Obama at ND Update

[ChadS]

This comes from the American Spectator’s blog. It’s a little light on news but long on speculation, nonetheless it’s interesting in it’s own right.

spectator.org/blog/2009/04/21/obama-at-nd-update

Obama at ND Update
By Joseph Lawler on 4.21.09 @ 4:39PM

For those who have been following the uproar the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor Pres. Obama by giving him the commencement podium and an honorary degree despite his extreme anti-life record, here’s new information. At Off the Record, Phil Lawler (my dad) is passing along a report that he has from a reliable source: ND President Fr. John Jenkins is in Washington, D.C. today for an unannounced meeting at the White House. This is still merely a rumor, but indeed FlightAware shows the ND jet flying to Dulles this morning.

What could they be talking about? We can only speculate. Last weekend Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City joined 42 American bishops who have spoken out against Obama’s invitation by claiming “I suspect that, since Notre Dame will need a scapegoat for this debacle, and Fr. Jenkins will probably lose his job, at this point perhaps he ought to determine to lose it for doing something right instead of something wrong. He ought to disinvite the President, who I believe would graciously accept the decision…”

That Fr. Jenkins would rescind the invitation seems unlikely given that on Saturday Fr. Jenkins reaffirmed his invitation to a crowd celebrating black student-athletes at Notre Dame that “shook down the thunder” with applause. But then what could they be talking about? If there is any change in the status of Obama’s invitation, it’s big news.

ChadS

 

[stbruno]

This was being discussed yesterday on Drew Mariani’s talk show on Relevant Radio (The Catholic radio station streaming live online too at relevantradio.com) as well. I hope that we hear that Obama has decided against coming to Notre Dame. More reasons to pray.

 

[ChadS]

This was being discussed yesterday on Drew Mariani’s talk show on Relevant Radio (The Catholic radio station streaming live online too at relevantradio.com) as well. I hope that we hear that Obama has decided against coming to Notre Dame. More reasons to pray.

I listen to Drew Mariani’s show. I’m not sure how I missed that, but I found the link over at newadvent and hadn’t seen it here yet.

ChadS

 

[tm30]

This comes from the American Spectator’s blog. It’s a little light on news but long on speculation, nonetheless it’s interesting in it’s own right.

spectator.org/blog/2009/04/21/obama-at-nd-update

ChadS

I expect Jenkins will simply circle the wagons and the speech will take place. Unless ND is under threat of severe isolation, I highly doubt he’ll cave. If he was going to do any soul-searching and do the right thing, it would have happened by now. He really believes that his position is the right one. When someone thinks like that and has power, it’s a monumental task to get them to think otherwise (e.g., Pelosi, Dodd, Kennedy)

 

[stbruno]

Drew Mariani intimated from reliable sources that the alum and benefactors have really hit the university hard with pulling back some very large donations that the university had already budgeted on. So this already has made a significant impact. So unless Fr.Jenkins went to ask for a bailout for Notre Dame???

 

[barb_finnegan]

Drew Mariani intimated from reliable sources that the alum and benefactors have really hit the university hard with pulling back some very large donations that the university had already budgeted on. So this already has made a significant impact. So unless Fr.Jenkins went to ask for a bailout for Notre Dame???

As the saying goes: MONEY TALKS!

So maybe Fr. Jenkins is going to change his mind and say to Obama, ‘No thanks’?

More reasons to pray…please, dear ‘Lady on the Dome’ and Bl. Basil Moreau, move Fr. Jenkins’ heart…

And as usual, Bishop Finn’s recent words were SPOT ON…a Bishop who knows how to ‘Bish’!

 

[BartBurk]

There is one other “donor” that ND has to consider – NBC. NBC is very pro-Obama as is General Electric, it’s parent company. GE stands to benefit from Obama’s interest in green technology. I don’t think Notre Dame would want to jeopardize the football contract it has with NBC by disinviting Obama – that’s one of ND’s biggest sources of revenue.

 

[St_Francis]

1. Wow, NDU has its own jet
2. Maybe he is going to speak with Obama about the issue of abortion, since part of the controversy was that the event would not leave time for discussion and so he can’t use the excuse of reaching out to someone who disagrees. This is his reaching out thing.

 

[Dwyer]

I don’t think a lot of people understand that Obama is not only giving the ND Commencement Address, but he is also being awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Notre Dame University as well?

Is that correct and is that the name of the honorary degree Obama is being awarded?

 

[srlucado]

I don’t think a lot of people understand that Obama is not only giving the ND Commencement Address, but he is also being awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Notre Dame University as well?

Is that correct and is that the name of the honorary degree Obama is being awarded?

From Notre Dame (emphasis mine):

“President Barack Obama will be the principal speaker and the recipient of an honorary doctor of laws degree at the University of Notre Dame’s 164th University Commencement Ceremony at 2 p.m. May 17 (Sunday) in the Joyce Center on campus.”

newsinfo.nd.edu/news/11293-president-obama-to-deliver-notre-dames-commencement-address

 

[redrosetea]

WE should all be praying Obama stays home and Fr Jenkins repents his actions

May the Holy Spirit touch each of these men ans show them the error of their ways, before it’s too late

Prayer changes things…Every time we read things like this we should say a Hail Mary, for a peaceful solution that will not scandalize anyone nor cause the church embarassment

 

[Lujack]

There is one other “donor” that ND has to consider – NBC. NBC is very pro-Obama as is General Electric, it’s parent company. GE stands to benefit from Obama’s interest in green technology. I don’t think Notre Dame would want to jeopardize the football contract it has with NBC by disinviting Obama – that’s one of ND’s biggest sources of revenue.

