South Bend, Ind., May 17, 2009 / 16:06 pm
At least four pro-lifers disrupted President Barack Obama's commencement speech at Notre Dame with shouts like "stop killing babies," and "abortion is murder," but they were immediately escorted out by campus police and their voices silenced by the audience chanting Obama's campaign motto "Yes we can."
Wearing the blue robes of Notre Dame after receiving an honorary Law degree, President Obama was welcomed onto the stage with an ovation from 12,000 graduating seniors, master’s, doctoral and law graduates, their guests and staff.
Obama's remarks followed Fr. Jenkins' speech in which the battled President of the Catholic institution dramatically tried to justify the rightness of Notre Dame's decision to confer Obama with an honorary degree despite the fact that his views and political record on abortion are completely opposed to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
“More than any problem in the arts or sciences, engineering or medicine, easing the hateful divisions between human beings is the supreme challenge of this age,” Father Jenkins said. “If we can solve this problem, we have a chance to come together and solve all the others.”