Dear Bishop Jenky,
I am writing to express my gratitude to you for your commitment to the Sanctity of Life, which you have demonstrated at many points --- and for your love of the Church, which is and always will be the Bride of Christ.
Some of us have kept your reputation as a "Good Shepherd" in mind as we have tried (and, though beaten and discouraged, are still trying) to protect the souls of Notre Dame students and rescue the University's Catholic identity.
Now that the Obama controversy has come and gone (or, "more or less" gone), is there not still a "terrible breach" between Notre Dame and the Church? Without making a judgment about anyone's personal motivations, shouldn't we look at more objectively verifiable things like Notre Dame's financial links and institutional affiliations?
Controversy has focused a light of inquiry upon the network of money and influence represented by the Notre Dame Board of Trustees.
If you simply Google
"Notre Dame" trustees "stem cell" millennium abortion fraud
you'll get about 1500 results, an unsettling set of indications that the problem isn't just that "Notre Dame partners with Obama," but that the Board itself is influenced by members whose policies and practices are disturbing.
The main ones which have come to light so far:
Trustee Justice Ann Claire Williams, U.S. Court of Appeals 7th District. Blocked the enforcement on the ban on partial-birth abortions by ruling that the Department of Justice could not subpoena hospital abortion records. She is reportedly being considered by President Obama for a seat on he Supreme Court.
Trustee Philip B. Rooney, wealthy Chicago businessman, was indicted by the SEC in a massive fraud case. Seven years ago, in a multi-million-dollar settlement, the SEC barred Rooney permanently from being an officer in any public company. He retains his board position at Notre Dame to this day.
Trustee Douglas Tong Hsu, chairman of a 32-billion dollar Chinese conglomerate with strong political connections both in Taiwan and mainland China. He was indicted for breach of trust and forgery in 2006, the same year he and Jenkins travelled to Beijing to develop partner programs for the university in communist China.
Trustee Dr. Mary Anne Fox, Chancellor of UC Davis, which recently opened a new research facility for human embryonic stem cell experimentation. Their bio-engineering department has also established a partnership with Tsinghua University in China, to further their research, which destroys human beings in their most vulnerable stage of life.
Trustee Raymond G. Chambers, is the co-founder of anti-poverty organization Millenium Promise, which (among othr things) provides "contraceptive services" in African villages, including "Male and female condoms; Pharmacologic contraceptives including oral, transdermal, intramuscular, and implanted methods; and IUDs." The handbook for their project, "Millennium Villages," also advocates that "In countries where abortion is legal, safe abortion services in controlled settings by skilled practitioners should be established."
Not only is Chambers on Notre Dame's board; Fr. John Jenkins is also in the Millennium Promise Board. This, of course, constitutes direct cooperation with intrinsic evil.
You know all these people very well, surely, and peraps you feel protective of them simply on the basis of long and cordial association. That is to be expected. But it should not obscure the fact that there is a pattern here which suggests scores of unanswered questions.
To whom can we, the laity, go to seek redress for such a repugnant situation? Many of us feel ourselves to be scandalized, discouraged, and --- worst of all --- leaderless. As Our Lord said, "Like sheep without a shepherd."
Yet I take hope from some of Notre Dame's past struggles: the (as far as I know) permanent suspension of what had been an annual Gay Film Festival, the cancellation of the 2009 Vagina Monologues: these are good signs.
So I struggle between despair and hope.
Now it looks as if Notre Dame is helping President Obama in his "perpetual campaign" to rally young people to the support of his programs. An essential element of this is deception: to put it plainly, saying one thing and doing another.
Obama says he wants us to respect each others' consciences, yet for the first time in decades the government will compel pro-life citizens to actually finance--- pay for --- the extermination of unborn babies through their tax dollars. Fine. We respect Obama, and he kills babies. He respects us, and he makes us pay for it. Do you see what's wrong here?
Notre Dame says it's all for dialog, communication, and engagement, and then when an elderly pro-life priest comes on campus to protest Obama, nonviolently singing hymns and carrying a cross, he is arrested, handcuffed, and put in jail. Do you see what's wrong here?
Fr. Jenkins says that voluntary service in fighting the evils of racism and poverty is what makes Notre Dame great, and then he serves on a Board of Millennium Promise, which contracepts, sterilizes, and aborts Africans. Is this an example for Notre Dame students? Is this going to become one of their voluntary service options? Do you see what's wrong here?
I beg your prayers and words of counsel. I am heartsick and discouraged and don't know what to do, but I still trust that you, a Successor to the Apostles, will surely stop these dreadful offenses.
Please pray for me.
Most respectfully in the heart of Jesus,
[signed]
the government will compel pro-life citizens to actually finance--- pay for --- the extermination of unborn babies through their tax dollars
And that's just the rescinding of the Mexico City policy. With Obama health care, -- whatever shape it takes, -- EVERY abortion on American soil will be paid for by tax money.
Fact-check before mailing. Marye Anne Fox is the
Chancellor, University of California San Diego