Catholic leaders, take 2

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} From the […]

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}


Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }


/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

From the other side of the cafeteria:

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }


/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

 

Catholic Theologians
Denounce Attacks on Notre Dame


For Immediate Release

 

May 14, 2009

 

Contact:

John Gehring

Senior Writer

Catholics in Alliance
for the Common Good

202-429-9683 (office)

410-302-3792 (cell)

 

Washington,
DC — As controversy swirls
around President Obama’s commencement address at Notre Dame this Sunday, over 20
Catholic theologians issued a statement today denouncing shrill attacks against
the university as betraying a rich Catholic intellectual tradition and
injecting partisan politics into the graduation ceremony.

 

The statement, signed by the president of the Catholic
Theological Society of America and other prominent Catholic scholars, will run
as a full-page advertisement in the May 16 edition of the South Bend Tribune.
It cautions “those who seek to disrupt these joyous proceedings or to divide
the Church for narrow political advantage that history is not on your side.”

 


v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }


/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

 

The theologians note that Notre Dame has a long tradition of
inviting presidents from both political parties to give the commencement. They
include former presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, whose positions on
the death penalty, use of military power, torture and other central life issues
did not align with Catholic social teaching.

 

“These former leaders were received as sitting presidents
who came to speak about great issues of our time,” the statement reads. “The
same standard should apply for President Obama, a Christian with deep respect
for the role of faith in public life and whose commitment to universal health
care, comprehensive immigration reform, environmental stewardship and an
economy that works for all Americans reflect core Catholic values.

 

The complete text of the statement with signers can be found
below.

 

Catholic Leaders and
Theologians Welcome President Obama to Notre Dame

 

As Catholics committed to civil dialogue, we are proud that
President Barack Obama will give the Commencement Address at the University of
Notre Dame on May 17.

 

Eighty-five years ago to the very day, the racial and
religious hatred of the KKK spilled onto the Irish campus. Notre Dame President
Rev. John Jenkins now welcomes an American president who transcends race with
hope and invites people of every faith to find common ground.


 

Notre Dame has a long tradition of honoring presidents from
both political parties. We caution those who seek to disrupt these joyous
proceedings or to divide the Church for narrow political advantage that history
is not on your side.

 

Catholic teaching warns about the threats to human dignity
posed by abortion, the death penalty, torture, unjust military engagement and
the nuclear arms race. The honoring of George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan did not
detract from Notre Dame’s commitment to the fullness of faith. These former
leaders were received as sitting presidents who came to speak about great
issues of our time. The same standard should apply for President Obama, a
Christian with deep respect for the role of faith in public life and whose
commitment to universal health care, comprehensive immigration reform,
environmental stewardship and an economy that works for all Americans reflect
core Catholic values.

 

Catholic institutions of higher learning teach students to
engage the world through faith and reason. On this anniversary when the Irish
defeated the KKK with fists, it is a measure of human progress that today we
use our minds in pursuit of the common good.

 

We join Notre Dame in recognizing the accomplishments of
President Obama. 

 

Nicholas Cafardi

Dean Emeritus

Professor of Law

 

Lisa Cahill

Professor of Theology

Boston College

 

David De Cosse

Director of Campus Ethics

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Santa Clara University

 

Charles E. Curran

Professor of Human Values

Southern Methodist University

 

Nancy Dallavalle

Associate Professor

Chair, Department of
Religious Studies

Fairfield University

 

Dennis Doyle

Professor of Religious
Studies

University of Dayton

 

Jeannine Hill Fletcher

Associate Professor of
Theology

Fordham University

 

Elena G. Procario-Foley

Chair, Religious Studies
Dept.

Iona College

 

Richard Gaillardetz

Professor of Catholic Studies

University of Toledo

 

Elizabeth Groppe

Associate Professor of
Theology

Xavier University

 

Kirk O. Hanson

Executive Director

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Santa Clara University

 

Kristin E. Heyer

Associate Professor,
Theological Studies

Loyola Marymount University

 

Christine Firer Hinze

Professor, Christian Ethics

Department of Theology

Fordham University

 

Bradford E. Hinze

Professor of Theology

Fordham University

 

Douglas Kmiec

Professor of Constitutional
Law

Pepperdine University

 

Paul Lakeland

Director, Center for Catholic
Studies

Fairfield University

 

Vincent Miller

Associate Professor, Theology
Department

Georgetown University

 

David O’Brien

Loyola Professor Emeritus,
Catholic Studies

College of Holy Cross

 

Rev. William O’Neill, SJ

Associate Professor of Social
Ethics

Jesuit School of
Theology at Berkeley

 

Rev. Tom Reese, SJ

Senior Fellow

Woodstock Theological Center

Georgetown University

 

Vincent Rougeau

Associate Professor of Law

University of Notre Dame

 

Stephen Schneck

Director, Life Cycle
Institute

The Catholic
University of America

 

Terrence W. Tilley

President

Catholic Theological Society
of America

 

Sandra Yocum

Chair of Religious Studies

University of Dayton

 

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!