Posted on 05/14/2009 10:12:51 AM PDT by EternalVigilance
A great deal of criticism has been leveled at Notre Dame President, Rev John I. Jenkins, for his choice to honor President Obama at this years commencement. But Fr. Jenkins, like all university presidents, must consider the will of the schools governing board. The Notre Dame Board of Trustees is a powerful organization, comprised of top international business owners, chairs of rich endowments, academic leaders, judges, attorneys, faculty, and prominent clergy. These individuals are typically very wealthy, well-connected and highly accomplished; many with broad interests outside the university. A closer look at the board and its affiliations might shed light on just how Notre Dame came to this decision.
Many of the influential alumni on the Notre Dame board are from the nearby Chicago area, and are part of the same Chicago power structure that President Obama ascended. Richard and Peggy Notebaert are leading members of the ND community, and Notebaert is chair of the Notre Dame trustees. While Obama served in the senate, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, received federal funding earmarked by Obama.. Key Obama campaign fundraiser, Frank Clark served on the board of the Notebaert Museum at the time. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, where ND trustee Arthur Velasquez is on the board, also received millions in earmarks. Velasquez contributed to Obamas campaigns in 04 and 08.
Chicago power at Notre Dame extends to political posts as well. Justice Ann Claire Williams was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1999 to the U.S. Court of Appeals 7th District. In 2004 she ruled that the Department of Justice could not subpoena hospital abortion records to enforce the ban on partial birth abortions. Left-leaning Chicago politics has a place on the Notre Dame governing board. Currently Ann Claire Williams is receiving serious attention among the top three possible Obama replacements for retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.
Some Notre Dame board members have made ethical misjudgments in the past. Chicago trustee Philip B. Rooney, Chairman of Claddagh Investments, is former CEO of Waste Management Inc., the worlds largest waste services company. In 2002 Rooney and Waste Management, along with Arthur Andersen, Enron and others, were indicted by the SEC in a massive fraud case. WMI management eventually settled for 30.8 million in penalties. The SEC barred Rooney permanently from being an officer in a public company. He divested most of his own stock before the investigations caused shareholder assets to plummet. Despite this history Rooney retains his board position at Notre Dame today.
ND Trustee Douglas Tong Hsu is chairman of Far Eastern Group, a 32-billion dollar Chinese conglomerate. Hsus strong political connections in Taiwan lean toward unification with mainland China. He recently stated that democratic governance is a hindrance to investment, and praised communist China's system for being more favorable to business with its staunch system of rule. In 2006 Hsu was indicted for breach of trust and forgery in connection with a major department store takeover. These charges also involved the Taiwanese first lady, Wu Shu-chen. With Douglas Tong Hsu, the political and business interests of the PRC have influence at Notre Dame. In 2006, ND President Jenkins led a small delegation to East Asia, where they met with Hsu, and travelled to communist Beijing to develop partner programs for the university.
There are Notre Dame trustees who directly support Obama administration goals. Dr. Mary Anne Fox is chancellor at UC San Diego and Vice-Chair of the National Science Board. Recently Fox announced the opening of a new research facility where the school will cultivate and experiment on human embryonic stem cells. The laboratory will partner with Scripps Research and the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA where Fox also sits on the leadership council. In 2007 the Institute hosted a stem cell ethics conference. R. Alta Charo, bioethicist and advisor to the Obama transition team was a key speaker. At UCSD the bio-engineering department has just established a partnership with Tsinghua University in China, to further their research.
Raymond G. Chambers, co-founder of anti-poverty organization Millenium Promise, serves on the ServiceNation leadership council. ServiceNation is a political group that supports the enormous multiplication of federal national service programs in the Obama agenda, including the just-passed Kennedy Serve America Act. The Kennedy act was touted as the largest expansion of community and national service since the launch of the Civilian Conservation Corps. In September, Chambers was a panelist at the ServiceNation Summit as special envoy for malaria, United Nations.
Several Notre Dame board members lead American banks and major investment houses, where the federal government has sunk billions in bailout funds and stock purchases. Robert Conway was head of Goldman Sachs (AIG). Philip J. Purcell was formerly CEO of Morgan Stanley and COO of Dean Witter. Enrique Hernandez Jr. is on the board of Wells Fargo Bank. Business leaders in this sector are under increasing pressure to appeal to the Obama administration, the Treasury Department, and the US Congress for their survival and direction.
