Posted on 05/11/2009 11:51:24 AM PDT by wagglebee
South Bend, IN (LifeNews.com) -- Notre Dame students who don't want to attend a graduation ceremony involving pro-abortion President Barack Obama put together alternate plans. Today, they announced that Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, will lead prayer at a pro-life prayer vigil.
The Class of 2009 Vigil for Life will be celebrated at Sunday's commencement ceremony at the same time as the graduation event.
“In standing with these students, I am standing with the true spirit of Notre Dame: a pro-life spirit, in harmony with human reason and Catholic Faith," Father Pavone told LifeNews.com on Monday.
"The scandal that has been generated does not represent what Notre Dame is all about," Pavone added. "It represents a radical betrayal of what Notre Dame is all about."
Pavone said the scandal has resulted in pro-life Catholics standing up for the teachings of the Catholic Church and wanting to hold the university accountable to them.
“Hundreds of thousands of Catholics, hundreds of priests, and dozens of bishops have called upon Notre Dame to end this scandal by withdrawing its invitation to President Obama," he said. "The result of that demand is not in our control."
Pavone told LifeNews.com he thinks pro-life students should exercise their right not to attend the graduation ceremony, where President Obama will give the commencement address and receive an honorary degree.
"One final response to this scandal is fully in the control of each graduating senior: don't show up. Don't participate in an event which will only serve to obscure rather than highlight the Church’s pro-life teaching and the true spirit of Notre Dame," Pavone continued.
"The seniors who do this are manifesting the real meaning of commencement: they are carrying out the witness to truth and service that their hard-earned degrees have prepared them to give in the world," he added.
Some pro-life students plan to join Pavone for the alternative event, but others plan to conduct their own protest during the graduation ceremonies, ND Response, the pro-life collection of student groups, told LifeNews.com last week.
"It certainly appears obvious from these announced plans that a large or perhaps the sole focus of that response is a boycott," ND Response indicated. "There also may be other small groups or individuals amongst the 2009 graduates and their guests who have their own ideas about raising the pro-life issue to Mr. Obama inside the Joyce Center."
The students say they want a focus on peaceful and respectful opposition, especially in light of some of the more in-your-face opposition appearing at their campus in recent days along with the arrest of some pro-life advocates.
Related web sites:
Priests for Life - http://www.PriestsforLife.org
Notre Dame response - http://www.ndresponse.com
WOW!
Excellent sign!
This really puts the issue out there.
WAY TO GO!!!!!
I don't. This is a great opportunity for them to display what they have learned in four years, and make their first act as graduates one of principle rather than self-centeredness.
Graduations suck - overlong, hot, and uncomfortable. Usually they include a boring, long speech by the guest speaker, and a cliche ridden speech (complete with a JFK or MLK quote) by the valedictorian. The only people who remember all this are the valedictorian and his or her family.
When I have kids, if they don’t want to go through with it, I’d be cool with it. Lets just start the part early, that’s all.
Thank you for the ping Mrs. Don-o.
This alleged President knows...., but he doesn’t give a whit. He’s in your face, and that’s what he is all about.
This “President” is a middle finger “President”.
If he wasn’t, he’d have already backed off.
As I discussed with more than one person on a number of occasions, how ludicrous it is that Obama is SO pro-abortion, when after his father abandoned them his mother came to be in circumstances similar to so many single women with children. This ad makes the point so positively and eloquently.
The MSM will make the world believe that no one missed graduation. The propaganda machine will be in full gear showing a packed, happy house.
After children the above should say, “who then choose abortion.”
Either that - or show up wearing sandals. As Obama is about to speak, stand up, shake the dust off your feet, and walk out. Peacefully.
OOORAH! That’s great!
My daughter graduated last May and I cherished every minute of her graduation. No important speakers, couldn’t tell you a word that was said, I just watched her head and looked around the room and imagined all the tears and bad roommates and phone calls home and visits and football games and basketball games and my tears and..... I guess you were ready to be done and I was just viewing this as a Mother. ;^)
Wonderful bill board!!! Way to take it to ‘em! Cheers!
I was already looking ahead to going to ADA Officers' Basic at Fort Bliss, Jump School at Fort Benning, then heading off to Germany for 3 years.
No doubt about it, though: graduations are as much a celebration for parents as they are for the students. I sure felt that way at my oldest chidren's HS graduation.
And you touched my heart on one aspect. Until this moment, I had never thought about the pride my father must have felt, seeing me graduate from college and being commissioned as an Army 2nd Lt. We were never that close, as my parents divorced when I was 6. Fortunately for me, the void was filled by my stepfather, who was always a source of guidance and strength for me.
However, I do remember how much he enjoyed it when I took him to dinner at the Officers Club at Fort Bliss.
Congrats to you for your accomplishmenets - I'm sure your college days and Army days are great memories! lol My husband still talks about his days in the Marine Corps like it was yesterday....
It pushes pro-life while exalting an abortion-loving president, the most anti-life president we have ever had. What message does that send to anyone? “Thank God 0’s mother was pro-life, so he could grow up to slaughter babies?”
That is FANTASTIC!!! I love it!!!
This Notre Dame fiasco should be a wake-up call to high-school students who contemplate studying in a truly Catholic university. Choose carefully!
Nice!
Oh my. Not just an unresponsive audience, but a VERY small one... Wouldn’t that be the most wondrous thing!
Tatt
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