Notre Dame Students Mount Organized Response In Protest Of Obama Invitation

If I haven't made it clear in previous posts that there are elements of orthodoxy at the University of Notre Dame, then I apologize. I know many good and orthodox people affiliated with the university who are every bit as outraged - if not more so - by the scandal being perpetrated by Notre Dame President Fr. John I. Jenkins and his cohorts.

Though the majority of the student body at Notre Dame actually voted for Obama and is supportive of him, there is a sizable minority of students and student groups who have organized a formal, ongoing response to the scandal being waged in the name of their university. You can keep up with this effort by visiting their website.

Notre Dame students are adamant that all efforts should be student or alumni-led, as they have the most intimate knowledge of all the circumstances. I will concede that point. However, I think many of those on the inside looking out do not fully grasp the gravity of the situation outside the university. This is not merely a local scandal, but one that affects the entire Church due to Notre Dame's reputation and status. While I agree that no one from the outside should attempt to usurp local and campus efforts being waged against this scandal, neither should those on the inside denounce efforts from without just because they think that no one on the outside understands all the nuances of the situation. Every Catholic who loves the Church and what she stands for has a personal stake in this matter. As such, all efforts should work with one another and towards the same goal without stepping on one another's toes. And efforts should be waged on different fronts, because no one effort will be able to reach into every segment of the Catholic population.

That said, anyone attempting to exploit the present situation for the primary purpose of gaining personal prestige - whether they be on the inside looking out or on the outside looking in - will do far more harm than good. This includes the architects of the scandal, as well as those who wish to prolong the scandal as a means to draw attention to themselves. I will not here name names: you know who you are, and your Father who is in Heaven sees what is in your heart, even if you refuse to acknowledge that fact. Take that for what it's worth.

For those who recognize this scandal for what it is: get the word out, and support the Notre Dame students in their efforts. God bless!


In Jesus and Mary,
Gerald