In 2004, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a document - Catholics in Political Life, which included this line about how Catholic schools were to conduct themselves (emphasis mine in bold):
- 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.
I predicted several days ago in passing, that when Bishop D'Arcy - the Ordinary of Fort Wayne - South Bend issued his statement, we might see a flood of statements coming out of other bishops. It's only a matter of courtesy to let the local Bishop have his say first. It took just one day for us to hear from the first bishop. I suspect we may be hearing from more in the near future as diocesan papers with bishop's columns begin to circulate.
Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix, Arizona sent a letter to Notre Dame president, Fr. Jenkins, yesterday - on the Feast of the Annunication He then authorized it's release.
Here it is in full:
Dear Fr. Jenkins,
I am saddened and heavy of heart about your decision to invite President Obama to speak at Notre Dame University and even to receive an honorary degree.
It is a public act of disobedience to the Bishops of the United States. Our USCCB June 2004 Statement "Catholics in Political Life" states: "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." No one could not know of the public stands and actions of the president on key issues opposed to the most vulnderable human beings.
John Paul II said, "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights - for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture - is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with the maximum determination."
I pray that you come to see the grave mistake of your decision, and the way that it undercuts the Church's proclamation of the Gospel of Life in our day.
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted
Diocese of Phoenix
H/T to Tom Peters at American Papist and to LifeSiteNews
In the meanwhile, NotreDameScandal.com is on it's way to another 50k signature day with a total of 173,286 as of 6:05pm.
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!