The Rev. John Jenkins is afraid of the consequences of disinviting Obama.
Posted on 04/11/2009 4:22:19 AM PDT by Man50D
Betrayal is not too strong a word to describe the actions of Notre Dame in inviting President Barak Obama to speak and receive an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university. This betrayal explains why normally docile Catholics have been stirred to unprecedented protest and anger.
Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame who offered the invitation, has felt the wrath of thousands of Roman Catholics who see him as a Judas Iscariot. In a more sober assessment, Jenkins should be viewed as Peter the apostle, in his emotional denials to a watching and judgmental world, rather than as a Judas, the brazen traitor.
Sophisticated opinion might scorn such appraisals. "What is the big deal?" they question. Any university with serious aspirations and credentials should welcome the President of the United States to speak on campus, the thinking goes. Surely the president of a nation that observes the separation between church and state should not be prevented from addressing a university commencement just because his policies or issues are not in agreement with particular religious doctrines. It is patently wrong to prevent the airing of ideas from authoritative sources that may not concur with Church teachings. Great universities must engage in the great discussions of the day. Truth must never hide from controversy. It ought never be determined that questions of right and wrong have been settled, and only those that agree with the settled consensus be given a hearing. Finally, openness and tolerance of disagreement are the hallmarks of great centers of learning. Surely Notre Dame is just such a great center of learning.
This is how Jenkins would like to frame the controversy. Taking the intellectual high road (he believes) in addressing the critics, Jenkins poses as a positively heroic scholar and patriot...
"... In every statement I have made about the invitation of President Obama and in every statement I will make, I express our disagreement with him on issues surrounding the protection of life, such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research. If we repeatedly and clearly state that we do not support the President on these issues, we cannot be understood to 'suggest support'.
"...We need to do more to persuade all people that human life is precious and human dignity must be defended. This requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public officials... However misguided some might consider our actions, it is in the spirit of providing a basis for dialogue that we invited President Obama.
"On May 17 we will welcome the ninth President who will receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame. It will be an important opportunity to bring the leader of our nation to Notre Dame, and, I hope, a joyful day for our graduates and their families."
(Father Jenkins to the Board of Trustees at the University of Notre Dame:)
Sounds pretty reasonable. No?
In Jenkins' view, there is simply a "disagreement" and the president is simply "misguided."
Playing to elite opinion rather than the churchgoing rabble, he uses words like "dialogue" and "engagement" rather than condemnation in referring to the culture of death embodied in the policies of our new president. Being judgmental, after all, is without doubt the gravest sin to modern eyes and Father Jenkins knows this and counts on it. Besides, on social issues (whatever they are) the new progressive president effectively cancels out his misguided notions on life.
But if we are to believe the prelate, where exactly does the imaginary engagement of Obama occur? Is Jenkins inviting Obama to address a seminar on life issues? Will there be a rebuttal of the president's pro-abortion policies after his address? Will they "roundtable" and "brainstorm" and "dialogue" about abortion, stem cell funding, euthanasia, and infanticide?
Sadly, what the awakened and disgusted American Catholics see happening is lost on, or of no interest to, Father Jenkins and his supporters. The university officials are obviously much more interested in securing the good graces of the ninth president to address the school than in supporting Church teaching. As intellectuals they share denseness with thinly disguised contempt.
As Hilaire Belloc said one hundred years ago, "Real intelligence resides in the ability to make distinctions." In this case the distinctions are everything. Notre Dame means literally Our Lady. The University of Our Lady has been founded, promoted, supported and loved by devout Catholics of this country for a long time. The issues of life have been settled in the eyes of the church for over two thousand years and no amount of engagement will change that. Notre Dame should never bestow an honor on the likes of our current president.
The event all works perfectly for the President. Cocktails and chatter with some noted Catholic VIP's, photo-ops, good-humor, perhaps a few thoughtful frowns, some vague-but-pleasing Obama rhetoric, and off the president goes. On to the Naval Academy and another commencement ceremony with a new legitimacy and the unofficial imprimatur of America's great Catholic University.
“In a more sober assessment, Jenkins should be viewed as Peter the apostle, in his emotional denials to a watching and judgmental world, rather than as a Judas, the brazen traitor.”
No, not Peter. Peter was faithful before the denial and repented. I don’t see any repentance coming from Jenkins even if he’s forced to back down. Hmmmm...I sometimes think he’s more like Pilate in some ways.
I have Catholic friends who are “supposedly” pro-life, but they voted for Obama. We went a few rounds about how they could say they were pro-life and still vote for him, but to no avail. Seems like the President of Notre Dame experiences the same disconnect as my friends.
Is it not possible to fire Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame?
That surely would send a proper message to this baby killing magic negro.
your friends are very likely CINOs.
Actually, their question, which we all heard again last night, the voice of sophistication ringing down through the ages, is "What is truth?" I've always imagined Pilate said it with a sneer, just before they dragged Him away to Golgotha.
Has Jenkins washed his hands yet?
Pope is a busy man with a lot on his plate BUT,
You would think he’d be interested in keeping Americas Catholics in line.
