Concerning Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame graduation and receiving honorary Law Degree
On Friday, March 21, Father John Jenkins, CSC, phoned to inform me that President Obama had accepted his invitation to speak to the graduating class at Notre Dame and receive an honorary degree. We spoke shortly before the announcement was made public at the White House press briefing. It was the first time that I had been informed that Notre Dame had issued this invitation.
President Obama 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.
This will be the 25th Notre Dame graduation during my time as bishop. After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation. I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But 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.
My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life.
I have in mind also the statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 2004. “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” Indeed, the measure of any Catholic institution is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for.
I have spoken with Professor Mary Ann Glendon, who is to receive the Laetare Medal. I have known her for many years and hold her in high esteem. We are both teachers, but in different ways. I have encouraged her to accept this award and take the opportunity such an award gives her to teach.
Even as I continue to ponder in prayer these events, which many have found shocking, so must Notre Dame. Indeed, as a Catholic university, Notre Dame must ask itself, if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth.
Tomorrow, we celebrate as Catholics the moment when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, became a child in the womb of his most holy mother. Let us ask Our Lady to intercede for the university named in her honor, that it may recommit itself to the primacy of truth over prestige.
hakebros said,
March 25, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
greater dialogue & prayers are needed. Pro-Life grows through education, improving family values and conversion of heart.
donovan said,
March 25, 2009 @ 6:59 pm
“Hooray!” “That Rocks!” “He speaks the truth”…these are just a few examples of the responses I personally received after sharing Bishop D’Arcy’s statement and stance on the president’s scheduled appearance for Notre Dame’s commencement. Thank You, Bishop D’Arcy for being a strong leader, not only in our Catholic faith, but our civic community as well. Our voices will be heard.
Kevin and Lori
Fort Wayne
stanbrom said,
March 26, 2009 @ 8:52 am
I wish to commend the Bishop on his decision. Too many Americans, and certainly too many Catholics, including laity and clergy have developed an attitude of complacency regarding moral responsibility. We live in a time where we are being mislead by teachings which promote self gratification as a human right but where standing firm on simple moral human and theological values is considered prejudice, judgmental, and archaic. We live in a time of darkness, and we avoid the light, because the light would reveal our sin but we do not want to see the evil, for it is easier to live in darkness than face the reality revealed by the light. Our gospel reading last Sunday reminds us of this atrocity. I ask everyone, are we sons of man or sons of God? Are we asked to live our plan, or God’s plan? Clearly, in His perpetual love, He has granted us free will to choose to live in the light, or in the dark. For those that seek the light, it is not enough simply to bask in the light, but we must also shine the light into the darkness. Bishop D’Arcy, thank you for shining the light into the darkness.
Luke1v38 said,
March 27, 2009 @ 11:20 am
A Bravo to our Bishop! The Catholic Church is my team. It’s the one, holy and apostolic Church the Jesus Christ entrusted to Saint Peter. His successor is the Pope, and like any team player, I follow my coach. How can I, or any institution rooted in the Catholic faith, not defend it? If having Obama get an honorary degree at our Catholic University is a bad break, how many Catholics will say ‘enough is enough’? How many Catholics will stand up and fight for the faith of our fathers?
And speaking of Fathers, what does Father Hesburgh, as a Catholic priest, have to say about this?
One commenter said the Church should change with the times. The Church is steadfast. The times are fleeting, and we are mortal. Eternity is where the trophy rests. Mother Mary was given a choice, and she was the first “Right-to-Lifer” (see Luke 1:38). That should tell you something. Her likeness is on the Dome, and Jesus’ birth is a worldwide celebration.
As a Catholic, I play the game as best as I can. The opponents score their points here and there, and I stumble. But when the final horn sounds, I hope to be able to say I gave it everything I had. I hope to say that I helped my team when I was needed. We may not win every game, but I hope to be in the only Hall of Fame that matters. Leaving the playing field for the sideline when the opponent is advancing shouldn’t be an option for any true Catholic. Seriously, it’s a good time to put skin in the game.
