Editor’s note: This is the letter Bishop Edward J. Slattery sent to Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, president of the University of Notre Dame, asking that he cancel the invitation he has extended to President Barack Obama.
March 31, 2009
Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC
Office of the President
400 Main Building
University of Notre Dame
Fort Wayne, IN 46556
Dear Father Jenkins:
I am writing to plead with you to cancel the invitation you gave to President Obama to speak at the University and the plans to honor him with a doctorate degree. Many, many Catholics and alumni of the University of Notre Dame are waiting for you to do so – some of them live here in Tulsa and are graduates of Notre Dame.
As you know, President Obama is aggressively promoting abortion on demand not only here in the United States but all over the world. In fact, he wants doctors to be required to perform an abortion whenever the mother asks.
Faithful Catholics and all men and women of good will are appalled by the sin of abortion. It is a cancer in our society which is eating away at all the other pro-life issues because abortion destroys human life at its very beginning and has become so common.
For President Obama to be honored by Notre Dame is more than a disappointment, it is a scandal – especially to young adults. His being honored by Notre Dame will make it easier for a woman who contemplates abortion to actually submit herself to this cruel and deadly procedure. At the same time, the University of Notre Dame will have distanced itself from the Bishops of the country who unanimously have asked that no politician promoting abortion be honored by any of our institutions.
On the other hand, your cancellation of the president’s visit will be noted and remembered as an affirmation of the intrinsic value of human life, a courageous example of prophetic witness worthy of a Catholic institution.
I promise my prayers for you, for President Obama, and for all those who lead our Church and our society.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Edward J. Slattery
Bishop of Tulsa
Andrea
[5/1/2009 10:38:27 AM]I am very distressed to see Catholics try to justify supporting a president who has no respect for the innocent children who are kiilled by abortion and no respect for the women who are deeply wounded by this act.
Joseph DePrisco
[4/30/2009 12:37:54 PM]Thank you Bishop Slattery! You, along with 54 other successors of the Apostles have spoken out against this scandal. Mr. Charles Kenney, YOU are NOT a successor of the Apostles. Shame on you. You are totally wrong about Bush and the death penalty, etc. Several other posters have demolished your biased arguments. No need to repeat it here. According to your logic ND could invite KKK leaders to speak. Would you approve of THAT? Or how about Rev Jeremiah Wright? Or maybe a holocaust denier like Bishop Williamson of the SSPX. Unless you are prepared to support those people as speakers at Catholic universities, then you are a hypocrite. Thank you again Bishop Slattery. Joe
Lew Little
[4/14/2009 2:54:50 PM]A majority of the students and the Notre Dame Community support the decision of the University and Father Jenkins. Bishop Slattery along with other bishops hold myoptic views on life issues. The implication from Bishop Slattery's letter is that a public officials could support the death penalty, immoral wars resulting in death of innocent people, oppose national health care for children resulting in quality of life issue, oppose amnesty for illegal alien, most of whom are Catholics, and oppose global warming initiatives resulting in quality of life issues for us all, but as long those officials oppose abortion, we would not hear a peep from our church leadership. I wish that our church leaders had been this emotional and adamant in attacking the clergy abuse scandals which has affected virtually every diocese in the country over the last few decades. This is what results when church priorities are totally dicated by a rather exclusive group of older white males. The Obama invitation by Notre Dame was no doubt encouraged by Fr. Hesbergh. "Fr. Ted" said it best, "No one man will change the University, but the University may change the man." God Bless Notre Dame, L. Little from Diocese of Lafayette, IN University of Notre Dame '74 Bishop Kelley HS '70
J.A. Arroyo
[4/5/2009 11:57:23 AM]How about some perspective here? What is the death rates? Abortion, in the United States, accounted for 1.37 million abortions per year (1996 statistics) and approximately 3,700 deaths per DAY! Worldwide, which will increase because of Obama's allowing U.S. aid to pay for abortions worldwide, accounts for 42 MILLION a year, which breaks down to 115,000 per DAY! In more recent statistics, under the Bush Administration I would point out, • In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were performed, down from 1.31 million abortions in 2000. I would also point out that there has not been an infallible teaching from the Pope (or Popes) on "Just" or "Unjust war" in Iraq or the Death Penalty but there has been consistant teaching, as far back to the Didache in the 1st Century opposing Abortion. The Church MUST consistently teach the Truth and oppose those that refuse to stand up for the least and weakest among us. I would also point out that this Administration has proposed lifting the protection for Catholic Physicians and Hospitals, indeed any religious institution or physician, to object to perform an abortion because of their religious or moral beliefs. As a consequence, a Catholic Physician can conceivably face legal consequences for following his/her conscience. The consequences of this could lead to closing our Catholic hospitals and clinics or, at the very least, mean they could no longer offer maternity and OB/GYN services to the public. Would you wish for a Catholic institution to offer an Honorary Degree to someone who was imprisoning Catholics because of their beliefs? Isn't that what this President is well on the way toward?
