Marquette bishop weighs in on Notre Dame scandal

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Comments: 17

Bishop Alexander Sample

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Marquette, Mich., Apr 7, 2009 / 06:15 pm (CNA).- Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette, Michigan has joined the growing number of Catholic bishops and laity speaking out against Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama. Bishop Sample called the university's decision to honor Obama is "unconscionable" and "completely out of step with the Catholic Church’s teaching."

On Tuesday Bishop Sample joined an increasing number of bishops denouncing Notre Dame’s speaking invitation and bestowal of an honorary degree to President Obama. A petition asking the university's president Fr. John Jenkins to put an end to the scandal had nearly 250,000 signers on Tuesday afternoon.

In his statement, Sample said that Obama’s "campaign rhetoric" and the "actions he has taken since becoming president" have made it clear that he intends to fuel the Culture War and continue the "destruction of innocent human life."

Bishop Sample cited Obama’s "Mexico City Policy" executive order, approval of funding embryonic stem cell research, and "his pledge to sing into law a resurrected Freedom of Choice Act."

Given Obama’s record, Bishop Sample said it was "unconscionable" that a Catholic university would honor someone who is "so completely out of step with the Catholic Church’s teaching" on the protection of "human life in its most vulnerable forms, even if that individual holds the highest office in the land."

Bishop Sample also said he has personally written Fr. John Jenkins and asked him to withdraw the invitation.

He concluded his letter by saying that it "saddens [him] beyond words that the great university name after Our Lady" would honor a politician "who would seek to expand threats to such innocent human life."

Comments: 17

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Sandy S.
Iron Mountain, MI USA 04/16/2009 06:18 PM EST

Is Notre Dame also covering up all religious items during the president's visit. Georgetown Univ. did this upon a request from the White House to have no religious items in view when the President was there. This is unacceptable. How do we continue to support the CHURCH when they allow such disrespect. WE ARE CATHOLICS.

Published by: maureen
CT 04/16/2009 12:11 PM EST

Robin and Anne:
No one issue is more important than life. In fact, the sum of all other issues pales to the issue of life. society that does not defend its most vulnerable is shameful. Obama is a baby-killer, as are all politician's who allow this genocide to continue.

Published by: Carl Beltran
Edison/NJ/USA 04/16/2009 12:26 AM EST

Fr. Jenkins - I pray that you will re-discover the Catholic identify of Notre Dame.

Published by: JosephII
East Northport, NY 04/11/2009 06:43 AM EST

Robin: It's not a matter of politics, it is a matter of God's teaching, "Thou shall not murder!" That is what abortion is, child murder. Good on the Bishop for condemning the invitation to obama, the most pro-death radical baby killer ever elected to office!

Published by: PhilipOH
Columbus 04/11/2009 04:58 AM EST

Christ was very often out of the mainstream of society.
Jesus did not refrain from speaking unpopular truths to the leaders of his day.
I pray that the bishops have the courage to continue to follow in His footsteps.

Published by: J. P. McKenney Sr
Pine Bluff Arkansas 04/09/2009 03:40 AM EST

as a 4th degree K of C
not only should the invitation be recended, Jenkins should tender his resignation as president of ND, and join a monistary where he can study the Bible.

Published by: Virgilijus Kaulius
Vancouver 04/09/2009 02:21 AM EST

I remain appalled as a cradle Catholic at this "Age's" return to Catholic "triumpalism" at its worst!

We are supposed to use Religion to UNITE!
NOT to divide!
Tell these Bishops to take a new road exam on their mental driving: they are causing too many accidents among the theologically illiterate Laity!
Where is Cardinal Newman when we need him?! Heaven help us
'cause we sure are failing on our own!!!

Published by: Anne Newcomb
Newcomb 04/08/2009 08:22 PM EST

Notre Dame is absolutely correct to invite a sitting President of the United States of America to speak. President Obama supports treating people with respect and dignity, he supports fair wages and clean energy, Jobs for people, and housing. These used to be Catholic issues when the Catholic Church was truly Catholic.
President Obama does not "support abortion." What's being supported is the right to make an informed, conscientious decision. If you all would back off the self righteouness, we could sit down and find common ground that discourages abortion for convenience .
Your self-righteous abortion rhetoric simply causes more abortions because people in the middle can not possibly agree with you.
I'm sorry to be harsh, but you are causing great harm to the world. -Anne Newcomb

Published by: paula gavin
danbury, ct usa 04/08/2009 07:23 PM EST

Robin in Phoenix:The issue is human life: do you favor the destruction or innocent human life or protecting the absolute right to life our founders argued for? It doesn't get any more real than that. Seems you are suffering from alternative universe syndrome as well as a seriously flawed sense of principals.

Published by: Kathy
Marquette MI 04/08/2009 04:21 PM EST

Notre Dame should un-invite Obama!
And yes I agree the honorary degree should definitely be withdrawn!

Published by: Lisa
sidney, Il 04/08/2009 12:08 PM EST

This is not a political issue. It's a faith and morality issue, and Notre Dame is way outside Catholic teaching on this one. I just wonder what they are teaching our students if they can't make a better call on the clear-cut issue of abortion. For a better look on faith and politics, read Archbishop Charles Chaput's book Render Unto Caesar.

Published by: Robin
Phoenix, Arizona, USA 04/08/2009 02:26 AM EST

Rate: Regular

As I read the rabid denunciations of Obama, I cannot helps but wonder if these church leaders are living in an alternate universe. Its a speech and an honorary degree. Get over it. These denunciations only serve to show just how out of the mainstream the Catholic leadership has become.

Published by: cw
Wichita, KS USA 04/08/2009 12:44 AM EST

Thanks to Bishop Alexander Sample for his good words. I pray that Father Jenkins has a chance of heart.

Published by: pat mallory
Cincinnati Ohio 04/07/2009 08:35 PM EST

I hope that our Church and it's leaders will not become too political on this issue.

Published by: KEN GUTHRIE
GAINESVILLE, FL 04/07/2009 07:45 PM EST

OUR OFFICE OPINION IS YOU SHOULD RESCIND THE REQUEST FOR OBAMA TO SPEAK AT THE UNIVERSITY.

Published by: Don Wimberly
Orange Spgs., Fl USA 04/07/2009 07:41 PM EST

I am a Catholic and think that Jenkins should recind the invitation to Obama.

Published by: MaryTN
Nashville 04/07/2009 06:52 PM EST

Thank goodness the Bishops are now speaking out and taking action.

They have remained silent for too long on too many issues.

Be leaders.

Stand for what is right. This is what our children need. This is what our Church needs.

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