Notre Dame’s upcoming Commencement appears to be another game on the Catholic schedule. One of the opponent’s star mascots will be on the stage. I ask all Catholics reading to gather your teammates, make your voices heard in a respectful Christian manner. Wouldn’t it be something to stage a Commencement Day Rally for Life on the outskirts of campus? In fact, it should be so. Organize your parish. Like Knute Rockne himself said, “When the breaks are beating the boys, go out and win one for the Gipper”. Let’s win one for the Savior, for (Saint) Pete’s sake.
phesmith said,
March 27, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
It is indeed a sad day when the President is unwelcome by Catholic Priests at a University Graduation. I am constantly amazed at the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church when it comes to values and morality - seeming to be visible at each individual’s choosing, rather than a collective effort. This supposed righteous indignation comes in varying degrees, and seems to be totally subjective.
I think it’s best that the bishop not attend, because the spirit of his presence would certainly not be welcome to the occasion, certainly not for the President, nor the students graduating.
To think, that one would welcome the President that has caused thousands to perish in an unwarranted, and really illegal war, and to villify President Obama, who is doing more than any other recent President to benefit the lives of those who are living, is totally unconscionable.
The debate should continue, but the Bishop is so far off base with his stance, that it begs to wonder if he truly believes the faith he professes. Jesus always welcomed ALL, into his presence with the intent to convince and convert, not crucify.
This is just yet another reason why the Catholic Church is being exposed for all of the hypocrasy it represents.
I continue to keep the prayer vigil going, because it seems the true minds of men are really becoming visible for all to see. And not just in the Catholic Church.
LisaFromSoCal said,
March 28, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
+JMJ+
God bless Bishop D’Arcy! If only we had more bishops like this one. I hope the Catholics living in the Southbend Fort Wayne Diocese know how truly blessed they are to have such a courageous bishop.
I’m ignorant of how Catholic Universities hire or fire their presidents but it would seem to me if Notre Dame was still a truly Catholic institution Fr. Jenkins would be replaced by a faithful Catholic. First there was the National Coming Out Day, then the V-Monologues, and now this. I think this is probably the worst by far. How much lower can this Catholic school sink? How many of our Catholic brothers and sisters who will be scandalized by this event remains to be seen.
MJM said,
March 28, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Glory be and God Bless you Bishop D’Arcy…the Catholic voice has been silenced in the town square for too long now…this will add to the fire for the call to burn more Catholics and Christians at the stake…it’s time for Catholics to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough! We need more Bishops to take a stand against the “politcally correct” part of the Church…at one time the Catholic Church didn’t shy away from making the difficult choices and did the right thing…now is the time to stand up and be counted..say no to this President and the scourge he promotes on our society. God Bless America…now more then ever we need you.
stanbrom said,
March 30, 2009 @ 9:07 am
With all due respect to phesmith’s posting, it is unclear to me what specifically you think is ‘hypocrisy of the Catholic Church when it comes to values and morality’. You state that to ‘vilify President Obama, who is doing more than any other recent President to benefit the lives of those who are living is totally unconscionable’. If one compares recent statistics you would see the following data regarding deaths in the United States over the last five years:
Murder: ~75,000
Flu and Complications of Flu: ~100,000
Automobile accidents: ~210,000
Iraqi War: ~ 4,200
Abortion: over 6,000,000
These statistics indicate that for every 1 automobile death, we kill 30 children, for every murder, we kill 80 children, for every soldier killed in Iraq, we kill 1,500 children. To that extent, for one to conclude that this president has done more than any other recent president to benefit the lives of the living would indicate that he has taken a significant stance on reducing or eliminating the taking of innocent children through the act of abortion. However, Mr. Obama’s actions since taking the office of President demonstrate just the opposite. Within the first few days of taking office, Obama overturned the “Mexico City Policy,” a U.S. government policy that denies federal funding to international agencies that promote or perform abortion as a means of birth control. While overturning this policy, President Obama also indicated his willingness to provide financial support to the United Nations Population Fund, an organization that lost U.S. government funding after it collaborated with the Chinese government’s coercive “one child” population policy. Obama has also built a Cabinet and administration full of abortion proponents.
