Notre Dame president to attend 2010 March for Life
UPDATE, 2:08p: As noted in some of the comments, Fr. Jenkins has yet to drop charges against the ND 88, the protesters who trespassed Notre Dame’s property during the President’s commencement address. Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey provides relevant analysis:
Jenkins himself will participate in a massive protest against abortion. Will he do so while prosecuting the woman at the center of the court case that has lent years to the pro-life cause to undo the damage of Roe, merely for the offense of having embarrassed Jenkins during Obama’s appearance? Does Notre Dame, a Catholic institution, really want to press criminal charges against fellow pro-lifers who did nothing on their campus except hold signs and pray the Rosary?…
Jenkins should drop the charges and end what seems to be a personal grudge against these activists. Until he does, he risks being a modern-day Pharisee, hiding behind trespassing statutes to gain retribution against those who publicly disagreed with Jenkins about his invitation to Obama. We’ll pray that Jenkins makes the right decision.
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by Carder
From the South Bend Tribune via Gateway Pundit:
In the aftermath of the controversial commencement visit by President Barack Obama, the University of Notre Dame’s president plans to participate in the March for Life in January in Washington, DC.
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, the university president, announced Wednesday in an e-mail to the campus community that he will participate in the Jan. 22 march. He encouraged others to join him.
We’ll join him alright, complete with cameras, microphones, and plenty of questions for the good reverend. First question: Why are you even here?
To add more irony, since the President’s address to Notre Dame, Father Jenkins has established a campus Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life. According to the SBT:
It will be co-chaired by Margaret Brinig, a law professor and associate dean at Notre Dame Law School, and John Cavadini, a theology professor, chair of the theology department and director of the university’s Institute for Church Life….
Jenkins has charged the task force to consider and recommend ways that Notre Dame, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life.
Possibilities the task force has begun to discuss, Jenkins wrote, include fostering serious and specific discussion about a reasonable conscience clause; the most effective ways to support pregnant women, especially the most vulnerable; and the best policies for encouraging adoptions.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
I hope EWTN’s people will be there to interview him and ask him WHY now? Is he trying to redeem himself?
Has Jenkins ever admitted he was wrong to invite Obama. I actually don’t know if he did, or if Obama invited himself, but Jenkins needs to apologize for that at least.
Unbelievable.
That little task force should probe the negative effects of inviting pro-aboritn politicians to catholics institutions of higher learning.
That is gall beyond belief. The man should be excommunicated and banned from the march.
Way to attack someone who wants to attend a pro life event.
I’m sure Jesus would urge him to stay away as well….
US Presidents have been invited to speak at ND for a number of years now. Though it’s no excuse, because it should have been thought through a little more before going ahead with it, the REAL scandal was giving Obama an honorary doctorate. There is NO excuse for that. None. That deserves the bigger repentance, though the damage has surely been done.
Hal, you are welcome to attend.
We’ll join him alright, complete with cameras, microphones, and plenty of questions for the good reverend. First question: Why are you even here?
oh I can answer this question! Good PR. All about finding common ground. he’s a good Catholic who sees both sides of the issue. “constructive dialogue”
Maybe he can invite Obama to walk with him? Whatcha think?
Maybe they can both carry signs of aborted babies so that we know, they know that choice means death for unborn babies.
I’m an ND alum who was APPALLED at the commencement honors given to President Obama (so much so that I withheld my donation this year and will continue to do so for the duration of Father Jenkin’s presidency.) Having said that, I commend Father Jenkins for doing this. It doesn’t undo the damage done by allowing President Obama to stand up on that stage at a Catholic University and make it appear that abortion was just an issue on which reasonable people can differ. But, it is a very public step in the right direction. I have no way of judging his sincerity (is he doing this out of regret for his actions or under pressure b/c donations are down?), but it’s possible he’s trying to make amends. Don’t condemn him for this yet (though by all means, criticize away for the commencement debacle.)
