Free Republic

Tributes are pouring in for Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C, who led Notre Dame University as its president for 35 years before retiring in 1986.President Barack Obama, who received an honorary degree from Notre Dame despite his adamant stand in favor of abortion, praised Father Hesburgh in a statement at his death, part of which reads: His belief that what unites us is greater than what divides us made him a champion of academic freedom and open debate. There is much to admire in Father Hesburgh’s legacy, which includes 150 honorary degrees and 16 presidential appointments. He stood with Martin Luther King...

"Catholics are often liberal and conservative at the same time. It's hard to pigeon-hole us." Jerry Kellman speaks as an example. He's Catholic and opposed to abortion. But he says President Obama does not deserve the heat he's getting for his speech at Notre Dame. "The church, above all institutions is committed to dialog and reconciliation. So if we're not willing to take the recommendation of the graduating class of Notre Dame University -- some of our finest young men and women -- then I think we're out of step with our own values." Kellman knows the President better than...

A pro-life group is warning that the University of Notre Dame may be given its "Collaborators" designation, a mark it reserves for those it considers the worst offenders in the war over abortion, because of its invitation to President Obama to speak at its commencement. In a letter today to university officials, Leslie Hanks, chief of the Collaborators Project, wrote: Because Notre Dame has extended the extraordinary honor of speaking at one of America's foremost Catholic colleges to one with such cavalier disregard for the sanctity of life, social tension is increasing exponentially in your community. Collaborators Project was founded...

In the seven weeks since Notre Dame announced President Barack Obama as its 2009 Commencement speaker, the campus has seen prayer gatherings, academic debates, banner-flying planes and bloodied baby dolls in strollers. Now, with a week and a half to go until Obama lands in South Bend to address the graduating class, another group has arrived in town to demand Notre Dame be stripped of its Catholic identity.It's really been quite the month and a half. I spent the entire day stuck in the library studying for exams, but luckily the South Bend Tribune was on the scene Tuesday to...

Two St. Louis religious leaders who are stuck in Lebanon say they feel fairly secure and are going ahead with some of their plans despite what they see from the balcony of their five-star hotel. Several miles from Beirut, they can see planes passing overhead on bombing runs, anti-aircraft guns countering from the ground, a naval blockage that has formed in the sea and a nearly constant cloud of smoke over the airport. Beirut "looks gorgeous from the distance - like New York City," said the Rev. Andre Mhanna from his cell phone Friday night. "But then there is gas...