Clearly, abortion is not the only human rights issue at stake here, but until we as a society can understand the destruction of human life and morality at stake through this atrocity, all other issues pale in comparison. The Catholic Church stands for all human values, and none more important than those of our unprotected children.
You further state that ‘Jesus always welcomed ALL, into his presence with the intent to convince and convert, not crucify’. Certainly true, he did welcome all, but acceptance of that invitation required one to repent and have a change of heart. The issue here is not Mr. Obama’s attendance, but rather the choice of a Catholic institution to lay honors through ceremonially providing an honorary degree on an individual who has taken actions to further ignore protection of life of innocent children who have no say in the issue. At least those that die in war in service or our country were allowed to make a choice of free will to enlist in the service or not. If not the Church, who will protect the right to live of the unborn children?
ree_ree said,
April 13, 2009 @ 7:47 am
‘Jesus always welcomed ALL, into his presence with the intent to convince and convert, not crucify.’ (thank you, phesmith.)
I am dissapointed in your decision, Bishop D’Arcy. What would Jesus do? Heck, what would Pope Benedict do?
Why stoop to this level? Rise above this, be there for the students, their families, for the Catholic University, for Professor Mary Ann Glendon as she receives the Laetare Medal. Be there for the unborn! Take the opportunity to speak to those gathered, including President Obama, about LIFE. Instead of turning away, carpe diem!
We are all one family, one world… Help minister to those who oppose pro-life by standing beside them. Rise above the conflict and be the bigger man.
bbccvh said,
April 14, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
We all know the Catholic Church’s stance on human life and this decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, especially a Catholic who is living in the true sense of Jesus’ teaching. I see this invitation no different than a priest’s invitation to an Atheist or any other believer of views opposite of those embraced by Catholicism. The goal according to Jesus’ teachings in this situation would be to engage this individual in discussion and debate of his beliefs in hopes that one might influence this individual in a manner that may bring them closer to Jesus’ teachings. I have to say that the creation of internal conflict and the continuous public condemnation of this event by the Catholic clergy doesn’t seem to follow any teaching methodolgies I grew up with. Have Catholics fell off the wagon as far as their appoaches to religous diversity are concerned? Would Jesus speak negatively in public eyes if this situation presented itself during his time? We as Catholics need to take a step back and think of what he would do.
pUrpL3 said,
May 11, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
This is VERY wrong! President Obama has done nothing wrong. Why even give the man a blessing if you don’t like what he’s doing?
Special Ed Father said,
May 19, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
Has anyone in the diocese read the article in USAToday (Disabled kids restrained, confined) and the companion article on Congressional hearings on page 4D. While pro-life supports show great angst over abortion, where is the similar passion and outcry for the poor and disabled. Are their deaths and suffering any less important? While President Bush didn’t support abortion, in the last 8 years his administration did more to cripple programs for the poor and disabled than any before him based on what I saw as a the father of a special needs son. And not once did I hear an outcry either at my local parish or from the Church. President Obama supports medical care for the poor and programs for the disabled. Before castigating him on his abortion views, how about looking at things from a fully pro-life perspective (from womb to the elderly and the grave) and not just be myopic on just one facet of life, the fetus. I believe while not perfect, President Obama scores far ahead of the past administration (which I don’t recall being equally vilified)
hambuck said,
June 2, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Hats off to Bishop D’arcy for taking a stance for the Church. All Christians should be proud. As stated in several posts above, and I am in agreement, the issue was not Obama’s attendance, but his honorary award that most took exception with. I am among those that are very disappointed with N.D. and their lack of respect for life and the Catholic faith.