However is he up on local events like this one? No idea how in or out of touch he may be.
To have this baby killer speak at a college named after our “Blessed Mother” is a slap in the face to the Mother of Christ.
If Barrack Obama had any decency he would refuse to go to Notre Dame. That let’s that out. He has none. He enjoys the controversy.It plays to his arrogance.
Airing of ideas is fine in its place. This is a commencement ceremony not a debate or ethics class. Jenkins most likely was one of the 53% of Catholics who voted for the baby killer. He signs his name with C.S.C. at the end. C.S.C. stands for Congregatio a Sancta Cruce or Congregation of the Holy Cross. That cross held Jesus. Notre Dame is named for Jesus' mother Mary. Imagine if Mary had aborted her child?
The issues of life have been settled in the eyes of the church for over two thousand years and no amount of engagement will change that. Notre Dame should never bestow an honor on the likes of our current president.
Obama is the worst kind of "politician." He is a politician that supports "partial birth abortion."
Just out of curiosity, do you know how they feel about Barry's opposition to the BAIPA? And Barry's lying about his opposition to the BAIPA? Barry's even to the left of NARAL when it comes to the BAIPA.
For some of us unwashed ignorants could you perhaps write in English and not Acronym? What does BAIPA stand for.
A letter to Jenkins,
Mr John I. Jenkins,
As a Catholic for over 60 years I address you in this manner because you certainly can’t be a priest which means in Persona Christe , in the person of Christ .
What is truly sad, is how could you stray so far from logic, as to invite such a damnable creature as Obama to give a speech at the commencement ceramony.
Obama is the leading protagonist for the Abbatoir practice of Abortion , INCLUDING Partial Birth Abortion ,How sinister ,How evil , How Singularly Sinful, Have you forgotten the words of Christ, “ it would be better for a man to tie a millstone around his neck and be thrown into the Sea than to Hurt children” ?
The holacaust is to remember the 6,000,000 Jews horrifically murdered by Hitler and His minions,Yet you pay homage to Obama and the abotionists who have murdered over 51,000,000 American Children, and to an Evil Leader (Obama) ,who does everything he can to continue and make funds available for this Horrible and Horrific Practice .
I am sure the statue of Our Lady on top of the Dome is crying at this time.
Please do not represent yourself as a Catholic Priest, since you only exsaserbate the Scandal
presently brought about by evil Homosexual Priests.
Please reconsider your position and have yourself reformed and reinitiated as a true folloe=wer of Jesus Christ.
Your response is requested.
Truly in Sorrow,
BTTT
Unforturnately Father Jenkins gives these people the excuse they need to say "see it is okay".
Born
Alive
Infant
Protection
Act
May I ask if you received a response? I wrote him as well and received no reply.
I think the fruit of the efforts of both JP II and BXVI are evidenced in the reaction of a large number of American Bishops. The change in the church these two have wrought in the last 30 years is striking. Pope BXVI may prefer having passionate involved communicants than silent pew sitters waiting for others to take action.
Alumni should withdraw their support from the college...put their money where their mouth is. Money is right up there with oxygen.
This Notre Dame fiasco is a blessing in disguise for not only Catholics who believe in the true faith, but for the country as a whole. America’s alternative choice in 2008 was chilly at best. McCain was a failed candidate because even though he is ideologically much closer to Catholics’ views on Right to Life among a lot of other issues, he was weak on confronting the radical nature of Obama’s pro-abortion history, and his radical associations and beliefs. He refused to confront the Rev. Wright issue. He refused to confront Obama’s radical partial birth abortion votes in the Illinois senate. The result was a safe-haven for heretical leftists, many of them Catholics who feel very cozy warming up to Obama and all the apostasy that comes with it. There was no political challenge to them coming from the conservatives.
Finally a chance for the base to wake up and see for real the results of our apathy. We can’t be lukewarm in our faith or in our defense of our rights and responsibilities as Americans. The emboldened leftists in our church give us the imperative to decide what we are going to be as a faith, and as a country. The strong will prevail. I am thrilled we have the chance to take on the radical left so publicly and clearly.
This my friend is where this "father" lives... MONEY.
That's why the Kennedy's can get annulments and remarry in the church. That's why we have "Progressive" Catholics spreading anti-American propaganda in Central and South America. ..
But take away their money and they squeal about the little clinics with starving babies. They whine about all the "good" that occurs in missions and on and on...
The Roman Catholic church is one of the largest landowners in this country.
But the church is made up of men. Men that are flesh and blood. Those men have the same weaknesses that any man has. The weakness of the flesh, the spirit and above all else .... Pride.
The "pride" is always the best sin. Cause it's the one that screws everybody. It's the Pride that lets you do the bad deed, cause doncha know you're just a little better than the next guy.. or everybody just doesn't understand how hard YOU work compared to the next guy... etc...
The alumni with the season tickets to football, booster club and all the rest should withhold ALL contributions this year. All capital fundraising should be zeroed out this year. Make them live with the consequences of their action.
