Bishop boycotting Obama at Notre Dame

If the Roman Catholic church and its bishops and priests want to get political and take political positions, then I say they need to start paying property taxes and income taxes. They should no longer be tax exempt. This bishop is living in the dark ages and is terrified of medical research, science and technology. Stem cell research is actually pro life.

Our truth-seeking "journalist" can't be bothered to present Bishop Darcy's remarks. In the interest of fairness, I will:

"March 24, 2009

On Friday, March 21, Father John Jenkins, CSC, phoned to inform me that President Obama had accepted his invitation to speak to the graduating class at Notre Dame and receive an honorary degree. We spoke shortly before the announcement was made public at the White House press briefing. It was the first time that I had been informed that Notre Dame had issued this invitation.

President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred. While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life.

This will be the 25th Notre Dame graduation during my time as bishop. After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation. I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith “in season and out of season,” and he teaches not only by his words — but by his actions.

My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life.

I have in mind also the statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 2004. “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” Indeed, the measure of any Catholic institution is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for.

I have spoken with Professor Mary Ann Glendon, who is to receive the Laetare Medal. I have known her for many years and hold her in high esteem. We are both teachers, but in different ways. I have encouraged her to accept this award and take the opportunity such an award gives her to teach.

Even as I continue to ponder in prayer these events, which many have found shocking, so must Notre Dame. Indeed, as a Catholic University, Notre Dame must ask itself, if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth.

Tomorrow, we celebrate as Catholics the moment when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, became a child in the womb of his most holy mother. Let us ask Our Lady to intercede for the university named in her honor, that it may recommit itself to the primacy of truth over prestige."

Bishop John D'arcy Standards:

Stem cell research= Bad

Un-necessary war in Iraq = Good

Torture = Good

Vetoing healtchare spending for children = Good

Obama = Evil

Bush = Saint

oreon this, background and ND's defense at http://www.LifeNews.com/state3981.html

Gosh....I guess D'arcy must really oppose stem cell. Heck...when he found pedophiles in the church his reaction was only a simple letter. Now he is grandstanding. I wonder how the victims of abuse by priests under D'arcys direction feel about his grand gesture now vs a simple letter to complain against sexual abuse?

Good for Bishop D'Archy! I would also encourage him to attend the prayer service to be held at our Lady's Grotto on the N.D. campus on the day itself (05/17/09) from 2-4 pm. Catholicvote.com is organizing this as peaceful response to this travesty.

Bishop D'Arcy, like the international roman catholic church (of which I am not a member) opposed the war. I know it's difficult for some of you to contain your hate of anyone who dare oppose the One on any grounds, but try to understand that this is a man of faith making a decision for himself and the faithful that he leads. It has nothing to do with what he thinks of Obama (as his statement said) or whether or not he wants him to succeed.
Now, if you're a catholic who supports abortion rights and not someone who's not even a member of the church like me, and this angers you, I'd say try to change your church's thinking if it upsets you enough to draw parallels to the very real abuse scandal in the church. D'Arcy was very accurate in quoting the church's official statement on giving awards and honors to those who don't support a culture of life. Your problem is with your church, not this church leader who has chosen to follow its teachings.

Yeah, Doug -- let's have the Catholic church pay taxes for actually expressing its faith in the only way possible. Yeah. Like Rev. Wright's church, and all the churches where Obama and Jesse Jackson speak pay taxes. Right.

At least your are up front with your bigotry, Doug.

Choice of Notre Dame for an Obama speech was not a happy one.

Neither was the choice to go on Leno, which did not appear presidential.

Who's scheduling the President these days?

I love it when the "family values" right-wing religious nuts take off their masks and show their real ugly face to the public like this.

In a couple of years, if we're lucky, there won't be anything left of the Republican party.
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http://media.photobucket.com/image/republican%20jesus/turpeinen/Macros/RepublicanJesus.png

Hypocrites! A male-run church who has failed to concede the equality of women. No fancy doublespeak and idiotic logic will ever convince me my daughters are not the spiritual equal of any man or that they should not practice safe sex. How many hypocites will be at the counter demonstration that use birth control, had premarital sex, or fail to follow the other antiquated Catholic policies. The women priests we see now in our Episcopalian church are more spiritually inspirational than almost any male priest I saw in my 12 years of Catholic Schools. Physician- heal thyself!

Would Bishop John D'Arcy also place a ban on those who initiated the Iraq war...which ended the lives of thousands and thousands of countless innocent lives?
How about those Conservative Republicans who support the taking of a life through capitol punishment?
To be fair he should be for placing a ban on those folks too.
Perhaps the simplest solution is to permit only Catholic priests in good standing to speak at Notre Dame.
It's going to be pretty hard to find anyone else who agrees with Bishop John D'Arcy on all points

We don't live in a Theocracy. Sounds like some people here (including Bishop D'Arcy ) need to move to Iran.

