Cardinal George and Bishops Object to Notre Dame's Folly - not the President's; that Is His Problem

Dan Kelley sent this fine note to the Editorial Board at The Chicago Tribune. They will read this note - it is doubtful that the Editorial Board at the Sun Times can, much less would, read this.

Francis Cardinal George is not alone in his criticism of Notre Dame University's invitation to President Obama to speak at commencement and to receive an honorary degree: The twenty-five bishops who have so far gone public with their disapproval of Notre Dame's invitation of Obama (in alphabetical order) are:

1. Bishop John D'Arcy - Fort Wayne-South Bend

2. Bishop Gregory Aymond - Austin
3. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran - Oklahoma City
4. Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, San Antonio
5. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Houston
6. Archbishop Timothy Dolan - New York
7. Bishop Thomas Doran - Rockford
8. Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty - Scranton
9. Cardinal Francis George - Chicago, President, USCCB
10. Archbishop José Gomez, San Antonio


11. Bishop William Higi, Lafayette, IN
12. Archbishop Alfred Hughs, New Orleans
13. Bishop Jerome Listecki, La Crosse, WI
14. Bishop William E. Lori, Bridgeport, CT
15. Bishop Robert Lynch - St. Petersburg
16. Bishop Joseph Martino - Scranton
17. Bishop Charles Morlino - Madison
18. Bishop George Murry, Youngstown, OH
19. Archbishop John J. Myers - Newark20. Bishop R. Walker Nickless - Sioux City.
21. Archbishop John C. Nienstedt - Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota
22. Bishop Thomas Olmsted - Phoneix
23. Bishop Kevin Rhoades - Harrisburg
24. Bishop Edward J. Slattery - Tulsa
25. Bishop Anthony Taylor, Little Rock, AR

Cardinal George and most Catholics do not object to the President being invited to Notre Dame, but not as a recipient of an Honorary Law Degree or Commencement Speaker.

Notre Dame's Jenkins was too cute by half and seemed to believe that MSNBC could 'shout' this controversy quiet. 'Oh, Joe Biden, Teddy Kenendy, John Kerry, the Daley Lads, Chris 'Milky' Matthews and Bill Maher are all Catholics and they have no problem with this Honor! Let's bring People Together and smear Catholic Faith and Morals!'

It's here. It will stay.

Ann Deegan of Glen Ellyn had this poignant response to Bill Daley's bumptious kiss-up in the Chicago Tribune:

April 7, 2009
In response to William M. Daley's commentary ("Uneasy mix of religion and politics," Commentary, April 3), Cardinal Francis George deserves praise for his stand on Notre Dame's invitation of President Obama to speak at its commencement ceremony and receive an honorary degree. It should be noted that the cardinal expressed his opinion on behalf of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, of which he is president, not as Archbishop of Chicago. He stated in that speech, "As president of the U.S. bishops' conference I have to speak precisely for the bishops and not in my own name, as I could as Archbishop of Chicago."

If Notre Dame's invitation were for the president to participate in a debate about issues such as abortion or embryonic stem cell research, Obama would be an excellent choice to represent the opposing view. This invitation, however, is meant to honor a man who adamantly opposes the Catholic Church's view on these matters and has publicly demonstrated this through major policy decisions and appointments since taking office. This is simply not the place or the setting for a person of such diametric views.

If Notre Dame is truly a Catholic university, it would respect the inappropriateness of such an invitation. Those who signed off on the decision need to reexamine "what it means to be Catholic" and recognize the disrespect their decision has for the Catholic Church and its followers, particularly those at Notre Dame. I respect the cardinal and his fellow bishops for their courageous and correct response.

Ann Deegan,Glen Ellyn

Cardinal George is The Rock and Rockne is Andy Dick ND is Gutless!

Catholics are fair game to ridicule, scoff at and handcuff to child abuse. Catholics do it themselves, hell, I have.

However, I have never sullied my Faith outside of the Faithful. Notre Dame has shamed itself and every Catholic. Notre Dame thought that it was bullet proof and above Canon Law. President Jenkins believed that he had 'Finessed' -a great word that has lost a bit of its impact in our culture as a synonym for 'bullshitting' - the invitation and the event with enough fatuous grease that no one could object - An Honorary Degree for President Obama! Notre Dame will confer an Honorary Law Degree upon the most stridently Pro Abortion Man to ever serve as President of the United States.

Notre Dame did not 'merely invite' dialogue - that is code for bullshit BTW.

Notre Dame did not merely invite the President to campus.

Notre Dame did in fact affirm Abortion in all of its many manifestations by signalling to Abortion America that killing children is Okay!

Planned Parenthood's greatest achievement in its history is the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency and the nodding approval of people who should object to Abortion.

Parsing, Lying and Obfuscation are now called Nuance. Nuance made this all possible.

The school in South Bend, Indiana should be called the University of the Neutered Dome!

Catholics can and do criticize their Church - but not their faith, nor the faith of others.That is the domain of the Media.

