Catholics United Defends Its Performance in Obama/Notre Dame Controversy
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
Catholics United Executive Director Chris Korzen E-mails to defend his group's performance in the controversy over President Obama's forthcoming appearance Notre Dame. Yesterday, I wrote that his group seemed to be slow in responding to the flap—after it had been out front in defending Roman Catholic HHS nominee Kathleen Sebelius—and that it appeared as though Catholics United was lumping a Catholic bishop in with the "partisan operatives" it accused of fomenting anti-Obama-at-Notre Dame outrage.
Here's Korzen's note:
We launched a far-reaching campaign to support Gov. Sebelius because her nomination as Health and Human Services Secretary has profound implications for health care policy in our country. Our support of the University of Notre Dame, on the other hand, is a necessary response to the media's unfortunate elevation of extreme groups who do not represent the voices of mainstream Catholics.
We do not include Bishop [John M.] D'Arcy among those who we believe are misusing the Catholic faith to advance a partisan agenda. While Bishop D'Arcy's decision not to attend the commencement is unfortunate, we commend him for expressing his opinion in a civil and respectful manner and for not adding his voice to the shrill chorus attacking Notre Dame and President Obama.
As partisans like Mr. [Newt] Gingrich and the Cardinal Newman Society engage in a frivolous campaign against civility and open discourse, millions of American Catholics continue to lose their jobs, go without health care, and wonder how they will pay for their children's higher education. This is what Catholics are truly concerned about, and this is the real outrage.
Tags: Barack Obama | religion | University of Notre Dame | Catholicism
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (44) | Print
Reader Comments
sorry
I had an abortion and yes the students have the right to not attend and the issue is more -President Obama uses our tax dollars-out of my paycheck and (I am a college instructor single Mom of 5 children) to give money to outside foreign countries to defend abortion???-this is more -Obamas also at Gerogetown wanted a depiction of Jesus covered? please -are you a woman? have you ever felt the effects of an abortion and the depression that promotes death? You can not equate going to war to defend a country in te same way as unneccesary killing as a form of birth control.
The students welcomed Obama to come to a Town Hall meeting and debate issues-but to honor the most anti-Christian president that the country has ever had- and Notre Dame means "Our Lady"-or don't most people understand that-what hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy
As a Catholic student, I feel that the Catholic reaction to this issue only contributes to the anti-Catholic sentiment felt by the public. Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama to speak at Notre Dame is an honor for the University and for the graduating students of the class. To react so vehemently opposed to Obama for his stance on the abortion movement is as close-minded as those who did NOT protest President Bush's commencement speech after his inauguration. After all, Bush was governor of the state with the highest rate of the death penalty in the nation. If Catholics are to sit on their high horse to condemn President Obama, they should look then at who they truly support. After all, starting an unnecessary war goes both against the Pope and Catholic doctrine as well. If Catholics are to proclaim themselves as "pro-life" then they must look at all sides of this title...because pro-life means life for all, including those on death row, which Republicans do not support. Instead of rejecting every speaker for every point of view in the world, Catholics should look at the purpose of any speaker at a commencement ceremony, and thus feel honored to have our new president speak.
American Taliban at it again
A word for the US Taliban: mind your own business. This is a day for the students of Notre Dame and not your pet project to get more publicity.
advertisement