In conclusion, a review of the Board of Trustees at Notre Dame does NOT reveal a particularly strong Catholic identity. There are board members whose actions and associations put them in a position directly at odds with Church teaching and in line with the Obama administration. At the Notre Dame board we see a group of well-connected well-heeled individuals from all sectors of society, and at the most prominent levels. Taking a stand against inviting the President of the United States would likely jeopardize membership in the elite club where they travel. Therefore it is highly unlikely that there will be any movement from within the board to rescind invitation to President Obama.
“The Notre Dame Board of Trustees is a powerful organization, comprised of top international business owners, chairs of rich endowments, academic leaders, judges, attorneys, faculty, and prominent clergy.”
None of which invited Clinton during his eight year term.
I am guessing it was the father alone.
"In conclusion, a review of the Board of Trustees at Notre Dame does NOT reveal a particularly strong Catholic identity. There are board members whose actions and associations put them in a position directly at odds with Church teaching and in line with the Obama administration."
No big surprise there. Just a bunch of money-grubbing, glad-handing (with a nudge-nudge and a wink) secular, corporate oligarchs with a liberal agenda for Notre Dame and everything else. You can find everybody and your grandmother making decisions for Catholic universities except for loyal Catholics.
They use Catholic universities to target Catholics for liberal social engineering.
No doubt the Notre Dame board has more than its fair share of representatives of the Mafia. Somebody ought to do something about that.
My guess is that a similar spectrum of gutless, well-heeled political prostitutes run most American Universtities. Which explains why most American Universities have faculties controlled by the ahrd left and prodcue leftist graduates.
My guess ALSO is that a lot of these people are not just Democrats, but also well-placed RINOs.
si·mo·ny (sī'mə-nē, sĭm'ə-)
n. The buying or selling of ecclesiastical pardons, offices, or emoluments.
[Middle English simonie, from Old French, from Late Latin simōnia, after Simon Magus, a sorcerer who tried to buy spiritual powers from the Apostle Peter (Acts 8:9-24).] si'mo·nist n.
No doubt there are what are called "Countryclub Republicans" or "countryclubbers" with lots of money on those boards ~ which is where they belong (since they'd be doing harm elsewhere if they weren't).
Countryclub Republicans. That’s them exactly - Linousine Liberals, Rockefeller Republicans, RINOs.
They all have big bucks - most often “Old Money” which means they didn’t have to work for it, which means they are clueless about living in the real world.
Inevitably they are drawn to the GOP because of cultural attachments. But aside from wanting to protect their inherited wealth, they are liberal on all or most social issues and have nothing but disdain for the small businessmen and women, craftspeople, etc who have to dirty their hands with actual real work to make the kind of money they were lucky enough to inherit.
The countryclubbers are a fact of life, just like the Special Interests the Democrats have to deal with.
These guys make the party operate. At the same time they should not be allowed to control the party's ideology. That's something for the electorate and the elected officials who are real Republicans.
SOUTH BEND, Indiana, May 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Following is an alphabetical list of bishops who have so far expressed disapproval of the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama to give the commencement speech and receive an honorary law degree May 17. Included are links to the original source as well as LifeSiteNews.com coverage.
