Vatican newspaper says Obama sought 'common ground' at Notre Dame

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican newspaper said U.S. President Barack Obama sought common ground on the divisive issue of abortion in his commencement address at the University of Notre Dame.

The newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, said the president also confirmed that pushing for a more liberal abortion law would not be a priority of his administration. The comments came in a L'Osservatore report May 18, the day after Obama spoke at the university in Indiana.

"The search for a common ground: This seems to be the path chosen by the president of the United States, Barack Obama, in facing the delicate question of abortion," the newspaper said.

It said Obama had set aside the "strident tone" of the 2008 political campaign on the abortion issue.

"Yesterday Obama confirmed what he expressed at his 100-day press conference at the White House, when he said that enacting a new law on abortion was not a priority of his administration," it said.

The newspaper, which was reporting on the Notre Dame commencement for the first time, acknowledged the controversy caused by the president's appearance at what it called "the most prestigious Catholic university in the United States."

"Yesterday, too, as could have been predicted, there were protests. But from the podium set up in the basketball arena, the president invited Americans of every faith and ideological conviction to 'work in common effort' to reduce the number of abortions," it said.

The newspaper noted that Obama had called for reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, facilitating adoption and supporting women who want to carry their babies to term, and that he had also spoken of drafting a "conscience clause" for medical personnel who are morally opposed to participating in abortions.

You wrote:

“A rational man occupying space in the year 2009 on planet Gaia understands that electronics can be used to bring the Pope to South Bend without the Pope ever leaving the Vatican.”

Again, you’re completely wrong. Were not on Gaia. We’re on Earth...Terra. Gaia is a word, a name, used by pagans and those influenced by them. Christians shy away from that sort of New Age thing. Also, again, show me the pope who used an electronic feed to upbraid someone in public in recent times - or any time for that matter. Can you? No, again, you will utterly fail. The pope doesn’t do that. If he decides to do something about this, he will do it in a traditional way.

“I really shoudn’t have to explain that but I’m a generous man.”

You’re not generous with your interaction with reality. Again, show me a pope who uses “electronics” to solve a similar problem at a university. Show me one. I guess you have completely forgotten about what happened at Sapienza University in January if 2008, right? And that was in the pope’s BACKYARD. It would help if you had a clue.

“A live feed from the Pope to the alternate graduation ceremony where young Catholics were defending their faith would have been just the inspiration they needed.”

Nope. What that would have done is caused more turmoil among students and faculty and families.

“You must have missed Pope John Pauls trip to theu United States where he inspired a generation of faithful Catholic youth to carry his message by defending life.”

Not only did I not miss it, but I was there. And this is completely different. Show me when and where John Paul II showed up at a university when that university invited in a pro-abort speaker. Can you do that? Nope. You’ll fail. You’ll fail utterly. You have no idea of what you’re talking about. Pope Benedict XVI came here too. Notice. he didn’t go to any controversial graduation ceremonies? See that? Are you getting the picture yet?

“They march every year in Washington to deliver their message to America and the world. But according to you there is no point.”

No, point is that the pope is NEVER THERE at the pro-life march in January in D.C. Ever notice that? The march has been going on for more than 30 years, if I am not mistaken, and he has never once, THAT’S NEVER ONCE, been there for it. No President of the US has ever made an appearance either. They phone in - the Republicans at least - and that’s all. Notice, not pope has ever even done that.

You can try to mischaracterize what I said, but I never said there’s no point to people marching. I said there’s no point to expecting the pope to show up too. He won’t be there.

“Your view makes me ill.”

My view? My view is that the pope won’t be there. He never has been. And this pope most likely never will be. That’s my view and it is 100% correct, undeniable and irrefutable. The pope has never once flown into an American college graduation ceremony to toss a pro-abort speaker off the stage. Never once. Refute that fact if you can. You can’t. You will FAIL. So, my view must be acknowledged as absolutely correct. The fact that you fail to recognize reality is another issue.

“We, and by we I mean all Catholic faithful from the Pope on down, do not get to sit on the sidelines while Jews, Cambodians and unborn babies are massacred. I’ll continue to defend the faith and innocent life.”

And if you march somewhere, you’ll be doing it without the pope. I say go ahead and march anyway. Just don’t ever expect the pope to be there. He’s never shown up yet, ever. He doesn’t do that. That’s not how popes work. Maybe a new pope, a younger pope, might do that in the future, but don’t hold your breath.

“And you can do whatever it is that you do. Which from what I can tell is absolutely nothing.”

I do more than you realize. I work with the pro-life movement everyday. It’s what I do. It’s part of my job. You’re a weekend warrior. Good for you. I do it everyday. By the way, I learned a long time ago that I should never expect the pope to show up at any pro-life activity I might participate in anywhere in the world (except at the Vatican!). In other words, I deal with the reality of the pro-life movement and papal protocol as it actually exists while you entertain fantasies and nourish a whole series of “should haves, could haves and oughtas.”

I deal with reality. The pope is not going to fly into Notre Dame’s graduation. He didn’t attend this year’s pro-life march. He probably won’t be there next year or any year after that either.

Deal with reality. Pro-lifers who don’t recognize the struggle as it actually exists are useless.

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