Posted by: Jeff | March 24, 2009 4:36 PM

You know Jeff, I'd just like my church leaders to be more consistant in their application of doctrine. No Bishop ever publically refused to attend a Bush appearance for the reasons I listed. No Congressperson was ever threatened with the denial of Holy Communion for supporting the War in Iraq. No, the Church only intevenes in the case of abortion. That's all that draws a harsh reaction. War, torture, social justice, the death penalty, they all get lip service, and nothing more.

"Look at me! Look at me!
Mil-wau-kee's
An open see!
Look at me! Look at me!

(Mother of Mercy, get me the hell out of Indiana!)"

The rightwing religious nut conservatives went to the Republican Party and said, We can work together. You guys can have political power whilst we have the power of the Dark Ages; do we have a deal? The Republican Party said, Deal! But with this deal and with this mixing of politics and religion, a new beast has emerged; a beast that is neither religion nor politics but a repulsive combination of the two. The beast hides behind a curtain and dangles puppets like Barbie Palin and Piyush Jindal on strings.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfCK-1BgPTo

Hey disgusted, it's not even my church so don't bring it to me. However, you should note that many Catholics, including the Pope, DID publicly condemn Bush for the Iraq war. And Bush never spoke at Notre Dame so I don't think you can draw a parallel to what D'Arcy's doing and what catholics at other institutions might or might not have done.
There are several reasons why I disagree with the Catholic Church on numerous grounds, but this isn't one of them. Although I wish you good luck in changing your Church into what you would like it to be. Know that we protestants will always take you.

This is the kind of America that the radical Republican nutjobs want to return too.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9mYCU0mH7w
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Hey, Jeff, you interjected yourself into this dicussion about a church other than your own.

Oh, and BTW Bush did speak at ND in 2001.

Doogie,
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Are you calling on Rev Jackson, Sharpton, Wright and Father Pflager to stop their political speech?

Are you calling on Rev Jackson, Sharpton, Wright and Father Pflager to stop their political speech?

Posted by: Terry | March 24, 2009 7:55 PM

I would. Stop ALL tax cuts to WHOMEVER if it is political in nature. Can't make that any clearer.

Hey Terri,
God has a message for right-wing mouth breathers like you:
http://boozedout.com/wp-content/upload/1christ-middle-finger.jpg

Uhm, disgusted, I don't know how your calendar works but there was no Iraq war in early summer of 2001 (when ND commencement is) when Bush spoke there. There was no Aghanistan war, either. There wasn't even any 9/11 yet, so, again, no inconsistency there from D'Arcy. You're darn right I interjected myself, but that doesn't mean I have to take a side on the problems you have with your own church. I'm just trying to set the record straight here about the supposed hypocrisy you're all lying about. In fact, you've proven my point. Once again, when Bush spoke at Notre Dame's commencement in 2001 there was no Iraq war or Aghanistan war. We wouldn't go to war in Iraq for almost another year. And don't try to confuse the issue, that's all I was posting about.

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Hoot hoot Terri. The gist of my posting regarding the above article went right over your head. Maybe go back and re read both, more slowly this time.

Jeff, I haven't lied about anything. I simply made a point about that uneven way that the Roman Catholic Church enforces their doctrine in cases like this. A point that goes well beyond that particulars of this case. Perhaps you aren't aware of the background to alot of these issues in the Church.

I don't know why you are so angry and emotional about this. I don't know if you are motivated by a blind hatred of Obama, some love of Bush, or just a desire to stir up trouble, but you are the one confusinbg the issues, not I.

Bishop D'Arcy clearly hasn't had much publicity of late, and needed to once again draw attention to himself. Though, back in 2001, when George W. Bush gave the commencement address, D'Arcy was silent. Bush was labeled the "Texicutioner" for the great zeal he displayed in killing those on Texas's death row, even mocking those about to die, Also, and more relevant to Jesus's actual message, by the time of the address, Bush had already cut huge amounts of funding for social programs to help the poor. (D'Arcy? silence, but WWJD?)
What a pity that so many "Christian" leaders continually display themselves to be hypocrits, more concerned with their own self-aggrandizement than Jesus's message. Their hypocrisy is killing their own church.

So by the bishop praying for Bush's reelection at a mass on ND campus in 2004, it would seem then that he and his church support torture, imprisonment without charges, war for profit, and the death penalty. These were part of the Bush administration's actions and policies. Are these really catholic values???

jeff..............Bush spoke at Notre Dame's graduation ceremony in 2001.

If Notre Dame doesn't have a problem w/Obama being there, the rest of the people should just shut up.

Yeah, Doug -- let's have the Catholic church pay taxes for actually expressing its faith in the only way possible. Yeah. Like Rev. Wright's church, and all the churches where Obama and Jesse Jackson speak pay taxes. Right.

At least your are up front with your bigotry, Doug.