Charles Kenney
[4/3/2009 1:41:14 AM]I appreciate the spirit in with which others have responded to my comments, even as they disagree.
I would like to clarify three things.
First, in my comments I clearly did not say that opposition to abortion is ideological bias.
I said that expressing opposition to abortion alone, while failing to defend life consistently by expressing opposition the use of the death penalty today in the United States and failing to express opposition to a war judged by Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger to be unjust reflects views shaped more by ideology than Catholic Doctrine.
Second, with respect to President Bush's two speeches at Notre Dame, the first took place before the Iraq War but after President Bush had participated in the killing of over one hundred prisoners as governor of Texas. (The Catholic Church teaches unambiguously that under the conditions present in the United States today, capital punishment is wrong.) The second speech took place in March 2005, by which time approximately 25,000 Iraqi civilians had been killed in a war judged by the Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger, and the vast majority of Catholics living outside the United States to be unjust.
Bishop Slattery did not express opposition to either of President Bush's speeches at Notre Dame, which is what led me to see his opposition to President Obama's speech as more in line with ideological bias than Catholic Doctrine. I do not mean to be uncharitable, and I have no insight as to Bishop Slattery's true mind or motives.
Third, I am not arguing that President Bush should not have spoken at Notre Dame. I am arguing that President Obama should be allowed to speak at Notre Dame, and that we as Catholics should seek to bring policy more in line with Catholic Doctrine by opposing abortion, the application of the death penalty in the United States, and wars fought as something other than a last resort. The presence of a President at Notre Dame should be an occasion to promote consistent respect for the dignity of human life.
I do not agree that we should oppose the President of the United States being invited to speak at commencement at the University of Notre Dame, whether this be George Bush or Barack Obama.
CKT
[4/2/2009 5:44:40 PM]
Mario Cuomo, a devout Catholic, spoke at Notre Dame in 1984 in a speech ententitled, "Religous Belief and Public Morality" in the defense of abortion rights. He argues that by making your beliefs law, you open the door for others to make their beliefs law. If Mario Cuomo was allowed to speak, certainly President Obama should be allowed to speak especially after all the obstacles he has overcome in his life.
KT
[4/2/2009 5:32:26 PM]
Notre Dame has every right to invite President Obama to their University, no matter his beliefs. It is not our place to judge. The Catholic Church and Bishop Slattery certainly has more significant matters at hand in his own diocese. Our Lord loves and accepts everyone, no matter the doctrine. I did not hear any outcry when former President Bush went to Notre Dame and he is guilty of war crimes (such as approving and promoting torture). I think there is a significant disconnect, and continues to be, between the Catholic Church, its members, and what Jesus would do in certain situations. Especially given that most members hold the same views on abortion as non-Catholics and most Catholics do use....BIRTH CONTROL!
Furthermore, this President certainly needs more prayers than condemnation and acts of ostericization given the issues and decisions he faces on a daily basis. Perhaps the leaders of this church should lead by example- Christ's example.
Rebecca Higgins
[4/2/2009 3:52:55 PM]
Well done, Bishop. The faithful are praying with you for Notre Dame.
Isaac Olson
[4/1/2009 5:45:54 PM]
Thank you for your courage and responsibility in standing up against the culture of death, Bishop Slattery.
Know that there are many Catholic faithful who are praying for you and all our bishops. We stand with you in defending our faith and the life of everyone - even those who disagree with us.
May Our Lady aid and protect us and continue to guide you, Bishop Slattery, as a good Shepherd of the flock.
God bless you,
I. Olson
Seattle, WA
EdK
[4/1/2009 1:07:37 PM]
Your Excellency, I commend you on your courageous position.
