Scheidler: Jenkins Remains Utterly Immovable on ND 88 Says talking to Jenkins about the issue like talking to a "stone"

[Darryl1958]

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Want more?

Fr. John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame University, sits on the board of directors of Millennium Promise, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty in Africa that promotes contraceptives and abortion, it has been revealed.

Fr. Jenkins’ involvement on the board of the Millennium Promise was first reported by the Drew Mariani Show and PewSitter.com. (See the list of board members here: millenniumpromise.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_bod) Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, a Catholic education watchdog organization, responded to the news of Fr. Jenkins’ involvement in Millennium Promise, saying in an interview with LSN, “One has to wonder what Fr. Jenkins’ opinion is of the Church’s teaching on contraception.”

Millennium Promise’s mission is to enact the eight so-called Millennium Development Goals by 2015. However, the Millennium Development Goals have been widely promoted by pro-contraception and pro-abortion organizations, such as Millennium Promise, as including the goal of increasing access to contraception and abortion globally.

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I was originally inclined to believe that Jenkins was keeping this in the news by going through with the persecution of these people as a matter of wounded pride. Just in terms of all the negative publicity generated, you would think he might be inclined to let the matter drop.

It is very possible though, given his associations, that it is their message that he disagrees with most of all.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

I was originally inclined to believe that Jenkins was keeping this in the news by going through with the persecution of these people as a matter of wounded pride.

Persecution?

I thought they went to ND looking to get arrested.

 

[Darryl1958]

Persecution?

I thought they went to ND looking to get arrested.

I think I meant to say prosecution.

It likely does serve their interest well enough that the story be kept in the news, that they get to carry the story into the theatre of the courtroom. I just don’t see how it serves Jenkins or ND that well to be cast into the role of a stiff-necked pharoah as that drama unfolds.

Is it a matter of wounded pride, or is it the same principle that he demonstrates by sitting on the boards of the millennium projects discussed?

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

Well, it does look silly to have protesters arrested and then drop the charges. What’s the point?

Plus, these cases could have been over long ago if the arrestees just plead and left. Finally, there was the entrance of a publicity-grabbing, national law group into the mix. So we have political theater. All in a case of a non-violent misdemeanor?

 

[redrosetea]

The problem is Notre Dame contends it is a Catholic institution…If they dropped their claim to that people might accept their dastardly behavior regarding human rights …

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

The problem is Notre Dame contends it is a Catholic institution…If they dropped their claim to that people might accept their dastardly behavior regarding human rights …

If you feel the college is dastardly depriving folks of human rights you should report it to federal officials. However, if you disagree with it going ahead with its complaints against the protesters, I would advise you to contact the protesters and advise them to plead guilty quickly, leave the state and put this incident behind them.

 

[redrosetea]

I would advise you to stop trying to control what I think and my actions…I don’t think rewarding someone for murdering the unborn is a small matter

 

[AnotherVoice]

Well, it does look silly to have protesters arrested and then drop the charges. What’s the point?

Plus, these cases could have been over long ago if the arrestees just plead and left. Finally, there was the entrance of a publicity-grabbing, national law group into the mix. So we have political theater. All in a case of a non-violent misdemeanor?

This is not about getting the case over with, it is about protesting abortion. Millions of unborn babies being put to death in the most horrible manner is at the heart of their protest. The protesters are not concerned with campus regulation; they are concerned about the loss of human life.

The anti-abortion movement lost a significant opportunity to show solidarity and conviction in the catholic resolve to end abortion. Notre Dame eliminated that possibility and they will wear that distinction far longer than the jail time to be served by the protestors.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

This is not about getting the case over with, it is about protesting abortion. Millions of unborn babies being put to death in the most horrible manner is at the heart of their protest. The protesters are not concerned with campus regulation; they are concerned about the loss of human life.

Then they should quit whining about the prosecution, plead guilty and protest more about abortion, not their treatment at the hands of the Indiana constabulary.

The anti-abortion movement lost a significant opportunity to show solidarity and conviction in the catholic resolve to end abortion. Notre Dame eliminated that possibility and they will wear that distinction far longer than the jail time to be served by the protestors.

Even in Indiana, first time offenders for misdemeanor trespassing do not get jail sentences.

 

[rep140]

I thought they went to ND looking to get arrested.

I agree. When I look at Randall Terry all I can think of is the guy who murdered Tiller. There were plenty of protesters who did not get arrested. That one old priest loves being the center of attention when he gets arrested. The pro life movement would be best served less those jokers.

 

[Darryl1958]

I would advise you to stop trying to control what I think and my actions…I don’t think rewarding someone for murdering the unborn is a small matter

Suffice it to say that you are not a liberal catholic.

 

[kimmielittle]

Hiyas

Did ND press the original charges?
I’m under the impression, that on private property, one needs to file trespass charges.

IMHO Father Jenkins could have / should have defused this situation long ago.

The day after the arrests…
1 The protesters were off campus…no longer could be seen a perceived threat of any kind.
2 The good name / spirit of ND would not be suffering.

As always, just my thoughts

 

[RobbyS]

How so? The protesters were not arrested based on politics or religion. They were arrested for trespassing. And, despite some claims to the contrary, they were treated the same as everyone else.

If there is to be criticism of Fr. Jenkins on political or ecclesiastical grounds, then address them to him directly as to him actions or statements on the subjects. But this whole question of dropping charges is irrelevant and a non-issue.

So you have some folks who went on private property* intending* to cause trouble. They went intending to be arrested (as some stated ahead of time), were arrested and prosecuted. Now, there should be some requirement to drop the charges against them? There’s no reason to.

