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Posted on 03/26/2009 4:24:08 PM PDT by Titanites
The following is a letter from University of Notre Dame alumnus Father John J. Raphael, S.S.J., addressed to ND president Father John Jenkins:
'My name is Fr. John J. Raphael, SSJ. I am a member of ND's graduating class of 1989. I am currently the principal of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, LA and a member of Notre Dame's Admissions Advisory Board.
'I am writing to express my extreme disappointment and grave disapproval of the decision to invite President Obama to give the commencement address and to receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame at this year's graduation.
'I have spent eighteen years working with blacks and whites, Protestants and Catholics, to bring more African Americans into the pro-life movement. During the last two months the Obama administration has already begun to aggressively roll back the gains made in defense of life over the course of the last fifteen years.
'I have written two articles which attempt to show how the historical significance of the first African American president is emptied of its meaning if this same president refuses to embrace the rights of the unborn. I share them with you if you are interested in considering the devastating impact of these pro-abortion policies on the African American community in light of this historic election:
http://www.nbccongress.org/features/bridge-01.asp
http://clarionherald.org/pdfs/2009/02_07_09/page15.pdf.
'As an African American and a priest, as a principal of a Catholic high school and a member of the Admissions Advisory Board of the university, I cannot adequately express in words how deeply this action offends those who are committed to carrying out the task of Catholic education and witnessing to the Gospel of Life in the context of a Catholic school. Even if the university chooses to cooperate with certain policies of the president that are not contrary to the teaching of the faith, the conferral of this type of public honor is wholly gratuitous and incongruous with the mission of any Catholic institution
'On this Laetare Sunday, I was happy to note that this year's recipient of the Laetare Medal, Mary Ann Glendon, has eloquently and courageously served the nation and more importantly, the Church. How strange it is that at the same time the University chooses to publicly honor an administration with which the American Catholic bishops have already had to address major concerns about the lack of protection of the rights of the unborn in just two months.
'Today's first reading from the book of Chronicles speaks as much to us today as it did to Israel during the Babylonian exile:
'In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people
added infidelity to infidelity,
practicing all the abominations of the nations
and polluting the LORD's temple
which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
'Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers,
send his messengers to them,
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy (2Chr 36:14ff).
'The voice of Notre Dame needs to be raised in defense of the unborn. The African American community in particular is being decimated by abortion on demand as currently supported by the Obama administration. Our Holy Father, mocked and despised by many in popular culture, has called upon all faithful Christians to courageously bear witness to life.
'By conferring this 'honor' upon President Obama at this time, the University of Notre Dame muddies the waters of life and darkens the light in which we are called to walk.
'Sincerely in Notre Dame, the Mother of Life,
'Rev. John J. Raphael, SSJ, '89
Principal
St. Augustine High School
New Orleans, LA 70119'
ping
bttt
I’m ashamed of “Fr” Jenkins, but I am going to PRAY FOR HIS CONVERSION!!
Here is an interesting perspective on this scandal.
FMCDH(BITS)
Thank you for this wonderful posting!
God Bless you and please continue carrying the message.
Our Lady, please bend the ear of your Son and aid in converting Father Jenkins, we ask this in Jesus Name. Amen
thanks for all the pings.
/
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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
Ping!
Bump
What a great letter!
Sounds like what Judas Iscariot had in mind. Very good point.
It must give one pause to see a Catholic priest who has no soul to see the conflict that he has created; not only in the church, but also with God.
My goodness.
Great letter.
Good post!
Excellent letter!!
Maybe we could start a corresponding blue envelope campaign:
Send a blue envelope addressed to President Obama at the White House, and enclose a small note and a $10 check:
Dear Mr. President,
Because of your stated appreciation of “Catholics, with their rich tradition of recognizing the dignity of people” I thought it would be fitting for you to be able to persoanlly pass along my enclosed restricted donation for “Notre Dame Right to Life” to the university president, Fr. Jenkins, when you are visiting Our Lady’s university in South Bend.
This donation will support and promote the rich tradition you admire among the furutre leaders of America as they recognize and promote the dignity of people — especially vulnerable black and latino mothers (whose neighborhoods big abortion targets) and their unborn children (whose lives are snuffed out by abortion at an alarming rate) — by working to secure the right of all persons to be born.
No civilized society can advocate public policy that affords any person a right to demand the death of any other innocent, voiceless and vulnerable person.
This donation has the following restrictions: It must be used exclusively to increase the funding of
Notre Dame Right to Life
314 LaFortune Student Center
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
above and beyond any programmed amount or budgeted funding of Notre Dame Right to Life by any other funding source, including any University of Notre Dame entity or office. This donation must be used to support overtly anti-abortion activities, chosen at the sole discretion of the student officers of Notre Dame Right to Life, and must be used prior to April 1, 2010.
Please let Father Jenkins know that I have made my check out to “University of Notre Dame” and have referenced the above detailed restriction on this gift in the memo line as “Restricted: NDRTL anti-abortion budget increase.”
I am praying for the enlightenment of your mind and the softening of your heart so that you can unreservedly embrace the rich tradition of recognizing the dignity of ALL people and join in our effort to restore the most basic of human rights - the right to life - for all.
Most earnestly,
John Q. Public
Eloquently put.
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