Learning From Notre Dame: Catholic Identity is Not Optional

Catholic Online ^ | 4/14/09 | Deacon Keith Fournier

[tcg]

“By its very nature, each Catholic university makes an important contribution to the Church's work of evangelization. It is a living institutional witness to Christ and his message, so vitally important in cultures marked by secularism, or where Christ and his message are still virtually unknown.” (Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities)

Notre Dame’s decision to confer an honorary Doctor of Law Degree upon a President who fails to recognize the Right to Life has a silver lining. Catholics in America are saying “Not in our House”. Notre Dame is named after the Woman who’s “yes” to the Angel forever changed human history. The Incarnate Word became flesh and dwelt within Our Lady. Jesus was an embryonic person and developed as a child in the first home of the whole human race, the womb of His Holy Mother. That fundamental truth lies at the heart of the Christian claim. Every procured abortion is an intrinsically evil act because it is the taking of innocent human life. It can never be accepted as a “right” even if the errant positive law proclaims if to be so. The Natural Law written on every human heart confirms what science demonstrates, the child in the womb is one of us.

This U.S.President who calls us to care for our neighbor has a terrible blind side in his claims to compassion and solidarity. He fails to hear the cry of the poor in the womb. In the words of the Bishops of the United States: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” In spite of the sophistry of Fr. Jenkins, Notre Dame has overtly disobeyed this clear instruction.

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Catholic identity requires that the College community understand its ecclesial nature. In an institution, just as in persons, it begins from the inside and works its way throughout like leaven or yeast in a loaf.

[Mrs. Don-o]

to read later

[mvpel]

"JESUS WAS A CRISIS PREGNANCY"

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

It's an intellectual error, an error of reason, common sense, science, and direct observation. That an unborn child is a human being and live is a fact. Obama is in error for not recognizing this. And Fr. Jenkins and Notre Dame are in error for choosing to honor him at the commencement ceremony. Whatever it is that makes Fr. Jenkins mistakenly say Obama is "an inspiring leader" does not change the facts of his disgusting and revolting positions on abortion and embryonic stem cell funding. There is NOTHING which can rehabilitate Obama until he changes his positions on those issues so he must be barred from Catholic commencement ceremonies.

[tcg]

I whole heartedly agree with you.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The media will try to spin this as about Catholic “beliefs” when the issue falls within reason, common sense, and science.

[OneWingedShark]

>The media will try to spin this as about Catholic “beliefs” when the issue falls within reason, common sense, and science.

Well, obviously “common sense” and “Religion” are mutually exclusive. Just like “Religion” and “Science,” and “Religion” & “Reason”. [/cynic][/sarc]

Lessons from the MSM #3.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

They like the idea that if it can be tied to Religion it becomes “unconstitutional” due to the alleged Separation of Church and State, forgetting that Christians and Jews share the prohibition of murder in the Ten Commandments. No word on whether they would like to decriminalize that so that people will be free from Religious morality.