Bishop D’Arcy speaks out about Notre Dame inviting Barack Obama. He will not attend graduation. Overalll, this is a polite but stinging statement. Bishop D’Arcy says that Notre Dame has perhaps chosen prestige over truth, but he as a Bishop will not do the same. A Bishop (and one would think a Catholic University), needs to “teache[s] not only by his words — but by his actions.”
For me the key part of the statement comes when he says, “Notre Dame must ask itself, if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth.” I think many people are asking that very same question today. Sadly, I do not think Fr. Jenkins is among their number.
Here’s the statement in full:
Concerning President Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame
graduation, receiving honorary law degree
March 24, 2009On Friday, March 21, Father John Jenkins, CSC, phoned to inform me that President Obama had accepted his invitation to speak to the graduating class at Notre Dame and receive an honorary degree. We spoke shortly before the announcement was made public at the White House press briefing. It was the first time that I had been informed that Notre Dame had issued this invitation.
President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred. While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life.
This will be the 25th Notre Dame graduation during my time as bishop. After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation. I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith “in season and out of season,” and he teaches not only by his words — but by his actions.My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life.
I have in mind also the statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 2004. “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” Indeed, the measure of any Catholic institution is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for.
I have spoken with Professor Mary Ann Glendon, who is to receive the Laetare Medal. I have known her for many years and hold her in high esteem. We are both teachers, but in different ways. I have encouraged her to accept this award and take the opportunity such an award gives her to teach.
Even as I continue to ponder in prayer these events, which many have found shocking, so must Notre Dame. Indeed, as a Catholic University, Notre Dame must ask itself, if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth. Tomorrow, we celebrate as Catholics the moment when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, became a child in the womb of his most holy mother. Let us ask Our Lady to intercede for the university named in her honor, that it may recommit itself to the primacy of truth over prestige.
March 24, 2009 at 6:10 pm
God bless bishop D’Arcy!
March 24, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Per Tom Roeser at:
http://www.tomroeser.com/
“Finally, by organizing a group of alumni they can write to and visit the bishop, Bishop D’Arcy and urge him to employ the “nuclear option.” The nuclear option belongs to every Ordinary-the power to remove the Catholic identification from the offending school. A negotiation can begin where the Ordinary says that unless the university behaves like a Catholic institution, it should not misrepresent itself as one.”
Or as Saint Paul wrote:
“Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 Giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings….”
2 Cor, 6, 2-5
What better place and time and person than Notre Dame now, and because of President Obama’s obsequious support of abortion, and his promotion of the destruction of innocent human life.
March 24, 2009 at 6:37 pm
What a bishop and man! Now one hopes Dr. Glendon and everyone else will follow the example of this true pastor and let the Molochians preach their hatred to a field of empty chairs.
March 24, 2009 at 6:40 pm
God bless the good bishop as preaching by example.
March 24, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Bravo!!
March 24, 2009 at 7:15 pm
John,
Tom Roeser has no place trying to lead an approach – let the alums, students, and faculty determine the best course of action themselves. This is exactly the sort of attitude that will cuase more harm than good.
I appreciate people with wide viewer or listenership getting the word out there; but as is so often the case with radio political personalities, it’s mostly about rocking the boat and making extreme waves for publicity.
March 24, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I see the wisdom of the good bishop’s move here. At AmP I made the point that his absence would be as conspicuous as any imaginable and would give it an air of unsavoriness about the whole thing like a devout Jewish family forced to sit down to an unkosher meal. This heaps hot coals without resorting to nuclear options.
March 24, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Bishop D’Arcy is really cool! =)
As for Glendon boycotting, it seems like he’s against it… maybe she can give a rip-snorting pro-life speech to follow up Obama’s meaningless platitudes?
March 24, 2009 at 8:22 pm
that would be great. And very difficult to ignore.
March 24, 2009 at 8:54 pm
The Bishop should schedule a mass following Ambassador Glendon’s recognition. With a nice reception at the cathedral.
Perhaps an invitation to the Notre Dame president to stop by, if he’s through kissing the [insert appropriate body part here] of the American idol.
A nice, public demonstration about which life is worthy of emulation by Catholic Americans, as opposed to American Catholics.
March 24, 2009 at 10:10 pm
That is a man worthy of the distinction “Prince of the Church” and “His Eminence.”
Rock on, Bishop D’Arcy (and Professor Glendon, who is the Bennett to this D’Arcy).
March 25, 2009 at 12:13 am
Excellent!