What if?

What if conservative Catholics succeed and President Obama or Notre Dame withdraws from their commencement address plans? Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco John Quinn ponder this and more questions in an America magazine editorial. If Obama is forced to back out, “will that further the pro-life effort in our country … will that increase cooperation […]

What if conservative Catholics succeed and President Obama or Notre Dame withdraws from their commencement address plans?

Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco John Quinn ponder this and more questions in an America magazine editorial.

If Obama is forced to back out, “will that further the pro-life effort in our country … will that increase cooperation between the Catholic Church and the Administration, or will it create mounting tensions and deepening hostility? If the president is forced to withdraw, will that bring about fewer abortions in the United States? Will his withdrawal under such pressure lead more people to support pro-life efforts?…


How will it impact the image of the church? Will it enhance the mission of the church? Will it create a more positive attitude toward the Catholic Church?”

Hugh Cleary, superior general of the Congregation of Holy Cross, which founded Notre Dame, has an open letter to Obama on America’s site, asking the president to “rethink, through prayerful wrestling with your own conscience, your stated positions on the vital `life issues’ of our day.”

Finally, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has entered the fray.

George said: “the problem is in that you have a Catholic university – the flagship Catholic university – do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic.”

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