Current count: 76 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 John D'Arcy - Fort Wayne-South Bend, IN
Statement: http://www.diocesefwsb.org/COMMUNICATIONS/obama.htm
LSN Report: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html
Bishop Samuel Aquila - Fargo, ND
Statement: http://www.fargodiocese.org/Bishop/Homilies/StatementNotreDameLtr4-5-09.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040906.html
Bishop Gregory Aymond - Austin, TX
Statement: http://www.austindiocese.org/newsletter_issue_view.php?id=211
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032707.html
Bishop Robert Baker - Birmingham, AL
Statement: http://www.ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/bpbakernd.HTM
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040807.html
Bishop Gerald Barbarito - Palm Beach, FL
Statement: http://www.diocesepb.org/bishop/Acrobat_files/Bishop
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041406.html
Bishop Leonard Blair - Toledo, OH
Statement: http://proecclesia.blogspot.com/2009/04/bishop-blair-responds-to-notre-dame.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua (Archbishop Emeritus) - Philadelphia, PA
Statement: http://patricknovecosky.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/cardinal-bevilacqua-addresses-notre-dame-controversy/
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050509.html
Bishop Lawrence Brandt - Greensburg, PA
Statement: http://www.dioceseofgreensburg.org/DH/Pages/NotreDamestatement.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050509.html
Archbishop Daniel Buechlein - Indianapolis, IN
Statement: http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2009/04-10/notredame.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040807.html
Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz - Lincoln, NE
Statement: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/News/tabid/54/ctl/Details/mid/452/ItemID/495/Default.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040906.html
Archbishop Eusebius Beltran - Oklahoma City, OK
Statement: http://newsok.com/speech-by-obama-faces-catholic-foes/article/3357948
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040204.html
Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú - San Antonio, TX
Statement: http://www.archdiosa.org/txtfiles/attachment_153.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Archbishop Charles Chaput - Denver, CO
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042905.html
Bishop Paul Coakley - Salina, KS
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop James Conley - Denver
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050815.html
Bishop Edward Cullen - Allentown, PA
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050403.html
Bishop Nicholas Di Marzio - Brooklyn, NY
Statement: http://thetablet.org/05092009/columns_bishop.html )
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050718.html
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Houston, TX
Statement: http://www.texascatholicherald.org/columnists.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032717.html
Archbishop Timothy Dolan - New York, NY
Statement: http://www.620wtmj.com/podcasts/charliesykes/sundayinsight/42081097.html?video=pop&t=a
Bishop Thomas Doran - Rockford, IL
Statement: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CardinalNewmanSociety/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/435/ItemID/470/Default.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040204.html
Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty - Scranton, PA
Statement: http://www.dioceseofscranton.org/News/ScrantonBishopsProtestNotreDameDecisionApril2,2009.asp
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040302.html
Bishop Robert Finn - Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO
Statement: http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/04/we-are-at-war-bishop-finns-gospel-of.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop Joseph Galante - Camden, NJ
Statement: http://www.camdendiocese.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1282:catholic-a-mere-label&catid=33:press-releases-a-latest-news
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042807.html
Bishop Victor Galeone - St. Augustine, FL
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042211.html
Bishop John Gaydos - Jefferson City
Statement: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050814.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050815.html
Cardinal Francis George - Chicago, IL; President, USCCB
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033106.html
Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger - Evansville, IN
Statement: http://www.themessageonline.org/local/2009/04-17/bishop.html
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Archbishop José Gomez - San Antonio, TX
Statement: http://www.archdiosa.org/txtfiles/attachment_153.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries - Cleveland, Ohio
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09051101.html
Bishop Bernard Harrington - Winona, MN
Statement: http://www.dow.org/documents/09mayweb.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09043004.html
Bishop Robert Hermann - St. Louis, MO
Statement: http://stlouisreview.com/article/2009-04-30/i-thought-you-should-know
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050403.html
Bishop William Higi - Lafayette, IN
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Archbishop Alfred Hughes - New Orleans, LA
Statement: http://blog.nola.com/elections_impact/2009/04/Hughes%20letter.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Bishop Michael O. Jackels - Wichita, KS
Statement: http://cdowk.org/advanceonline/2009/04/09/bishop-jackels-letter-to-notre-dame/
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050105.html
Bishop Sam Jacobs - Houma-Thibodaux, LA
Statement: http://www.htdiocese.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hUtmQlVJbos%3d&tabid=565
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050815.html
Bishop James V. Johnston - Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO
http://home.catholicweb.com/diocspfdcape/index.cfm/NewsItem?id=263157
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09043004.html
Bishop Peter Jugis - Charlotte, NC
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042807.html
Bishop Joseph Latino - Jackson, MS
Statement: http://nems360.com/pages/full_story?page_label=news&id=2300764-Mississippi+bishop+opposes+Obama+commencement+speech&widget=push&article-Mississippi%20bishop%20opposes%20Obama%20commencement%20speech
