No Likely Support From Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees For Rescinding Obama Invite

Commentary by Operation Rescue

South Bend, IN - A new article published May 10 at Pewsitter.com reveals connections between members of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees and President Barack Obama, which may explain much about why a devout Catholic institution would ignore Church teachings and major public outcry to honor the most pro-abortion president in U.S. History.

One example listed in the exposѐ is that of the Chair of the Notre Dame Trustees, Richard Notebaert of the Chicago area. Notebaert's wife, Peggy, also a luminary in the Notre Dame community, runs the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which received federal funding earmarked by then Senator Barack Obama. One of Obama's "key" fundraisers, Frank Clark, served on the museum board at time the funding was received.

The Pewsitter.com article goes on to reveal other such connections. We frankly find the Board's links to Obama and other leftist causes shocking, considering that these "Trustees" are supposed to be guiding a religious institution whose spiritual foundations are antithetical to such causes.

It could be that Notre Dame President, Fr. John I. Jenkins, doing little more than obeying a directive from the left-leaning Board of Trustees. More focus should be placed on exposing the Trustees that have ties to Obama, who could be paying him back for political favors with the Notre Dame appearance.

Obama has long claimed to be a Christian, but his actions have frequently been at odds with Biblical teachings, even to the point of mocking them. The Notre Dame appearance, like his appearances at Rick Warren's church, serves to manipulate those of faith into accepting his radical liberalism, which is cloaked by the tacit approval of so-called religious leaders.
Obama understands that if those of faith were to rise up en masse in vocal opposition to him and his leftist, pro-abortion policies, his presidency will suffer and any hope for a second term will disappear. Perhaps that is why "hate-crimes" legislation has been introduced, and why peaceful pro-life advocates have been placed on Homeland Security watch lists with the hope of intimidating his most vocal opponents into silence. Invitations from heretofore respected religious institutions help further diffuse his opposition.

Pewsitter.com did a great service by revealing the truth about the Notre Dame Board of Trustees. It revealed a deeper problem at the university than simply one controversial invitation. It is time for that institution to clean house at the highest levels, or risk complete corruption at the hands of those who working to undermine its religious foundations.

And it is time for those of faith to become ever more outspoken against the Culture of Death that Obama is trying to establish in our country, and expose his not-so-subtle efforts to manipulate and silence us. If we don't, it may be that soon, we will not be able.

Operation Rescue is partnering with the Center for Bioethical Reform to keep the Truth Trucks rolling in South Bend and the airplane banner flying over Notre Dame until Obama's appearance on May 17. To help with this project, please click here.

The bishops who have so far expressed disapproval of Notre Dame's invitation to Obama (in alphabetical order) are:

Current count: 71 bishops

Bishop Joseph V. Adamec - Altoona-Johnstown, PA
Statement: http://www.ajdiocese.org/documents//April_8__2009_-_Notre_Dame_University.pdf
LSN http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050718.html

Bishop James Conley the auxiliary bishop of Denver,

Bishop John Gaydos of the diocese of Jefferson City

Bishop Sam Jacobs of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana

For a list of contact information regarding the Notre Dame scandal, go to: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032706.html

I still don’t understand why Jenkin’s bishop has not ordered him to rescind the invite.

First point: the President of Notre Dame is a member of a religious order (Congregation of the Holy Cross). As such, he has pledged obedience to his superior, not to the local bishop. Notre Dame, in as far as it is Catholic, is there with the permission of the local bishop, but it is not there under the authority of the local bishop.

Secondly, it is important to understand that the president of Notre Dame is actually an employee of the Board of Trustees. Out of 60 trustees, only six are priests. So if the Board wants to invite Ø, Jenkins would have to make the choice of keeping the invite or resigning his position. Granted, if he realized that he screwed up and would not be able to undo it, he should take the courageous position of resigning, but that's a separate issue and likely wouldn't rescind the Ø invitation.

One other point: Notre Dame is a corporation chartered under the State of Indiana, owned by a Board of Fellows and managed by the Board of Trustees. While it was founded by a religious order, it is no longer owned by that religious order. So, even if the Congregation of the Holy Cross wanted to demand Ø's invitation be rescinded, they'd have far less influence on the situation than one would expect.

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