"Fr. Norm" - 80-Year-Old Priest Arrsted, Jailed at Notre Dame

YouTube ^ | May 16, 2009 | Pass the Salt

[Mrs. Don-o]

Here is the video of Fr. Norm Weslin's arrest by University of Notre Dame police. He was carrying a cross and singing a hymn in honor of the mother of Jesus Christ ---"Our Lady" -- "Notre Dame."

What evil deed did they think he was going to do if they didn't arrest him: launch a devastatng, full-scale Rosary barrage?

[tioga]

there is just something deeply offensive about putting an 80 year old priest into jail......

[Fantasywriter]

God is not mocked. Pride goes before a fall, and Obama has been arrogant for a long time. I once watched a Youtube video of him mocking the Old Testament. But I think his Big Mistake was covering up the name of Jesus when he spoke at Georgetown. God said, ‘My glory I will not give to another.’ He meant it, too, just as He means everything He says. God works on His own timetable, but I would not want to be Obama right now. Unless he repents, he may learn as have so many before him that no mere human should tempt God or attempt to usurp Him.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You have a point there, in that a private institution has the right to control its own property, and the enforcement of trespass laws is not intrinsically unjust.

However, this particular institution, the University of Notre Dame, is at present involved in a violation which is much more serious: a violation of its own laws and charters as follows:

(University of Notre Dame Charter and Statutes, para V.e):
"The essential character of the University as a Catholic institution of higher learning shall at all times be maintained, it being the stated intention and desire of the present Fellows of the University that the University shall retain in perpetuity its identity as such an institution."

In other words,the UND founders intended it to be Catholic "in perpetuity" and formalized that into their own law; the donors donated to it on that basis; its Fellows and Trustees are supposed to govern on that basis; its students are matriculated and graduated on that basis.

However the UND is in violation because they ignored the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' policy that those who defy "fundamental moral norms" are not to be given platforms and honors; and they are persisting in disobedience to their bishop (Bishop John D'Arcy, who is boycotting the commencement).

This seems to me to be a kind of fraud, or a violation of fiduciary trust: to build a University as a Catholic institution; solicit donors on the basis of being a Catholic institutiion; recruit students to be educated at Notre Dame as a Catholic institution; and then operate in a way that overturns those terms and conditions.

And here's the crux of it: the faithful prolife Notre Dame community apparently have no legal recourse to compel their University to comply with its own Catholic requirements, or to penalize the University's violation.

So it looks like the only recourse the faithful have at this time, is trying to bring the "sensus fidelium" to bear on the situation (the "sense of the faithful.") Hence coming on campus to (peacefully, prayerfully) protest.

The legitimacy of the civil law is upheld because the "trespassers" are not forcibly resisting arrest. The law is, in another, larger, moral sense, being superceded by the even more grave obligation to call Notre Dame back to its founding principles, and bear witness to the Gospel of Life, whch is an essential element of Catholic identity.

That's how I see it.

[penowa]

We've been a police state at least going back to Terri Schiavo's murder...

That's what opened my eyes to what this country has become. The old frog in the pot of warm water, and that pot has been boiling away for some time now. Poor frog...poor us.

[Lauren BaRecall]

You know, I always thought those stories about the supposed "agreement" between Adolf Hitler and Pope Pius XII were disgusting slander of the worst kind, a blood libel for the ages.

Now, I'm really not so sure.

Please read this recent article:

Vatican planned to move to Portugal if Nazis captured wartime Pope

The wartime Papacy has nothing to do with current Notre Dame.

[floriduh voter]

http://ndresponse.com/

Their guy was on Fox News earlier. Lots planned.

[Mrs. Don-o]

To address your other pooint: Bishop D'Arcy did not come out against, as you say, "protesting and publicizing the event."

Here's what Bishop D'Arcy said:

"I urge all Catholics and others of good will to stay away from unseemly and unhelpful demonstrations against our nation's president or Notre Dame or (Holy Cross) Father John I. Jenkins." He said further that he wad supportive of "any other prayerful and dignified demonstrations."

Thus he did not bar, ban, prohibit, or even plead against all protests or demonstrations. He expressed his clear opposition to those which are "unseemly and unhelpful."

It's the Bishop's job to teach with authority the Truths concerning the faith and morals which Christ has given us through His Church.

It's pretty obviously the laity's job to judge, design, and carry out secular tactics and strategies which are seemly, helpful, and peaceful.

[floriduh voter]

Father Pavone ND page:

http://www.priestsforlife.org/blog/

[tioga]

it boggles the mind how a peaceful march carrying a wooden cross warranted police action....Notre Dame should be far more concerned with who will be donating to their institution and who will send their children there after this.

[RebelTXRose]

Fr. Pavone visited our parish here near Buffalo last year - yes - a great man!

[Brytani]

I saw another post of yours where you were going to look into Notre Dame’s charter to see if it contains something to the effect that the university is obligated to welcome with open arms all Catholics.

Did you happen to get a chance to look into this or possibly find it?

Tami

[Fudd Fan]

The newer versions of RealPlayer allow you to download any video including those on youtube.

I know, I know... it’s RealPlayer... but if you want to keep the video, it’s worth it.

[floriduh voter]

Invite your priests to sign statement against BHO at ND:

http://www.priestsforlife.org/statement/notredame.aspx

[Carpe Cerevisi]

Thank you for your clarification. It was very helpful.

[freema]

Special Request Ping by don-o, on behalf of his wife, Mrs. don-o to get this video seen.

It is pretty obamanable.

[rbmillerjr]

Here’s what Bishop D’Arcy said:
“I urge all Catholics and others of good will to stay away from unseemly and unhelpful demonstrations against our nation’s president or Notre Dame or (Holy Cross) Father John I. Jenkins.” He said further that he wad supportive of “any other prayerful and dignified demonstrations.”

The problem with this is that Jenkins doesn’t seem to be on the same page with the Bishop.

The only thing the 80yr old priest did was to carry a cross, pray, and sing. That should qualify as prayerful and dignified. But he was hauled away like a common criminal for defending the Truth.

[don-o]

Thank you for passing it on.

[Diago]

Help Digg this!

http://digg.com/world_news/Notre_Dame_Arrests_Pro_life_Priest_for_Praying_for_Unborn

[OldNavyVet]

To give you some perspective as to what a Jesuit does ... one of my distant relatives was a Jesuit priest and his story is told at http://www.archive.org/stream/anamericanmissio00judguoft

[narses]

As of posting time, the number of views on this video is 307. That is pathetic. It needs to be 307,000.
Action Assignment: every Catholic diocese, almost every parish, and most churches of other denominations have websites, and on these websites are e-mail addresses -— usually a number of them -— which you can “harvest” to make yourself a Church Contact List.

Do it. Get the e-mail address of every official and the head of every department in your diocese, parish, church, fellowship, or ministry,and then send every one of them a link to this video.

Not only that, but -— this is not an entertainment, it is a participatory obligation -— please use every means you know of, to make this video go viral.