Those charged are not going to be jailed or persecuted. They got what they intended.

Fr. Jenkins involved himself in one of the hottest/most intractable church-state political issues through his actions. To try to reduce it to a matter of trespass is like trying to
reduce the sit-ins in the segregated South to a matter of trespass. The issue is too large, and Fr. Jenkins was foolish to think he could handle it. He’s out of his depth here.

 

[RobbyS]

I thought they went to ND looking to get arrested.

I agree. When I look at Randall Terry all I can think of is the guy who murdered Tiller. There were plenty of protesters who did not get arrested. That one old priest loves being the center of attention when he gets arrested. The pro life movement would be best served less those jokers.

You are slandering Terry. He has used the same tactics that blacks used in the South. They are less effective because the police have not been so brutal as southern cops were. Of course, southern cops were often rough because the young blacks they were handling were themselves pretty rough characters. Terry’s people don’t sucker punch cops.

 

[AnotherVoice]

I thought they went to ND looking to get arrested.

I agree. When I look at Randall Terry all I can think of is the guy who murdered Tiller. There were plenty of protesters who did not get arrested. That one old priest loves being the center of attention when he gets arrested. The pro life movement would be best served less those jokers.

insightscoop.typepad.com/2004/2009/09/open-letter-from-dr-charles-e-rice-to-fr-john-i-jenkins.html

Here is a link to an open letter from Charles Rice of Notre Dame’s law school to Fr. Jenkins. Fr. Weslin and some of the others arrested by Notre Dame’s security staff are discussed.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

Fr. Jenkins involved himself in one of the hottest/most intractable church-state political issues through his actions. To try to reduce it to a matter of trespass is like trying to reduce the sit-ins in the segregated South to a matter of trespass. The issue is too large, and Fr. Jenkins was foolish to think he could handle it. He’s out of his depth here.

First of all, those sitting-in were rarely arrested for trespass, being on public property. Secondly, I cannot remember them whining about their fate; and some got six months in jail for ‘disorderly conduct’. Thirdly, civil rights workers were involved in civil disobedience and were willing to pay the price; unlike those lamenting the hard heart of Father Jenkins.

The two situations are dissimilar. And I note that this is the 50th anniversary of the first sit-in in Greensboro, NC.

This is a trespass case. It has gone on this long because the protesters made political theater out of it.

 

[AnotherVoice]

First of all, those sitting-in were rarely arrested for trespass, being on public property. Secondly, I cannot remember them whining about their fate; and some got six months in jail for ‘disorderly conduct’. Thirdly, civil rights workers were involved in civil disobedience and were willing to pay the price; unlike those lamenting the hard heart of Father Jenkins.

The two situations are dissimilar. And I note that this is the 50th anniversary of the first sit-in in Greensboro, NC.

This is a trespass case. It has gone on this long because the protesters made political theater out of it.

This was a protest against abortion. No matter how hard you try to down play that fact; it will not change. What do you think the students and faculty gathered on campus were protesting?

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

This was a protest against abortion. No matter how hard you try to down play that fact; it will not change. What do you think the students and faculty gathered on campus were protesting?

I thought they were protesting a speech? That part is over. (Which is another reason they differ from sit-ins!)

So, what are the protesters protesting now? Their persecution? I don’t think any abortions are being committed at Notre Dame.

If they are* not* protesting, why are they prolonging the case? If they are not protesting, why don’t they protest where it may do some good?

So, the present issue is the protesters protesting their treatment?

 

[Rach620]

Fr. Jenkins involved himself in one of the hottest/most intractable church-state political issues through his actions. To try to reduce it to a matter of trespass is like trying to
reduce the sit-ins in the segregated South to a matter of trespass. The issue is too large, and Fr. Jenkins was foolish to think he could handle it. He’s out of his depth here.

Focusing on the ND 88 DOES reduce the whole situation to a matter of trespass.

The ND 88 were arrested for trespassing. That is what they were charged with. They were NOT arrested for being pro-life. There were thousands of pro-life protesters on Notre Dame’s campus on Commencement weekend who were welcomed by the University community and not at all threatened with arrest.

Those who came to campus intending to “make it a circus” did so–and to this day, people remember the flashing lights of the circus, rather than the calm, orderly, and prayerful display of most pro-life Catholics on Notre Dame’s campus that weekend.

This was a protest against abortion. No matter how hard you try to down play that fact; it will not change. What do you think the students and faculty gathered on campus were protesting?

We were protesting abortion. We were demonstrating our outrage that Notre Dame failed in its Catholic mission by honoring Obama. None of us were arrested, and none of us were bothered by NDSP.

Why didn’t the ND 88 see fit to join us? That’s the real question. And I believe I’ve answered that question in this post and in others. Randall Terry didn’t care about orderly, prayerful demonstrations. He didn’t care about following the directions of the local bishop. He came to make it a circus. And he did.

 

[unafraid]

As far as this being described as a “circus”, then Fr. Jenkins must be considered the ringmaster masquerading as a man of the cloth. He put up the Tent and sold all the tickets. He’s the one controlling the spotlight. This event was planned, and the ramifications were considered and ignored. Intent is at the heart of this matter. This is why Fr. Jenkins’ entire ethos is now open for debate. The Roman Catholic Church has a well stated position against abortion which is diametrically opposed to those held by the President. Fr. Jenkins and Notre Dame had a chance to speak truth to power, but instead they capitulated and chose to welcome the messenger, and by so doing…his message. To read that Jenkins remains, “utterly unmoveable”, makes me hope and pray that higher authority deigns to move him: Away from Notre Dame.