To Mr. Kenney, opposition to abortion may be "ideological bias" to you, but unlike your example of capital punishment and war, abortion is always held to be a morally intrinsic evil by our Church. I agree that capital punishment ought not be used, but the Church does not teach that the death penalty is universally immoral or never warranted. And Catholics of good faith may, in good conscience, disagree as to whether a war is justifiable or not. Finally, Mr. Bush spoke at Notre Dame long before the Iraq war, so that argument is specious.
Jon and Monica Conro
[4/1/2009 10:49:37 AM]
Well done good and faithful servant! Thank you for your courageous leadership. You are an inspiration to us all. We are proud to be members of your flock. Know that our prayers are with you always.
May God continue to bless and strengthen you.
The Conro Family
Charles Kenney
[4/1/2009 10:13:34 AM]
I cannot commend Bishop Slattery's actions, because they reflect a selective enforcement of Church Doctrine guided more by ideological bias than by the Gospel.
Every public official, every president, is involved in policies that violate Church teachings in some respect. Where was Bishop Slattery when a President who violated Church Doctrine and the specific objections of Pope John Paul II and then-Cardinal Ratzinger by invading Iraq, a President who was proud of his record putting to death prisoners in Texas in violation of Church Doctrine, was twice invited to Notre Dame?
If you find yourself thinking, "but the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to do, and death row prisoners are rightfully put to death," you are deviating from the Teachings of the Church and following an ideology.
The issue of abortion is of fundamental importance to us as Catholics and as Americans, but the Defense of Life goes far beyond abortion. When a University of the quality and commitment to the Church such as Notre Dame engages with public figures such as President Obama, it is playing an important role, one that no other university in this country can play. There is much to honor in the person of President Obama, while--as with all presidents--there is much to oppose. Notre Dame is a place where serious and honest confrontations of views are possible and encouraged, and I hope that President Obama's presence on campus provides such an opportunity.
Those who oppose Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama, after celebrating or maintaining silence when Notre Dame invited previous presidents, are selectively enforcing Church Doctrine in line with their ideological beliefs and not in line with the Gospel, which undermines the legitimacy and effectiveness of their opposition.
I pray for leadership in the Church that defends life consistently and not selectively. Had Bishop Slattery written a letter to ask that Notre Dame's invitations to President Bush be rescinded because his policies and actions were in conflict with Church Doctrine, the present letter could be seen as further expression of difficult Gospel Truths. Sadly, this is not the case.
I realize that my views on this topic will not be welcome by many who write here, and I must accept that I may be wrong. I would ask only that those who read these words consider them in the spirit in which they are offered: words from a Church member who seeks with others to love God and neighbor (including the unborn, death row inmates, Iraqi civilians, and migrants of every nation).
Ben Callicoat
[3/31/2009 6:39:38 PM]
Once again our good and holy bishop steps forward to defend the faith.
Well done, holy shepherd. I am proud to be a member of your flock!
Stan Mc Kenney
[3/31/2009 5:22:18 PM]
I appreciate your comments to the president of Notre Dame. I believe they are more than justified. The good lord is proud of you.
God Bless you.
Karen Ripley Stein
[3/31/2009 5:11:58 PM]
Thank you Bishop Slattery! Thank you for reaching out to Fr. Jenkins as a Bishop and teacher of the faith and speaking the truth. May God bless you and the people of your Diocese. They have a Father of the Faith for a Bishop!
Oklahoma has a long line of Bishops willing to speak up for Life, thinking of Bishop Kelly back in the days of the Cristeros War in Mexico. Thank you!
Baptized in Holy Family Cathedral
Yours in Christ,
Karen Stein
Teresa Cara
[3/31/2009 5:03:18 PM]
Thank you for being a faithful leader! The Notre Dame scandal has been frustrating topic of many conversations lately. Appreciate you standing strong!!
In solidarity,
Teresa Cara
Oklahoma City Archdiocese
John & Evelyn Moseley
[3/31/2009 4:56:01 PM]
Way to go, dear Bishop Slattery!! Thank you for consistently speaking up for the unborn!! You are truly an inspiration and a courageous leader for our diocese and community. You remain in our prayers this Holy Week and always...
Sincerely in Christ,
The Moseleys