Why are you people being like this? It’s people like you who give pro-lifers a bad name! You’ll kiss the hand and coddle any woman who even thinks about having an abortion, but youre ready to throw an ORDAINED CATHOLIC PRIEST into the bowels of hell and land, tush first on satan’s pitchfork! Doyle, name me the last person the church FORMERLY excomunicated? Can’t do it can ya? That’s because it’s a very ancient and almost unused action, with good reason. Hal, thank you fir giving some sense to this. Granted,thfact that Obama spoke there and it pisses me off incredibally that they gave him an honorary degree. But come on, it’s our lady’s school. Our lady is the 4th most powerful being in the universe!!! (Behind God the father, jesus and the Holy spirit) She will bring this school back to where it belongs! Hate the sin , love the sinner
Interesting. The 88 people (including Alan Keyes, Norma McCorvey, Norman Weslin, et al) who were arrested for praying and showing the evidence of what abortion is are still dealing with legal consequences. Mind you, there were many pro-Obama demonstrators at ND that day as well, and they were left completely alone. Jenkins has refused to cooperate with the defense team (Thomas More Society) in getting the charges dropped. These people have had to travel back to South Bend at their own expense to deal with this garbage – and the horror of having to do it with their opponent being a university named for a woman who found herself poor, unwed, and pregnant in a male-dominated society where she could have been stoned to death, and who chose to grant the savior of the world his basic right to life. Interestingly, a relative of mine phoned Jenkins’ office yesterday to discuss this matter. When the assistant asked what the topic was and received an answer, the tape machine kicked in. My relative was then told that Jenkins offered to cooperate, but that “all the Thomas More Society wants is publicity”. I hardly think the Thomas More Society, even if they were interested in publicity, are necessary parties if Jenkins were to decide to call off the dogs – but he insists on claiming the matter is “out of his hands”. Welcome to the team, Mr. President – but only if you offer the ante of having those charges dropped.
Kevin Keane – ND Class of 1988
Just so you people know, i am a staunch Pro-Lifer in every case of pregnancy and was appauled that they gave Obama an honorary degree
“Doyle, name me the last person the church FORMERLY excomunicated? Can’t do it can ya? That’s because it’s a very ancient and almost unused action, with good reason.”
Saint Paul wrote a great deal about church discipline, and how it should be implemented. The fact that the church fails to formally excommunicate habitually unrepentant communicants is something the church should be ASHAMED of – not used as an excuse to whitewash (read: informally condone) sin.
Remember, one of the personal sins Paul recounts is that he held the coats of those that stoned the faithful. He didn’t do it himself, or hand them rocks – he just made it easier for them free their pitching arms.
Fr Jenkins’ statement says the task force is to “consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life.” His appearance at a national prolife gathering and his call for recommendations to him sound a bit like public penance to me.
I also think more needs to be done and I agree with the Cardinal Newman Society’s statement.
http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/News/tabid/54/ctl/Details/mid/452/ItemID/635/Default.aspx
I hope and pray they ask Jenkins to address the crowd. I’m sure he would be welcomed with a loud chorus of boos.
Then, as Carder suggests, he can answer the question, “Why is he even there?”
Kevin Keane should introduce him and give us all an update on Jenkins “efforts” to drop the charges against the PL protesters.
Then we can all judge for ourselves if he has repented and wants to genuinely engage in the Battle for Life, or if (as the picture of him and Obama looking deeply and joyfully into each other’s eyes suggests) he is actually still a traiter to the Pro-Life cause, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a hypocrite and a lover of the praise of men.
You know CBR will be there in force. If Jenkins is sincere, I bet Gregg Cunningham would even take him up and give him a ride in the abortion plane! :)
John,
“name me the last person the church FORMERLY excomunicated? Can’t do it can ya? That’s because it’s a very ancient and almost unused action, with good reason.”
Archbishop Milengo was excommunicated in 2006 in a very, very public manner http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=46723 . Excommunication is not an ancient tradition. There are about 6 things that one can do which incurs excommunication latae sententiae, which is automatic excommunication, including participation in an abortion. I can find where all of this is spelled out in the Code of Canon Law if you wish. God love you.
I should also mention, John, that I may be a bit more on your side on this one. I would certainly like to ask many of the questions that people have posed of Fr. Jenkins, but I think anyone going to the March for life can only be a good thing.
Some want to know why the allergic reaction to the thought of Father Jenkins participating in the March for Life?
This is why: Last spring, Father Jenkins did not welcome pro-lifers to his campus. He did not give them a forum during the heated controversy. He did not speak with them. He did not give them the time of day. He had them arrested. To this day, Father Jenkins has refused to drop criminal charges against those who peacefully protested against Jenkins obstinately and scandalously giving an honorary degree to Obama. To this day, Father Jenkins has not pledged to withhold such honors in the future. He treated pro-life Mary Ann Glendon with tremendous disrespect and the list goes on an on.
So after shunning pro-lifers and undermining the movement and the Church, Father Jenkins will show up to walk shoulder to shoulder as if he’s in step when he is not. If he wants to prove that this is not just a PR stunt, he will have to step up and do the right thing so his actions match the talking and the walking. Otherwise, it will just be one more footnote in his legacy of morally incoherent leadership.
One more thing… I’ve always seen the UND banner and students at the March for Life and now I wonder what Father Jenkins support for them has been in prior years. ?
I suppose that I’m just a little confused here:
What was even the big deal about inviting President Obama? They didn’t talk about abortion until it was required because of all of the protests and, from what I’ve read, it’s custom to invite signifficant people. They invited President Bush, for example, who supports the death penalty and the Iraq War.
