Notre Dame sticking with Obama for commencement

Source: WTHR-TV

Notre Dame sticking with Obama for commencement

Updated: March 23, 2009 09:16 PM EDT

South Bend - The University of Notre Dame is sticking with its invitation to President Obama to speak at its May 17 commencement despite criticism from some Roman Catholics that his views on abortion and stem cell research run counter to Catholic teachings.

"I don't foresee a circumstance in which we would rescind the invitation," Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown told The Associated Press in an e-mail message Monday.

The Cardinal Newman Society, an advocacy group for greater orthodoxy on Catholic college and university campuses, has set up a protest Web page, notredamescandal.com, that includes the phone number, e-mail and mailing addresses of Notre Dame's president, the Rev. John Jenkins.

The group calls Obama's upcoming commencement appearance "an outrage and a scandal."

Jenkins issued a statement Monday saying that the invitation did not mean that Notre Dame supported all of Obama's positions.

Read more: http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=10057618

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Looks like the Catholic version of the Taleban trying to force their medieval views on everyone else.

under the pressure of a small simple-minded group.

:eyes:

It sounds like one more religion shifting towards fundamentalist positions. God bless 'em.

"protest Web page, notredamescandal.com, that includes the phone number, e-mail and mailing addresses of Notre Dame's president, the Rev. John Jenkins."

Great! So we can send notes of appreciation to Rev. John Jenkins. And some feedback to the notredamescandal letting them know what we think of them, too.

are just more vocal and they're so damn crazy.

and join the Episcopal Church.

Students turned their backs to Bush when he did the commencement at Ohio State. These students were removed from the stadium. If Notre Dame students don't like President Obama they could protest in a similar manner. I can't help but think the rules are different for Obama, however.

I do not know why that sticks in my mind. Any one know?

If they can invite Bush to speak at their commencement, they can invite Obama. Screw the Catholic fundies!

is why they are losing members by the boatload!! give me a damned break. it's a shame these jerks don't have to live in reality. not that the church has ever lived in reality. i think, personally, the catholic church is exactly what jesus would have railed against imho.

The Inquisition, perhaps?

If they "fold," some other university will be happy to get him instead.

them have Rush Limbaugh, whom Emory U. tried to foist on my son's class years ago, or Anne Coulter (assuming she's never had an abortion).

I have always been proud of my alma mater even when its over-hyped football fortunes lead to disappointment. I don’t remember it being an institution of intolerance and openly afraid to allow a dialogue with those who do not support its core dogma. Father Jenkins is standing firm in his support of the address by President Obama and my sense of the student body, from reading their viewpoints online, is that those who are able to think for themselves are thrilled to have the President on campus. Many of these trying to obstruct the Obama address feel that in calling themselves Catholics, they can speak for a university that they have no legitimate connection to. They are doing harm to the university by associating it with the hypocrisy of many Catholic conservatives. They had no problem with a president who pandered to their voting bloc at the expense of science, reason and the Constitution. For them, George Bush’s cynical defense of Catholic dogma and unborn Americans gave him a free pass to slaughter millions of non-Americans, born and unborn