When asked why you're punishing "the students"... tell them you just want to "dialogue" about abortion and those that support it. Make them sit down with the major benefactors and "engage" in a conversation about how it's really just a choice to stick a tube in a baby's skull, inject salt water, chop up the kid and yank out the parts and put them in the garbage. Or if you screw that up, just let the baby lie on a table to die of exposure and dehydration.
As our great leader the TOTUS says..'just words".. that's all "just words".
Give Father Jenkins some Hope and Change for Notre Dame.
I hope the Irish have a crappy football season and lose to USC by 50 points and Navy by 70.
As a Catholic, I believe the most aggregious aspect of this idiotic invitation, is that it provides yet another example of how the “leaders” within the Church refuse to abide by the very teachings for which they profess to believe. In this specific situation, refusing to lead by example and serve as moral guideposts for the Faith, they send the message that certain individuals are exempt from even the most explicitly stated moral absolutes. Absolutely pathetic.
The only apostle who wasn't martyred was St. John . . . who was (not coincidentally) the only one who wasn't afraid to follow Christ to Calvary.
I sure hope that most of the students, at least, have the balls to turn their backs on 0 as he pushes for his agenda.
The Pope (the office and the man), has NEVER been interested in keeping American Catholics in line, never.
Note;
Ted Kennedy
Nancy Pelosi
Fagot Priests
Fagot Priests molesting young boys.
Bishops shielding Fagot Priests who molest young boys.
Shall I go on?
Your hyperbole is a perfect companion to your inability to close your tags.
Better brush up on the Eighth Commandment, gomer.
Has there been any word from coach Charlie “Pear Bryant” Weis about this atrocity?
Another day, another swirling bowl of anti-Catholic hate.
I do see a push for a bit more purity in the Catholics.
At least as you say the Bishops are getting the message.
II’m trying to think of any outfit that has more money. I could be wrong but the Catholic Church is about the biggest.
The Pope has always been more interested in Americans money than its salvation.
I think our thin-skinned POTUS, himself, will withdraw from the NDU invitation, needing ‘to spend more time with his family’ or some such excuse ... he really couldn’t stand the personal disapproval from the protests that will develop at the commencement.
IIRC, Clinton withdrew from a UCLA commencement address because of a strike by university employees. The SEIU or some other union may come along to help Obama out of this mess by setting up a strike at NDU.
If this were going on at my kid’s NDU graduation this year, I’d be raving furious, especially since we’d have chosen a high-priced Catholic university, and since this is to be the graduates’ day, not the speaker’s.
Hatred? I don’t think so. See #22, above. This may indeed be a blessing in disguise and gives the Catholic Church the opportunity to sieze control of issues and stress the ineluctable essence of Church dogma before it goes the way of the Episcopal Church (and others) in the USA.
The Rev. John Jenkins is afraid of the consequences of disinviting Obama.
Trust me on this one, the majority of WEALTH the Church has is in assets that are very expensive to maintain, not cash. These are assets held in trust so that future generations can be just as inspired as we are. Right now, the Church is feeling the same pinch everyone else is. There is no cash for a lot of things that need to be done, i.e., organ tuning.
Wealth can be measured in many ways.
Land alone is a barometer.
Can I ask you a few questions about Missouri?
Which area do you live?
How do you like it there?
What is there to do?
How long ya been there?
Ya like it?
Reason i ask is that I’ve been through Missouri many time and have always been treated well and found good there.
But I’ve heard too many folks complain about it there.
Too hot, nothing to do.
I live in the St. Louis region, actually 10 blocks from the city limits in an area we call the inner ring. Straight down the middle of the city from river to river is called "the central corridor" which is where the upper middle class is and I live on the northern edge in an area that is VERY diverse.
How do you like it there?
I love it, but you need to have a persecuted mentality to live here. You also need to be laid back and understand that having a good time is a way of life.
What is there to do?
What would you like to do? We've got it all in some way. Although, I would not recommend surfing on the Mississippi.
How long ya been there?
With the exception of two years of college and time on the east coast while a military aircraft was tested (Dad worked for a fighter manufacturer), since birth.
Ya like it?
I love it, but I was born and raised here.
Reason i ask is that I’ve been through Missouri many time and have always been treated well and found good there. But I’ve heard too many folks complain about it there. Too hot, nothing to do.
Good hospitality is a way of life. We're taught that from the cradle. Weather is an adventure and summers can be brutal. So can winters. We all have summer clothes and winter clothes and you take an afternoon twice a year and switch them out (also a good opportunity to prune the wardrobe).
Nothing to do????????? HELLO! It depends on what you like. There's plenty if you know where to look. We have world class cultural institutions. Major league sports (and our beloved Blues made the playoffs last night, and, yes, I was there), golf courses everywhere which today were packed.
If you like a laid back place that doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks, this is a good area. At the same time, people here can be bullheaded and don't like to spend money. It's one of the trade-offs.
Freepmail me if you have other questions.
Naturally I received no response, People like Jenkins believe they answer to no one.
I think he may have a date with the millstone man.
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