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop John LeVoir - New Ulm, MN
Statement: http://www.dnu.org/bishop/041309statement.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042302.html
Bishop Jerome Listecki - La Crosse, WI
Statement: http://www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/ministry_resources/ministries/resources/Notre%20Dame%20Invitation.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040711.html
Bishop William E. Lori - Bridgeport, CT
Statement: http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com/folder_bridgedocs/FCC%204-4-09.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Bishop Paul Loverde - Arlington, VA
Statement: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CardinalNewmanSociety/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/435/ItemID/522/Default.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042302.html
Bishop George Lucas - Springfield, IL
Statement:http://www.dio.org/bishop-lucas-weekly-column/from-east-to-west-we-must-witness-to-the-truth.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop Robert Lynch - St. Petersburg, FL
Statement: http://bishopsblog.dosp.org/2009/03/27/week-end-update/
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033103.html
Bishop Joseph Martino - Scranton, PA
http://www.dioceseofscranton.org/News/ScrantonBishopsProtestNotreDameDecisionApril2,2009.asp
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040302.html
Bishop John McCormack - Manchester, NH
Statement: http://www.catholicnh.org/public-issues/fcn-archive/und/
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09043004.html
Bishop Robert Morlino - Madison, WI
Statement: http://www.catholiccitizens.org/views/contentview.asp?c=49889
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033103.html
Bishop William Murphy - Rockville Centre, NY
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050105.html
Bishop George Murry - Youngstown, OH
Statement: http://cathexpo.org/articledetails.aspx?articleid=240
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Archbishop John J. Myers - Newark, NJ
Statement: http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=1299
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040106.html
Archbishop Joseph Naumann - Kansas City, KS
http://www.theleaven.com/columnist/archbishop_column.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042709.html
Bishop R. Walker Nickless - Sioux City, IA
Statement: http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=32936
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040106.html
Archbishop John C. Nienstedt - St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN
Statement: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CardinalNewmanSociety/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/435/ItemID/460/Default.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033103.html
Archbishop Edwin O'Brien - Baltimore, MD
Statement: http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/storyarchnew.aspx?action=5978
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040807.html
Bishop Thomas Olmsted - Phoenix, AZ
Statement: http://www.americanpapist.com/2009/03/exclusive-bp-olmsted-tells-nd.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032605.html
Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk - Cincinnati, OH
Statement: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CardinalNewmanSociety/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/435/ItemID/514/Default.aspx
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop Reymundo Pena - Brownsville, TX
http://www.cdob.org/bishop/column/2009/4-24-09.htm
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050403.html
Bishop Glen Provost - Lake Charles, LA
Statement: http://live.lcdiocese.org/bishop-provost/writings/285-bishop-provost-comments-on-notre-dame-university-decision.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042807.html
Bishop David Ricken - Green Bay, WI
Statement: http://www.thecompassnews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=345:notre-dames-quandary
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050509.html
Cardinal Justin Rigali - Philadelphia, PA; Chairman, USCCB Pro-Life Committee
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042803.html
Bishop Kevin Rhoades - Harrisburg, PA
Statement:http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33146
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040106.html
Bishop Alexander Sample - Marquette, MI
Statement: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15630
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040807.html
Bishop Edward J. Slattery - Tulsa, OK
Statement: http://www.dioceseoftulsa.org/article.asp?nID=907
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040106.html
Bishop John Smith - Trenton, NJ
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09051101.html
Bishop Richard Stika - Knoxville, TN
Statement:http://www.dioceseofknoxville.org/?news=3585&menu=1462&level=1
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041406.html
Bishop Anthony Taylor - Little Rock, AR
Statement: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/note.php?note_id=66338251686
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040704.html
Bishop George Thomas - Helena, MT
Statement: http://www.diocesehelena.org/thomas/050109%20letter.pdf
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050509.html
Bishop Robert Vasa - Baker, OR
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Bishop Michael Warfel - Great Falls-Billings, MT
Statement: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200905011500/NEWS01/90501007
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09043009.html
Bishop Thomas Wenski - Orlando, FL
Statement: http://www.orlandodiocese.org/who_we_are/bishop_wenski/columns/200904_und.php
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042003.html
Archbishop Donald Wuerl - Washington, D.C.
Statement: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/04/dc_archbishop_nips_georgetown_for_biden_event.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042709.html
Bishop Emeritus John Yanta - Amarillo, TX
Statement: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09051407.html
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09051408.html
Bishop David Zubick - Pittsburgh, PA
Statement: http://www.pittsburghcatholic.org/newsarticles_more.phtml?id=2466
LSN: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042302.html%20
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.