Notre Dame Alumni Use Donations As Leverage in Effort to Oust University President

University of Notre Dame alumni and financial supporters on Thursday launched an online campaign to withhold donations to the Catholic school until the Rev. John Jenkins is replaced as president.

ReplaceJenkins.com is calling for the appointment of a president who “is committed to the authentic identity of Notre Dame” and “grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

“We feel strongly that the University should not honor President Barack Obama, given his well known commitment to abortion in the broadest possible context,” the Web site says.

Coalition representative Joe DiFranco, a ’57 alumnus, said Rev. Jenkins’ decision to “honor” President Barack Obama by inviting him to speak at Notre Dame’s commencement and awarding him an honorary degree “calls into question Father Jenkins’ judgment and leadership.”

“Alumni and supporters of Notre Dame who for years have proudly donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the University deserve better,” DiFranco said in a news release on Thursday.

During his campaign, Obama promised the Planned Parenthood Federation of America that “the first thing I’d do as president” would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The federal legislation would eliminate state and federal restrictions on abortion, including waiting periods, parental consent, and the ban on partial-birth abortion.

While ReplaceJenkins.com is urging alumni and supporters to withhold contributions to Notre Dame's general fund, the group is urging donors to continue supporting campus pro-life organizations such as the Center for Ethics and Culture or the Notre Dame Fund to Protect Life.

Donations to these University-sanctioned groups will benefit the pro-life cause at Notre Dame, but will not go into the general fund, the alumni said.

ReplaceJenkins.com says its campaign is not personally or politically motivated, but it is opposed to actions that run counter to Catholic teaching:

“ReplaceJenkins.com fully supports academic freedom at the University of Notre Dame, but we believe that the truths revealed by Christ through His Church must be taught and defended by a faithful Catholic University.”

During his first 100 days in office, President Obama has signed an order to allow taxpayer funding for stem cell research that kills human embryos; he resumed the use of taxpayer dollars for international groups that support or perform abortions; and his administration has proposed rescinding conscience protections for pro-life medical professionals. During his campaign, Obama promised the Planned Parenthood Federation of America that “the first thing I’d do as president” would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The federal legislation would eliminate state and federal restrictions on abortion, including waiting periods, parental consent, and the ban on partial-birth abortion.

In addition, the 0bama tax plan, if aoproved, will substantially reduce, if not eliminate, tax deductions for charitable contributions to colleges and universities.

Send back our Notre Dame gear: if Father Jenkins won’t listen to us maybe he’ll listen to his wallet
April 13, 2009, 6:50 am
By Kevin “Coach” Collins

http://collinsreport.net

If Notre Dame won’t withdraw its invitation to Barack Obama the champion of abortion, Catholics and others of goodwill have to withdraw support for Notre Dame. It’s time to take direct action and let our feelings be known.

Father Corby’s dream of a Catholic college dedicated to Our Lady as a place where young Catholic men and now women could receive a Catholic education is obviously no longer a Catholic school.

I’m tired of phonies masquerading as Catholics and aiding enemies of the Church with backstabbing stunts like this. Since Notre Dame wants to suck up to the secular world, let the secular world support it. Let’s have nothing more to do with them and send Father Jenkins the ND gear we’ll never wear again.

ND gear should be sent to Father John I. Jenkins at 400 Main Building Notre Dame, IN 46556.

We don’t need to show support for a football team. We need a Catholic university to turn out educated Catholics strong in their faith.

Inviting Obama sends a terrible message to the young people sent to Notre Dame for spiritual nourishment and intellectual growth. Without spiritual nourishment what’s left is a secular school unworthy of our support.

To do the most good and make the most impact send your new or laundered ND gear via return receipt requested mail. This will make a big impact as packages pile up. Once you have your package ready write out a short polite note letting Father Jenkins know how disappointed you are at the death of Notre Dame. Wait a few days then phone Father Jenkins at 574 6313903 to make sure your package was received.

If Notre Dame doesn’t want to be Catholic, that’s fine, but let’s have no more pretending it’s more than a secular maze of buildings.

Notre Dame gets a very large portion of its operating budget from the sales of items with the famous ND logo on them. It is possible to buy “Notre Dame” everything from Tee shirts and windbreakers to notebooks and even Bar B Q sauce. Hitting them in their wallet is the only move we have left. They have already had more than 250, 000 protesters register their complaints and nothing has happened.

Catholic colleges are supposed to be the “little black box” of the Church in America. As such they supposed to be places where things are done properly. Instead they have turned secular and become exactly the opposite of what they should be.

I’m sending my old ND Tee shirt this afternoon. I’m sorry it came to this but we can’t let the people who run THE Catholic University of America, our Catholic University throw its reputation away without a fight.

Once this catches on we’ll start getting attention to our cause and maybe more somnambulant Catholics will come to understand what is happening at our un-Catholic Catholic schools.

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