Fr. Z Fisks Pathetic Sycophant Kmiec on Notre Dame's Obama Invite
Here:
... Some of the reaction to Obama is still post-election sour grapes. [Once again, Kmiec chooses to look at the issue through the lens of party politics. That is not why Catholics are upset about what is going on at Notre Dame.] Obama netted 54 percent of the Catholic vote nationwide, including a sizable share in Notre Dame’s home state of Indiana, where he became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 to win the Hoosier State’s electoral votes. [See? Again it’s all about the numbers and not whether something is right or wrong.] Obama’s victory loosened the grip the GOP had on middle-income families, a result of Ronald Reagan’s likable personality and his stance against an abortion rate in excess of 1 million per year.(emphasis and editorial commentary in original)
Obama’s views supporting abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research are pragmatic. Obama knows this is less than the absolute legal prohibition demanded by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in America. [A clear demonstration of where Kmiec stands.]
Obama successfully found some common ground during the campaign by advocating abortion reduction with enhanced economic and social support, especially for poor, uninsured and often unemployed women. In addition, the president advocates stronger families and teenage responsibility. [He is pragmatic.]
Not enough. Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George, who met with the president in the Oval Office on St. Paddy’s Day, can be seen on YouTube stirring up letter-writing and e-mail campaigns. [That is apparently a bad thing to do to The Wun. We must not stir discontent! We must … must…. we must… crawl… we must …. bow before his superior intellect… his eloquence…. oooooo] The local bishop in Indiana plans to boycott the graduation altogether...
[Read the whole thing]
(Hat tip: Don McClarey at The American Catholic)
UPDATE:
I suppose if I had really wanted to be provocative and "sport a bad attitude", as Prof. Kmiec would say, I could've titled this post as follows:
UPDATE #2
And while comparing the Bishops to the Klan, here's what Kmiec has to say about Obama:
"... his administration has already assumed the mantle of Catholicism ..."Got that? Our shepherds, the Bishops, are not only just like the KKK, they have forfeited their leadership role by being out of step with the - as Kmiec keeps reminding us - 54% of Catholics who voted for Obama. And in their place, Kmiec ensconces the One who has "assumed the mantle of Catholicism".
Labels: Catholic Education, Catholic Identity, Culture of Death, Dissident Catholics, Higher Education, Hypocrites, Obama, Pro-Life
posted by Pro Ecclesia 10:13 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
To me, bishops boycotting the graduating says a lot about their own immaturity and cowardice. It takes a big man to go to an event even if you do not like the person who is speaking. Obama is not going to notice the absence of the bishop, nor is he going to care. The bishop could do much more good by showing up, but for some unknown reason refuses to do so.
We already know that Catholic bishops are against abortion. No one in their right mind would mistake a bishop showing up to Notre Dame as support for Obama's abortion policies. What it does reek of, though, is an unwillingness to stand up to the face of the President of the United States and tell him exactly why he is wrong in regards to abortion.
This is why I fully support the decision to bring Barack Obama to Notre Dame. It brings him to a university where there are presumably hundreds of Catholics willing to protest abortion. It has nothing to do with Notre Dame supporting abortion. How the bishops and other Catholics can ignore this is beyond perplexing to me.
Anon 6:43pm: You really think the university is going to tolerate protests of their big celebrity visit?
You really think they are going to let someone get in Obama's face and tell him why he's wrong? Jenkins didn't consent with the local bishop until it was a done deal. All Bishop D'Arcy's presence at the commencement would do would be to serve as an endorsement of Jenkins' kowtowing to Caesar.
No, of course not--both of those things would be great embarrassments, staining their PR coup.
Sadly, Obama isn't going to meet the Body of Christ witnessing to the truths of the faith. He's going to meet a gaggle of star-struck Christians swooning over the honor of meeting him.
Anonymous,
You say it takes a big man to go to an event with a disliked speaker. I say it takes a big man to do an unpopular but right thing, such as not going to an event featuring (and honoring) a popular speaker who opposes everything you stand for. By not attending, the Bishop is standing up to the face of the President, saying "You're completely out of alignment with the values of the Church, the values allegedly held by this Catholic University. I won't be a part of a ceremony that honors you."
It would be easier for the Bishop to not make waves and just attend, silent on the points of disagreement.
A commencement ceremony is not an opportunity to talk to someone about disagreements. It is not a chance to tell President Obama why he is wrong on issues like abortion and ESCR.
I'm sure the Bishop would be perfectly willing to attend a debate/symposium/whatever at Notre Dame with pro-abortionists, where there is an opportunity to talk about the details of the issue. But the commencement ceremony and issuance of an honorary degree doesn't provide such an opportunity.
I love "anonymous" commenters calling out others for cowardice.
Obama is trying to make the church invalid and is attempting to strip it of moral authority. Notre Dame and Georgetown are playing right into his hand by sacrificing right for prestige. It is time for the church to stand up and say no further!
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