Notre Dame is in no danger of losing their contract with NBC, seeing as that network has no other college football contracts other than Grambling-Southern. Losing Notre Dame would leave NBC with nothing but the Olympics, which only happens biannually, golf, tennis, and the Kentucky Derby.

For that matter, I don’t think alumni contributions are hitting the university as hard as some people would like to think. That claim has been made and refuted many times when it comes to football, as the university plans years in advance when it comes to budgets, and donations, while important, don’t nearly compare to the money that they take in in other ways. Its wishful thinking to believe that an alumni strike of a few months (which doesn’t even encompass all the alumni) can take the university by the throat.

Whatever decision Notre Dame makes will not have anything to do with finances.

 

[Scoobyshme]

The Church has always had its Judas Iscariots among the Apostles and their successors. This is no different.

The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said that the attack on the Church must always begin within the sanctuary.

Satan is marshalling his forces, and so is God! We have a chance to choose which side we’ll be on.

God bless!

Steve B.
alabamacatholicresources.com

 

[timotheos]

This comes from the American Spectator’s blog. It’s a little light on news but long on speculation, nonetheless it’s interesting in it’s own right.

spectator.org/blog/2009/04/21/obama-at-nd-update

ChadS

There is a lot of speculation. Another one I heard was whether POTUS was invited, vs. him requesting the invite. (The latter has been stated during an interview heard on our Catholic radio, but I can’t confirm this.)

My opinion:

1. ND should not disinvite BHO. Why should the school pretend to be anything other than what it is?
2. BHO should not cancel the engagement. Why should he pretend to respect Catholic beliefs when he doesn’t? Furthermore, why should he believe, after getting 53% of the Catholic vote, that Catholics don’t support him anyhow?

So what am I trying to say? That there is no use in fighting this? On the contrary, we need to fight harder than ever. We need to acknowledge the truth about the sorry state of “Catholic” higher education and fight for reform. We need to recognize the very real forces attempting to divide and conquer Holy Mother Church.

This issue is just one of many. Catholics have been asleep at the wheel for decades, and now the car is in the ditch. We can either push it out, or wait around for someone to build a road under us.

-Tim

 

[JReducation]

All of this bashing of Fr. Jenkins may make some people feel good, but I find it very sad. The fact is that we have forgotten that Notre Dame is run by a Board of Trustees. The president of the university answers to the Board. He does not make unilateral decisions.

Graduations are planned by a graduation committee. The plans are presented to the president and the provost of the university. Then they are presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.

The president of the university is only one vote on the Board of Trustees. He is not allowed to be Chairman of the Board. The Board is made up of business people, parents, educators and other community partners.

The decision to invite President Obama and to grant him an honorary degree was shared by many people. Where are they and why are people on this forum turning Fr. Jenkins into the whipping boy, when he merely represents a group of people. He may have been one vote, but he did not make this decision unilaterally. No president of any university can do that. I was a dean at two universities and can testify to this.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[SIb4G]

JReducation—Can we at least bash the University? For pretending that it’s Catholic?

 

[JReducation]

JReducation—Can we at least bash the University? For pretending that it’s Catholic?

Bashing is a very uncharitable way of facing a problem and certainly very unfranciscan. But calling the university and its Board to task for placing a Catholic university in such a position is certainly appropriate. Demanding that they make some kind of statement and not hide behind Fr. Jenkins would also be appropriate. If the bishops decided to take legal action against the university at an ecclesial tribunal to rescind its Catholic title, it would be very fitting. If the Congregation of the Holy Cross decided to transfer Fr. Jenkins, that too would be a very appropriate response. The only problem with this last proposal is that there is no guarrantee that the Board would vote in favor of any proposal that the new president made or that they would approve the president that the Holy Cross Brothers propose.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[SIb4G]

Very well said. To which I respond: Amen!

 

[Lujack]

JReducation—Can we at least bash the University? For pretending that it’s Catholic?

They made a bad decision. That doesn’t mean they are no longer Catholic; they have a basilica on campus, they have chapels in every single dormitory, which are filled, along with the basilica, each and every Sunday. Criticize the decision all you want, but don’t say that the university pretends it Catholic; the Catholicness of the place is in the atmosphere the moment you step on the campus.

 

[SIb4G]

I don’t believe that for one moment! They may have, pardon the expression, the trappings of Catholicism but at the core they have gone secular. It started in the mid-sixties when the Holy Cross congregation gave up control to a LAY BOARD, continued through Land O’ Lakes, and has gradually evolved away from its original mission and communion with the Holy See. In many ways, the University’s development parallels that of our country. ( I won’t even get into materialism and money!) The faculty, as I understand it, is now 50% non-Catholic and growing. And, for years they have aspired to be the Harvard of the Midwest. The last time I checked, Harvard wasn’t Catholic.

I don’t doubt that there are many devout students and faculty at Notre Dame. And, I don’t question the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and in the many chapels that are there on the campus. But, by these measures, one could argue that Illinois, Texas A&M, Southern Cal, Ohio State, etc., etc., etc. are Catholic!

This Obama thing is so intrinsically and fundamently wrong, NO Catholic educator with any sense of responsibility (to the unborn, to the Vatican, to the bishops, to the devout Catholic) would countenance even the suggestion of such an honor!