Posted by: Pierce Harlan | March 24, 2009 4:37 PM

My stance as a liberal is pretty firm, but I have to say that: a) I don't have a problem with D'Arcy's decision not to attend the commencement, nor with his making a statement about how he feels, and b) Pierce Harlen has a point (although I hate having to admit it).
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As to this constituting the Catholic Church needing to lose its tax-free status because of what the Bishop has said, it gets kind of complicated. D'Arcy hasn't made any kind of recommendation or advocacy in either direction, telling his people how they should vote, so I don't see where anybody could argue the Catholic Church should lose its status, at least not based on this incident.
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And I know I'm gonna get flack for this, but, as I recall, Rev. Wright DID make some pretty blatant political "commercials" and, for that, they ought to get socked with some taxes. Of course, I'd put them WAY down in the list of churches deserving the loss of such status, after the churches of the Pat Robertsons, the late Jerry Falwells, and the James Dobsons of the world. THOSE people ought to be paying BACK taxes for about 20-30 years, because they've clearly backed their own candidates AT LEAST since Ronald Reagan.

Doogie,
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The fact is you loons only bring up the issue of churches taking political positions when they disagree with the flatliner position. Did you worry about the Catholic church's tax-exempt when they spoke out on poverty? the war in Iraq? Not a peep. Hypocrit is you name.
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If you would wise up, the tax-exempt status does not equate to a gag order on things political. There are lines they cannot cross, but they are no where near those lines.

Bishop D'Arcy should be ashamed of himself for protesting the President. For all the child abuse and what catholic priest have done to boys over the years is sickening. I was a catholic but because of people like the bisop I wouldn,t bring my own kids up in the church. God gave us all choices to make. I believe in God and my Savior Jesus Christ but I could never follow so-called leaders like Bishop D'Arcy

Hooray for Catholicvote.com organising the prayer the prayer service to be held at our Lady's Grotto on the N.D. campus on the day itself (05/17/09) from 2-4 pm.
With Obama's announcement onTuesday that $50 million of our tax dollars has been given to the UNFPA (the UN agency that has been promoting abortion and working with Chinese population control officials where the enforcement of the coercive one-child rule has resulted in forced abortions, involuntary sterilizations and other human rights abuses.

Research from both US & British governments, has shown UNFPA officials working alongside their Chinese colleagues and going as far as sharing the same offices.

Notre Dame may allow the President to speak, but awarding President Obama an honorary degree is WRONG! That award gives credence to his very strong pro-death views.

Will the students and parents boycott this ceremony?

"[Obama] has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life," D'Arcy said in a statement.

Oh really, D'Arcy? What would you call war then?

Just one comment about conferring honors, etc. I should think that a private audience with the pope is conferring some sort of honor. The pope gave George Bush a private audience and George, God bless him, oversaw
more death executions in Texas than the WHOLE REST OF THE COUNTRY COMBINED. I do believe that the Catholic Church is as opposed to the death sentence as it is to abortion. Maybe the church should all collectively grow long trunks in front of their faces. Their reich wing is showing and they might as well just come out as Republicans. I believe in free choice, although that does NOT mean I am in favor of abortion. The law should allow free choice
Religion should teach us how to use that choice.

The consternation expressed by the bishops and catholic laity, is over a moral issue. The dignity and value of human life. Abortion and its components are about human rights and social justice. Sadly we have made it a "political" issue.

why is it so important for some to silence or shout over those we may disagree with?

In all fairness, it's honorable on the part of ND to attempt to foster peace between the opposing camps on the issue of abortion by inviting Obama to speak, but it was poor judgement on the part of the university to have him speak at the commencement ceremony. By doing so, the president of the university, board members, and student supporters of BO's appearance have pushed aside the Catholic values and tenetts that true Catholics hold dear (in which they are accredited to instruct their students), and made a clearly black and white issue of right and wrong (which transends any law or ordinance passed by a nation-state) into a mere political debate. I would expect the commencement of a Catholic University with the preeminance of Notre Dame would be a platform in which to reinforce the need to follow the values and canons of the Catholic Church. They are in fact a Catholic University. Such would be the expectation of a protestant university with a strong focus on theology (to reinforce the values of their given denomination). I applaude Bishop D'Arcy for choosing to boycotting the ceremony. He has shown true Catholics, and many protestant Christians a great example. Love your detractors, pray for them, show them the respect they deserve as human beings and elected officials, but be strong and oppose their viewpoints when they go against your set of values. It's not just the American way its the right way, and 'Yes we can'.

Bishop D'arcy
Thank you for showing me once again the catholic chuch is screwed up.

Sincerely
A catholic

The vatican council needs to meet again because idiots like you make the church look bad

Bishop D'arcy
Thank you for showing me once again the catholic chuch is screwed up.

Sincerely
A catholic

The vatican council needs to meet again because idiots like you make the church look bad

I've never done anything like this before, but Sunday was a black day for me. Yes, I am Carholic; I am also 79 years old, which I don't think any of the "posters" I just finished reading can come close. The values and morality that I grew up with are gone, and most young people today think that's great. But then, they don't know------yet-----where our Country is heading. I still love my Country, and I firmly believe that "In God We Trust" should remain on our currancy, that our politicians should strive to do what we, the people think they should do, not what suits them, and, especially, that human life, including unborn babies, is sacred.

Who cares what D'Arcy thinks? Let Notre Dame run its own business and let D'Arcy rant his right wing nonsense.

When will the Catholic Chuirch enter the 19th Century, let alone the 21st?