I mean, I’m pro-life and want this to be banned and eliminated, but this had nothing to do with abortion.
I really am confused why there was such a fuss over his speech. :(
I agree, he needs to do more. This alone is not enough. But, I’m not willing to dismiss the fact, for now at least, that he may have received a much needed wakeup call from the sheer volume of the outrage at his decision. Thousands of ND alumni, Hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithful, and over 80 bishops publicly expressed to Father Jenkins that his actions were WRONG. It’s possible that some of that did start to weigh on his conscience. Again, it’s not enough and his actions are going to have to speak VERY loudly and VERY consistently over a period of time to come close to undoing the harm he’s done. Everyone deserves a chance to make amends and if that’s what he’s trying to do, I’m all for it.
Is it possible that he is truly contrite ? If so, he needs to make a public apology!
I think March for life participants should confront Fr. Jenkins if charges are NOT dropped against ND protestors.
I mean how two faced can a person be about this?
Fr Jenkins can exercise his right to protest but if people do this against his decisions they get arrested?
Has he been to confession for his discriminate acceptance of the celebrity of a pro-abortionist president and hostility to the protests of pro-life advocates?
Fr Jenkins’ statement says the task force is to “consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life.”
How about not giving Honorary degrees to pro-abortion politicians. Thats one way. I don’t why a task force is needed, supporting the sanctity of life is simple.
I don’t [know] why a task force is needed
Posted by: Jasper at September 17, 2009 4:16 PM
Hi Jasper. If Fr J had acted alone, I might be inclined to agree with you. It’s my understanding that the ND Board of Trustees was behind the decision to invite Obama and award the honorary degree. While Fr J was no small player in the fiasco, he isn’t solely to blame.
supporting the sanctity of life is simple
Perhaps, but getting diverse members of a university board to agree on the best way to do that may not be. Like it or not, current board members are what the university has to work with. People can throw stones or they can throw their support behind–and give their input to–a task force whose input Fr J and the board will hopefully consider going forward.
Way to attack someone who wants to attend a pro life event.
I’m sure Jesus would urge him to stay away as well….
Posted by: Hal at September 17, 2009 11:02 AM
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HAL,
Jesus has not made me privy to HIS thoughts on this particular situation, but I can give you HIS response to some similar situations.
Matt 3:5-8 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the country round about the Jordan went out to him [John the Baptist];
6 And they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins.
7 But when he [JtB] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees [Jewish clergy] coming for baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee and escape from the wrath and indignation [of God against disobedience] that is coming?
8 Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]; AMP
HAL, did Jesus condemn John the Baptist for ‘harshly’ confronting the religious leaders at an assembly of believers?
Judge for yourself.
Matt 11:11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women
there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;
yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. AMP
HAL, you say, tho Jesus might allow someone else to talk this way, HE would never resort to such language Himself.
Matt 12:22-24, 33-34 22 Then a blind and dumb man under the power of a demon was brought to Jesus, and He cured him, so that the blind and dumb man both spoke and saw.
23 And all the [crowds of] people were stunned with bewildered wonder and said, This cannot be the Son of David, can it?
24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, This Man drives out demons only by and with the help of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.
33 [Jesus said to the Pharisees] Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. AMP
Matt 23:15,29,33 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one [a proselyte], you make him doubly as much a child of hell (Gehenna) as you are. AMP
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,
33 You serpents! You spawn of vipers! How can you escape the penalty to be suffered in hell (Gehenna)? AMP
And my personal favorite:
Luke 11:45-46,52-54 45 One of the experts in the [Mosaic] Law answered Him, Teacher, in saying this,
“You reproach and outrage and affront even us!”
[And Jesus said, insult, Insult, INSULT! You wanna hear insult. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!]
46 But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear, and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
52 Woe to you, lawyers (experts in the Mosaic Law)! For you have taken away the key to knowledge; you did not go in yourselves, and you hindered and prevented those who were entering.
53 As He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees [followed Him closely, and they] began to be enraged with and set themselves violently against Him and to draw Him out and provoke Him to speak of many things,
54 Secretly watching and plotting and lying in wait for Him, to seize upon something He might say [that they might accuse Him]. AMP
Jesus did not have much ‘grace’ for religious hypocrits who had a form of godliness, but lacked the substance thereof and subsitituted legalistic obedience to religious traditions for a relationship with the living GOD.
Jesus loves sinners who know they are sinners and do not put on religious aires.
yor bro ken
Preach it, Ken!!
Jesus did not have much ‘grace’ for religious hypocrits who had a form of godliness, but lacked the substance thereof and subsitituted legalistic obedience to religious traditions for a relationship with the living GOD.
