Somebody leaked the text of Notre Dame’s honorary degree according to Randall Terry. Here it is.
“At the 164th Commencement The May Exercises
The University of Notre Dame Confers the degree of
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on the 44th president of the United States, whose historic election opened a new era of hope in a country long divided by its history of slavery and racism. A community organizer who honed his advocacy for the poor, the marginalized and the worker in the streets of Chicago, he now organizes a larger community, bringing to the world stage a renewed American dedication to diplomacy and dialogue with all nations and religions committed to human rights and the global common good. Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politics in the audacious hope for a brighter tomorrow.
On Barack H. Obama, Washington, District of Columbia”
Audacious, indeed. Striking that they would mention his defense of human rights since this is really the crux of the problem. He does not support the most fundamental huma right. Life. The last line that reads “Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politics in the audacious hope for a brighter tomorrow,” is a very clear slap in the face to all who see this honor as an outrage. That is Father Jenkins saying to all you uber-Catholics, to hell with you!
[Source:Christian Newswire]
May 14, 2009 at 5:39 pm
“bringing to the world stage a renewed American dedication to diplomacy and dialogue with all nations and religions committed to human rights and the global common good. Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion…”
Are you freaking kidding me? I know that anti-Catholicism is the last accepted form of discrimination, but I never thought it would come from a “Catholic” university.
Great job, Padre Jenkins! You single-handedly made Notre Dame look like the lame, silly institution that it has become. How does it feel to stab the the Body of Christ in the back?
I am sure many of your family prayed for and encouraged your vocation to the priesthood. Now, that you are a Benedict Arnold with a Roman collar, I hope that they are willing to pray for the salvation of your soul.
Incidently, Father, your canonical responsibility is the salvation of souls. I guess you didn’t believe that when you were ordained.
I will pray for your conversion and for your salvation. I know that some would say to me, “those without sin cast the first stone…” It is exactly because I am a sinner and struggle everday with my failings that I understand your struggle. Be a real man. Be that soldier of Christ you became at your Confirmation. Be that priest that gave up wife and family to be a light for all of us lowly sinners.
Remember, “Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it. right is right even if no one is doing it.” Isn’t that a paraphrase of Saint Augustine? Perhaps the Theology 101 class at Notre Dame missed that one.
When I pray for you I will remember a sermon I heard once about a priest that faced Our Lord at his particular judgement. When the priest asked Our Lord if he was to join him in Heaven, Our Lord gave him a simple and poignant answer. “Come, join Me, My Mother speaks highly of you.”
As you walk on campus and see her image upon the Dome, you might just want to remember that.
May 14, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I hoped this was a joke…
)-:
May 14, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I dont believe it, and even if it is true ND will change it before the 17th.
May 14, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Was the Randall Terry reference at the top a joke or a mistake?
May 14, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Anonymous,
Believe it. It is not a joke. Did we honestly expect any different???
May 14, 2009 at 6:27 pm
To "Always Catholic," very well put! I agree. Who could write a better parody of this fiasco than this sham of a dedication to the man who is as much a hero to the downtrodden as Hitler & Ahmadinejad. Charismatic, some would say, but with a duplicitous, narcissistic and morally repugnant character. Shame on Fr. Jenkins for honoring this willing accomplice to the ongoing mass genocide. He doesn't even want to protect babies who survive abortion. What kind of monster wouldn't want to protect a defenseless, innocent baby? What kind of idiot would choose to honor such a person for his "defense of human rights"?
It's awfully hard to pray for people who seem hell-bent on murdering as many of the most vulnerable (and not just in our own country but worldwide, and with our money) as possible. Only my five-year-old daughter's interjection during prayer ("And help our president to do the right thing") reminds me that God still expects us to pray for our leaders, no matter how vile their policies are.
May 14, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I forgot to mention that, as “Always Catholic” points out, we’re expected by God to pray for our priests–no matter how unfaithful or obtuse.
May 14, 2009 at 7:02 pm
To Sarahluna35:
Thank you for your kind words. I am totally impressed with your five year old daughter. She seems to have more of a command of the Faith than most theologians. I will pray for both of you. Please continue to fight the good fight! Thank God for great mothers like yourself.
I will be before the Blessed Sacrament after Mass on Sunday during all the hours of the Graduation ceremony. It is my contribution since I cannot physically be in South Bend. Perhaps those of us who support the cause of Life find some time on Sunday (even one hour) to pray, perform an act of sacrifice or to take the time to teach our children about the importance of what is happening at that moment at Notre Dame.
Ad Iesum per Mariam!!
May 14, 2009 at 8:48 pm
That should have come with a barf alert. Seriously. Kit
May 14, 2009 at 8:56 pm
“Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politics in the audacious hope for a brighter tomorrow.”Not only is this a slap in the face, it’s a complete bald-faced lie. How many debates did The Obama turn down? Why wouldn’t he willingly answer any questions about his background or policies? How many times did he snap and scoff and flip the bird at people who dared question him? How many of his hangers-on willingly chose to investigate ordinary people who questioned him – in some cases, breaking the law to do so?
Fr. Jenkins should be publicly rebuked by his superior in the Jesuits and fired by the ND Board of Trustees.
May 14, 2009 at 8:56 pm
PS – why did none of my carriage returns work after the close tag?
May 14, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Jenkins, and Notre Dame, are not Jesuit.
They are Congregation of the Holy Cross (CSC).
Bl. Basil Moreau, Bl. Br. Andre, pray for us.
May 14, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Nightfly, here’s one reason why the Board of Trustees won’t touch Fr. Jenkins:
http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2009/05/obamas_friendly.html
When you profit from Obama’s administration, why would you protest him?
May 15, 2009 at 1:46 am
Get me a bucket. That is nauseating.
May 15, 2009 at 3:46 pm
“Always Catholic”, you’ve said that very well. It would be a lack of charity not to correct those in error, regardless of who they are. Of course, the correction should always be done with respect.
God bless,
JAngel
May 15, 2009 at 6:06 pm
The Church survived and was founded by the denying Peter. The Church has survived 2009 years of human fraility, human foolishness and human weakness. The Church shall survive this as well.
I wish Fr. Jenkins would reconsider. I wish President Obama would have a Saul becoming Paul type moment. But God turns all things, even this towards His glory.
Pray the Rosary. Pray for all of them. And then the mischiveous part of me says to all graduates at the ceremony, tape on the back of your Mortar, IHS.
May 15, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Father Junk-ins, I am enraged with your decision to clearly and firmly oppose the teachings of my faith and allow Obama to speak at the commencement exercises of ND. If I were a student graduating, instead attending the ceremony,I would attend Mass and pray for you to repent. “He who is not with Me, is against Me..”
In the name of all those babies murdered each day in abortion clinics, please retract the invitation, and then go to confession right to the Pope, and then retire with the Camadolese monks and spend the rest of your life doing penance. This would be the least you can do for humanity.