Now, Cardinal George has rightly and strongly criticized the simpering Notre Dame President Jenkins, who cares more about the good opinion of Salon and Vanity Fair than he does about the John and the Synoptic Gospels. Jenkins thought 'Obama is the Top of the Pizza! The Kids Will Love Having Him Here! Abortion? No Biggie! Rockne would approve of Abortion and Stem Cell Research as long as the seatsIN Rockne Stadium are filled!'

The Media hates what Cardinal George did and the Media wants all the Nuanced voices to get into full agreement with Bill Maher and the Hip! Here are some of the comments on the NBC Blog reaction to Cardinal George's statement on Notre Dame:
Comments (12)
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catholic Today at 2:45 AM FLAG COMMENT I went to a Catholic school. They were never involved in politics. Never talked about abortion. Of course they were French Canadian. I'm sorry, this Church is turning into a joke. I'm waiting for a condemnation of going into Iraq, or Guantanamo or how the US treated prisoners. Or the civilian deaths. Guess Aquinas isn't that catchy anymore. What the heck, lets be against abortion, keep wimmen out of the priesthood. Now that's a hot topic. Francis Cardinal George needs to go on a retreat. Until, oh, Advent. If he doesn't like the separation of Church and State we have in this country, maybe he can read the Render Unto Casear bit while he's waiting for his flight out of the country. Someplace that doesn't have the Internet. So he won't have to be such a Pharisee about ND. ... MORE > joey D Saturday, Apr 4 at 12:47 AM FLAG COMMENT This guy is a joke... why doesn't he address the PRIESTS that have SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ALL OF THESE YOUNG MALE CHILDREN over the years... it is embarrassing to say that I am a Catholic.. I do not even acknowledge it any more..This guy is a joke... why doesn't he address the PRIESTS that have SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ALL OF THESE YOUNG MALE CHILDREN over the years... it is embarrassing to say that I am a Catholic.. I do not even acknowledge it any more.. squarepegroundhole Friday, Apr 3 at 11:16 PM FLAG COMMENT IT IS a crime to kill. IT IS a crime to enter the USA illegally. IT IS a crime to molest boys.IT IS a crime to kill. IT IS a crime to enter the USA illegally. IT IS a crime to molest boys. Steve Friday, Apr 3 at 10:36 PM FLAG COMMENT The Cardinal has every right to speak his mind on this, and I don't think it's a violation of church and state, but why did he only talk about innocent lives? I believe that the offical Catholic teaching is that capitol punishment is also wrong. Would the Cardinal have been as upset if George Bush or Dick Cheny were asked to speak? They actually have the blood of innocents on their hands after invading Iraq based on erroneous or fictious information. ... MORE > George Sucks Friday, Apr 3 at 8:11 PM FLAG COMMENT Isn't this guy violating IRS laws by being a non-profit but advocating for or against a specific politician? Next time I get a letter from the Cardinal asking for money its going in the trash. Thanks a lot for giving catholics a bad name Isn't this guy violating IRS laws by being a non-profit but advocating for or against a specific politician? Next time I get a letter from the Cardinal asking for money its going in the trash. Thanks a lot for giving catholics a bad name

Nice and Nuanced there kids.

These are Hip, Young and Happening People with no moral compass other than Popular Culture - they get news from the Daily Show and react to TV Coverage.

Nope, Catholics stand for somethimg - We call it the Nicene Creed that we say each Sunday at Mass after the reading of the Gospel.

. . .Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:
qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.
Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur:
qui locútus est per prophétas.
Et unam, sanctam, cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.
Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatorum.
Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum,
et vitam ventúri sæculi. Amen

Here's the above in HBO standard English -

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

Now, the One Holy catholic and apostolic Church holds that ALL Human Life begins at Conception. That's when the rubber does not meet the road.

When is an abortion Okay? It's not. Well about about Rape? Nope. What about Incest? Nope. What about I did not mean to put a duck in her oven? Nope.

No Abortion. No how. Planned Parenthood owns Barack Obama and Barack Obama was elected the President the United States. Barack Obama is the Abortion President - more than Carter, More than Reagan, More than any President invited to Notre Dame.

Notre Dame is gutless. If you stand for nothing, you fall for anything. Notre Dame is no more different than the Media, HBO, Bill Maher. or Planned Parenthood.

Notre Dame Alumni are not happy with Father Jenkins. Who is? Knute Rockne is now played by Andy Dick*.

Francis Cardinal George is a Rock!


* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Dick

Catholic Universities Must Be Progressive Jugglers - Not Bastions of Faith and Learning

Perpetually grinning and passive aggressive propagandist Carol Marin oozes more useless stuff than a tube of German Cheese paste. Ever taste that stuff? It would gag a maggot.

Carol made her bones on the lives of Mary and Chris Fogarty whom she blamed for the Langert Murders as a Septuagenarian I.R.A. hit team* - way back in 1995. Carol has never admitted her stupidity, nor her part in making life a Kafkaesque hell** for the couple. Carol cares not.

