U.S. Bishops Praise Bishop D’Arcy in Wake of Notre Dame Scandal

When my plane landed in San Antonio last Friday, I encountered several Catholic Bishops at the airport, which reminded me that the USCCB was holding its meeting in San Antonio last week.

Among the items the Bishops took up at the meeting was the matter of pro-abortion politicians speaking at Catholic universities (specifically, Notre Dame's decision to invite Pres. Obama to speak at its graduation and to award him an honorary law degree). Not surprisingly, the USCCB decided to engage in a little "partisan politics":

This makes it even harder for liberal Catholics to claim that the U.S. bishops who kept quiet about President Obama at Notre Dame represent a "silent majority" that's embarrassed by a minority of outspoken socially conservative bishops.

At its General Assembly in San Antonio last week, the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops issued a statement applauding Bishop John D'Arcy—the Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., bishop whose diocese includes the University of Notre Dame—for how he handled the school's invitation to Obama to deliver its commencement speech last month.

After the invitation was made public, D'Arcy publicly blasted the university and boycotted Obama's appearance.

This bishops just released this statement of solidarity with D'Arcy:

The bishops of the United States express our appreciation and support for our brother bishop, the Most Reverend John D'Arcy. We affirm his pastoral concern for Notre Dame University, his solicitude for its Catholic identity, and his loving care for all those the Lord has given him to sanctify, to teach and to shepherd.

More from John Allen and from Whispers in the Loggia.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Catholic College Leaders Lobby Bishops to Withdraw 2004 Policy Banning Pro-Abortion Speakers [UPDATED]

American Papist Issues Challenge to Left-Leaning Catholics: "No More Claiming US Bishops Are 'Partisan' on Abortion"

Who's Really Playing a "Political Game" in the Notre Dame Imbroglio

Of "Neo-Caths" and "Sharia Catholicism"

Bishop D'Arcy Publicly Corrects President Jenkins' "Flawed Justification for His Actions" [UPDATED]

Notre Dame's President Jenkins: "We Are Tremendously Proud" to be Acting in Defiance of the US Catholic Bishops

Proof that the Group Calling Itself "Catholic Democrats" is More "Democrat" Than "Catholic" [UPDATED]

Evansville Bishop Won't Attend Pro-Life Banquet with GOP's Steele as Speaker

Bishop D'Arcy Speaks on Notre Dame and Obama; Bishop Will Not Attend Boycott Ceremony