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BREAKING: Mary Ann Glendon Refuses Notre Dame Honor over Obama
LifeSiteNews.com -- Your Family, Life, and Culture Outpost ^ | April 27, 2009 | By Kathleen Gilbert

Posted on 04/27/2009 10:56:06 AM PDT by topher

Monday April 27, 2009


BREAKING: Mary Ann Glendon Refuses Notre Dame Honor over Obama Invitation

By Kathleen Gilbert

NOTRE DAME, Indiana, April 27, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Mary Ann Glendon, the former United States ambassador to the Vatican who was set to receive the University of Notre Dame's Laetare Medal at the school's commencement on May 17, has written to University president Fr. John Jenkins saying that she will not attend the ceremony or accept the award after all. 

Glendon says her refusal stems from the University's persistence in choosing to honor Obama with an honorary degree, despite U.S. Bishops Conference policy that forbids honoring pro-abortion politicians. 

President Obama is scheduled to give the keynote commencement address and receive an honorary law degree at the graduation ceremony.

A decisive factor in her decision, says Glendon, was the "talking points" issued by Notre Dame's administration to trustees, and obtained and published exclusively by LifeSiteNews.com earlier this month (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040710.html).  Glendon says that she objected to some of the talking points that seemed to suggest that her speech "would somehow balance" Obama's presence.
 
Below is the complete text of Glendon's letter:


Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame's most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.

Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.

First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops' express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that "talking points" issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

- "President Obama won't be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal."

- "We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about."

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame's decision-in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops-to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church's position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops' guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame's example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.

It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.

In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

Yours Very Truly,
Mary Ann Glendon

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Revealed: Obama Commencement Talking Points for University of Notre Dame Trustees
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040710.html

Bishops Zubik, Loverde, LeVoir Make 46 Bishops Against ND Scandal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042302.html

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042702.html


Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.



TOPICS: Catholic
KEYWORDS: abortion; catholic; frjenkins; glendon; maryannglendon; notredame; notredamescandal; obama; prolife
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She was scheduled to go before Obama... There was talk that she was going to make some Choice comments...
1 posted on 04/27/2009 10:56:07 AM PDT by topher
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To: topher

WOW, what a strong gal.

Kudos to this fine lady.


2 posted on 04/27/2009 10:58:09 AM PDT by ThreePuttinDude (o)...http://threeputtindude.blogspot.com/ ...(o)
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To: Mrs. Don-o; Salvation

Ping. This is not the first mention of this news of FreeRepublic.com


3 posted on 04/27/2009 10:59:23 AM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher
This was also reported on FreeRepublic.com:

Declining Notre Dame: A Letter from Mary Ann Glendon [she refuses Laetare Medal]

4 posted on 04/27/2009 11:00:33 AM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher

I wish we had elected officials who took principled stances like this.


5 posted on 04/27/2009 11:00:53 AM PDT by NoKoolAidforMe (1-20-09--The Beginning of an Error..............1-20-13--Change we can look forward to)
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To: topher

An outstanding smackdown from an honorable Lady. Well Done!


6 posted on 04/27/2009 11:01:14 AM PDT by rockrr (Global warming is to science what Islam is to religion)
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To: topher

Sorry.

999 out of 1000 people wouldn’t know her from Eve


7 posted on 04/27/2009 11:03:19 AM PDT by PurpleMan
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To: PurpleMan

So?

People didn’t know Joe the Plumber a few months back either.


8 posted on 04/27/2009 11:04:58 AM PDT by mom4melody
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To: PurpleMan
You are correct, most people would not know Mary Ann Glendon...

However, she is one up on Caroline Kennedy -- daughter of JFK. The Vatican REFUSED TO ALLOW CAROLINE TO BECOME AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN FOR THE UNITED STATES.

The reason for the refusal of Caroline Kennedy: her strong backing of abortion.

Mary Ann Glendon is the former United States ambassador to the Vatican

9 posted on 04/27/2009 11:09:19 AM PDT by topher (Let us return to old-fashioned morality - morality that has stood the test of time...)
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To: topher
Separated at birth?


YOU GO GIRLS!!!
10 posted on 04/27/2009 11:09:50 AM PDT by Safrguns
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To: topher

God bless this handsome woman and her stand for LIFE & TRUTH!


11 posted on 04/27/2009 11:11:16 AM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (No greater friend, no worse enemy -The United States Marine Corps.)
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To: Safrguns
Very inappropiate analogy, and in particular, on this thread.

Leni

12 posted on 04/27/2009 11:12:26 AM PDT by MinuteGal (FR Regional Convention 4/25 Orlando....Florida, Alabama, Georgia & Carolinas Freepers Invited!)
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To: topher

She is a great woman. I really admire her. And I’m not surprised that she took this public stand in defense of her faith.


13 posted on 04/27/2009 11:23:58 AM PDT by lady lawyer
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To: ThreePuttinDude

What a fine example she is for our young women.


14 posted on 04/27/2009 11:27:03 AM PDT by FES0844
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To: topher

I am awestruck and gobsmacked by Mary Ann Glendon’s thoroughly principled stand. She has made the right choice, and God is watching.

Well done, Ma’am! You have earned deep Respect, worth more than any medal Notre Dame could give you.


15 posted on 04/27/2009 11:27:53 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: mom4melody

Point being that only within a small circle of people is her name know. The newsworthiness of her decision is limited - unless BOR or Hannity pick it up and even then 999 out of 1000 will say, “Who?”

You equate her with “Joe The Plummer”? Shudder.


16 posted on 04/27/2009 11:30:30 AM PDT by PurpleMan
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To: topher

She may not receive the honor and treasure this world offers. Her treasure now resides elsewhere.


17 posted on 04/27/2009 11:31:09 AM PDT by JamesP81 (When Obama signed an order providing tax dollars to murder children, he stopped being my president)
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To: Safrguns

From my perspective, they’re both hot - in the best possible ways.


18 posted on 04/27/2009 11:32:51 AM PDT by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
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To: MinuteGal
Very inappropiate analogy, and in particular, on this thread.

They are both pretty. They both stood up for their faith. I don't see the inappropriateness of it unless you find Miss California to be immoral in some way.
19 posted on 04/27/2009 11:34:19 AM PDT by Safrguns
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To: MinuteGal; Safrguns

Both highly attractive women, from different backgrounds, and with different attributes - but with commitment and principle as their guide.

What could be more appropriate?


20 posted on 04/27/2009 11:36:52 AM PDT by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
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