Nor does Carol care much about anything. Today, she positions herself for an Obama dog-yummy for a preen piece about the idiotic and gutless invitation to America's Abortionist in Chief - President Barack Obama - as Commencement Speaker.

Carol parses Catholic Doctrine, because the Bishop of Fort Wayne has already taken the proper position. Carol Marin's smarmy parsing is for Obamabots and Catholic haters -The Sun Times Demographic. Using the already un-Catholic DePaul University, which struck its colors decades ago, Marin tries to ooze out some nuance by citing one of the gutless trimmers who directed DePaul's surrender -

The Notre Dame decision once again raises the question of whether a Catholic university must be Catholic first and a university second.

In Chicago, this is not a new discussion, as Dick Meister, the former provost of DePaul University --the nation's largest Catholic university -- knows firsthand.

In 1986, Eleanor Smeal, then-president of the National Organization for Women, was invited to speak by the DePaul Student Affairs Office. Protests, petitions, threats and demonstrations all arrived at DePaul's doorstep, and Meister's boss, the president of the university, withdrew the invitation under pressure.

A counterprotest, led in part by Meister's undergrad son, Christopher, argued that the mission of a university is to hear all voices -- not condone them necessarily -- but hear them.

Dick Meister's job was to find a middle ground. That turned out to be an off-site location where Smeal could speak -- but not as an official guest of the university.

"It was a juggle," Meister recalled by phone last week.

Carol Marin argues that Notre Dame is testing its strength, by 'juggling.' That test was failed mightily when President Father Jenkins caved in to PC Ass-kissing by inviting President Obama.

Catholic Universities need to grow a pair - Loyola, DePaul, and Notre Dame have all run up the white flag and jettisoned courage and commitment. The Green checked pants crowd needs to snap shut a few check books to get the milquetoast pansies in stiff collars to man up. As for my life-long attention to Notre Dame and its once important mystique? I'd rather watch or read about Zanfir the Master of the Pan Flute.

Tommy Zbikowski is graduated, playing for the Ravens and Boxing Pro! I'm done with ND - Charlie Weiss is bad enough, but a School playind at being a Catholic Institution is childish. Tommy Z is still the Man and ND are the . . .Eunuchs.

You are known by the company you keep. You can have Carol Marin and our so-called Catholic Universities. No Guts - No Glory. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam my broad manly ass.

*
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20113567,00.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=3UF1l4dBRWMC&pg=PA595&lpg=PA595&dq=langert+murders+%2B+IRA&source=bl&ots=p6esbsV1R9&sig=ToESz2NEV_NsTNBsIht97GgDPYU&hl=en&ei=-oDOSdenNIiInAejyITgCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
**THE LANGERT MURDERS

Seven weeks later on April 21, 1990, in Winnetka, Richard and Nancy Langert and their unborn child were murdered in their townhouse. (Appendix A) Nancy knew her murderer, sixteen-year-old neighbor David Biro. The families were friends; their fathers had been co-workers. While falling to the floor in her basement, shot twice, Nancy knocked down a bookshelf. Her handcuffed husband was already dead. As she lay dying she dipped her fingers into her pooling blood and on that shelf wrote her murderer’s name.

The next morning Nancy’s father discovered the bodies. The police arrived and then assembled at the police station across the Metra bridge from the murder scene. There each officer wrote names of possible suspects on index cards. Upon inspection, the cards contained only one name, “Biro,” and that was before the message on the shelf was noticed. Biro was a disturbed 16-year-old with a police record, and officer Caldwell had seen him near the crime scene at about 9 p.m. on the night of the murders. Biro had expressed his ambition to become a professional hit man. He had a lawyer defending him in two cases of shooting persons with his BB gun, and he had poisoned the milk in his family’s refrigerator. Biro’s sartorial statement was his long black overcoat. About the time of the murders, a thin young man in a long black overcoat had purchased two pairs of handcuffs at the local hardware store and was observed testing them before departing. Biro had fraudulently applied for an Illinois Firearms Owner I.D. but his mother intercepted it when it arrived in the mail. From Biro’s bedroom window his victims’ house is within view, and the Winnetka police station is midway between them. Despite all this, on April 23 Carol Marin reported on prime-time network TV that the IRA was linked to the murders.
Biro murdered the Langerts on April 21 but aided by such allies he remained at large until October 5, when the Winnetka police arrested him. His friends told the police of his next plan which was to rob the local bank and murder its entire staff. In Biro’s bedroom the police found FBI agent Lewis’s 357 Magnum, the murder weapon. Despite agent Buckley’s insistence (until the police arrested Biro) that Nancy’s bloody message spelled “IRA,” the jurors were eventually quoted as saying that it was those same letters that convinced them. They convicted Biro of two counts of murder, one of Class X home invasion, and one of intentional homicide of an unborn child. He is in downstate Pontiac serving a life sentence without possibility of parole. I am grateful to Biro.