public square, President Obama and his followers do not see that the public square should have any limits in imposing its will upon the Catholic faith.
President Obama’s support of legalized abortion surpasses those elected officials who claim to be opposed to abortion personally but believe it’s legal status should be protected. Upon taking office, President Obama reversed the “Mexico City” policy and federal funds again flowed to overseas organizations that promote abortion as a means of birth control.
This promotion of abortion is not for the usual exceptions cited: rape, incest and the life (health) of the mother. The change in policy is to promote more abortions among the poor of the Third World, as if those lives have less importance.
President Obama is also an advocate of using human embryos for scientific research, and using federal funds to promote the practice. We’re fortunate that so far his administration’s draft policy (subject to change) limits the killing of human embryos to those discarded as part of in-vitro fertilization, but having drawn such an artificial line of moral judgment the question remains how long before his administration will allow the cloning of human embryos in the lab solely for the purpose of scientific experimentation.
On these fundamental questions on which the Catholic Church has weighed in with full authority President Obama has revealed himself to be hostile to the very nature of Catholic teaching on the importance and sanctity of human life.
If there was any doubt that President Obama is hostile to the intent and mission of the Catholic universities, last week’s events surrounding the president’s appearance at Georgetown University should have erased them. Using the Catholic university as the backdrop for a public policy address, President Obama’s team made sure to eradicate any sight of religious imagery from the public’s eye as the president spoke.
Draping a cover over a statue by former Attorney General John Ashcroft was enough to draw the continual jeers by a Washington press corps ready to make sport of the religious. But President Obama’s fear of being pictured with any symbols of Christ and the Catholic religion has largely drawn silence of the mainstream media.
But Catholics should ask, if the President cannot stand to be seen by the side of Christ or the symbols of the Catholic Church, why then do we invite such a hostile figure into our academies of Catholic teaching? What is to be gained?
We understand why the president would seek such highly visible moments before the Catholic faithful. During his presidential campaign, it was reported how President Obama found himself short of Catholic support in the presidential primaries. As a politician, it’s natural to reach out to constituencies, especially those that have traditionally been part of the Democratic political coalition.
However, Catholicism is not an ethic identity, or just another social identity to be wooed like African Americans or union members. Being Catholic is not only something into which someone is born, but also a faith with strong teachings and intellectual traditions. Catholics are called to believe in a series of teachings starting with the recognition that Jesus Christ is Our Savior, that His Sacrifice is Our Redemption from mortal sin.
These teachings cannot be conveniently ignored when Caesar decides to bestow his greatness upon our presence. No more than the Jews would accept the statue of Caligula in their temple, or Christ tolerated the presence of the moneychangers in the temple, should we honor those who are hostile to the very precepts of our Church, regardless of the recognition and honor we would receive from secular sources in return?
Notre Dame’s president Father Jenkins wishes to honor the symbolic achievement of America electing an African American as president. Laudable, and President’s Obama’s rise to the position of the head of state should be congratulated, if uneasily. However, this can be done without honoring the president himself or providing a Catholic stage for his views. For in honoring President Obama, we honor the pride in the secular achievement over the sacred.
Father Jenkins assures the public that Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama is part of a “dialogue” with him. Whom Father Jenkins has in mind to challenge President Obama’s thinking on his hostility to the basic protections of human life demanded by the Catholic Church he does not reveal.
It would certainly be unprecedented to have such a dialogue at a graduation commencement, when normally the speaker is expected to convey some important insight as advice to the graduating class. It’s normally assumed the speaker is an authority to whom the graduates should listen. What wisdom is it that Father Jenkins is hoping President Obama will convey to the graduating class?
Having lost sight of the meaning and mission of a Catholic university, perhaps Father Jenkins does not understand why the faithful among his students are protesting, why local Bishop D’Arcy has cancelled plans to attend, why Catholic bishops and organizations across the country are protesting Notre Dame’s invitation to the president and the university’s plan to give President Obama an honorary degree.
Maybe it’s because a degree from Notre Dame should represent a Catholic education, and not just a decoration on the wall.
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