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 Churchs 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
Mine was pretty boring, too. Fortunately, my group was in the back of the auditorium, so we were able to engage in conversation.
My commissioning ceremony, the day before, had an element of excitement. A streaker ran across the Quad while we were taking our oath of office. My mom thought it was pretty funny.
I would be hesitant to use the term “man” when describing zero.
Awesome!!! Great to hear. Lord be with him.
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**They have a golden opportunity to show what their Catholic faith and their studies and sacrifices at Notre Dame truly mean for them. They can stand up for the sanctity of life. They can reclaim Notre Dame for Christ and Our Lady.**
Amen to that.
Wallace,Wallace, Wallace, Wallace, let that be the cry!!!
Got that right and it was within the Catholic Church. Cardinal Egan really gave him a very hard time.
The media would not get it and think they were racist calling on George Wallace.
To give the organizers some attaboys, off them your prayers and your support, and to get the latest protest information of May 16-17 At Notre Dame, visit NotreDameProtest.com
I could do one better.
While he makes the speech, fly over in a small plane with those ribbons trailing and have that slogan on the ribbon.
I think I recall reading that Lamar (if I’m not mistaken)
made them add choice to the board.
“Obama is pro-abortion choice”
Hope I’m wrong.
Why isn’t the Pope involved?
I have never understood that to date. There is still time.
I am not Catholic but I’m with them on this plus respect for the Pope for walking out on that conference .....
Go Students GO!!!!
We can’t have babies near OB that might punish him.
Is that on major highway going up to Norte Dame oh classic LOL!
Ah, that’s great. They can’t miss seeing those!
The weasel-word "choice" is on the billboard, but I never got an explanation as to why. I'm sure they wouldn't have added it unless they were forced to. Do you know any more about it?
Good job!
Is there a good percentage of zero swooners in the graduating class?
What kind of conflict (if any) is being generated because of all of this?
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