Posted by: kbhvac at September 17, 2009 7:05 PM
Ken, are you presuming to know the mind and heart of Fr Jenkins or taking a swipe at Catholics in general?
“Perhaps, but getting diverse members of a university board to agree on the best way to do that may not be. Like it or not, current board members are what the university has to work with. People can throw stones or they can throw their support behind–and give their input to–a task force whose input Fr J and the board will hopefully consider going forward.”
Fed up,
This is Catholic University we’re talking about. Didn’t all of these Catholic ‘scholars’ learn about life issues in divinity school? what is going on here? Father Jenkins is acting like a politician. Can’t he fire the board? why does a Catholic U need a board.
Bill Dempsey, ND Class of 1952, provides important background and context, including an observation that the most important pro-life organizations on campus are notably excluded from the proposed initiative:
http://allhands-ondeck.blogspot.com/2009/09/bill-dempsey-nd-class-of-1952-responds.html
This is Catholic University we’re talking about.
Posted by: Jasper at September 17, 2009 10:29 PM
Jasper, it’s a “Catholic” university but it’s not governed by the Church. In 1967 ND President Fr Hesburgh ceded governance of the university to a board of lay trustees. At that point the Holy Cross fathers who founded ND were no longer in charge of it although it retained a Catholic identity.
Didn’t all of these Catholic ‘scholars’ learn about life issues in divinity school?
There are some priests on the board but as you can see they are in the minority.
http://www.nd.edu/leadership/board-of-trustees/
Can’t he fire the board?
No, not as I understand their bylaws. #5 addresses the removal of a trustee.
http://www.nd.edu/leadership/pdf/Currentbylaws_July_2007.pdf
I just noticed as I searched the bylaws that the word “catholic” appears only once. Sad.
why does a Catholic U need a board.
I think most universities have boards. I’m not bothered by their having a board but by their having a board that’s obviously not faithful to Church teaching. Here’s an enlightening article on some of the ND board members.
http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/article/48163
Mr H, thanks for that link.
Thanks for info Fed-up, here is the problem:
“In 1967 ND President Fr Hesburgh ceded governance of the university to a board of lay trustees. At that point the Holy Cross fathers who founded ND were no longer in charge of it although it retained a Catholic identity.”
Fr. Jenkins -> Judas.
Posted by: Fed Up at September 17, 2009 8:48 PM
Ken, are you presuming to know the mind and heart of Fr Jenkins or taking a swipe at Catholics in general?
——————————————————
No.
Hypocrisy is not peculiar to any particular denomination and none of us is immune to it.
I was taking a ‘swipe’ at those ‘religious leaders’, no matter what their denominational affiliation, who seek the approval of men.
I can give you chapters and verses, but I believe I have made my position clear.
I believe mr. Jenkins actions and his words have made his heart and mind abundantly clear.
He set aside the commnandments of God and the teachings of his chosen denomination for the religous traditions of the University.
Barrak Obama is the most overtly wicked man who has ever inhabited the White House.
Father Jenking made an uncoerced, and informed decision to invite B.O. to not only address Notre Dame University, but also to ‘honor’ B.O. with a degree from said University.
I belive we all know Father Jenkins ‘heart and mind’ on this particular matter. His folly was and is on display for all to see.
yor bro ken
I belive we all know Father Jenkins ‘heart and mind’ on this particular matter. His folly was and is on display for all to see.
Posted by: kbhvac at September 18, 2009 6:10 PM
I agree, Ken, that it was on display. I have no idea whether he’s repented. If God gave me a 2nd chance, who am I to deny one to another? I’m willing to give him a chance to demonstrate a more visible and consistent prolife stance.
I’m also willing to be open minded about the task force because Fr J didn’t act alone. As president the buck stops with him but the ND debacle involved the entire board not just him. The task force may not be the answer, but it’s a step I am happy to see.
ND Alum, do you know whether Fr J has authority to ask the prosecutor to drop charges against the ND 88 or does that require board approval?
“I have no idea whether he’s [Jenkins] repented.”
Posted by: Fed Up at September 18, 2009 11:46 PM
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Exactly my point. You have not seen, nor heard, nor read of any change on Jenkins’ part.
That is the thing about ‘fruit’. You can see, smell, taste, and touch it.
We are all still waiting for the manifestation of the fruit of repentance from Jenkins.
If he brought the offense publicly, then he should repent publicly.
Even Kanye West had the good sense to do that.
One demonstrable fruit of repentance would be to drop the charges against the people who peacefully objected to B.O.’s being ‘honored’ at the UND graduation.
Then, if Jenkins is sincerely acknowledging his ‘offense’, he should apologize to those people, at least privately.
I will on the look out for flying pigs.
yor bro ken