Catholic Fire

 Bishop D'Arcy describes his feelings prior to the 2009 Notre Dame graduation and on graduation day: “I found it an increasingly sad time, and I was convinced that there were no winners, but I was wrong.”      “ As graduation drew near, I knew I should be with the students. It was only right that the bishop be with them, for they were on the side of truth, and their demonstration was disciplined, rooted in prayer and substantive. I told the pro-life rally, several thousand people on a lovely May day, that they were the true heroes. Despite the personal costs to themselves and their families, they chose to give public witness to the Catholic faith…” Read the entire story here at America Magazine.

While those who are drawn by money, power, and prestige honor the diabolical pro-death Barack Obama, heaven gives 80 year old Father Norman Weslin a standing ovation. Shame on you, Notre Dame! H/T: Some Have Hats.

Here are a few of my favorites: The Catholic Thing A House Divided b y Ralph McInerny First Things: For Obama, Talk is Cheap About Mutual Respect on the Life Issues by Wesley J. Smith Jill Stanek: Notre Dame update 5/17, 9:50p EST: At the Grotto Notre Dame's other commencement honoree Adrienne's Catholic Corner: This is nauseating... And Sometimes Tea -- Red Cardigan: A Sad Day for the Church in America American Papist: Blogging before/during Commencement LifeNews.Com: Obama Seeks Abortion Conscience Rights at Notre Dame , But He's Repealing Law Obama Pushes Embryonic Stem Cell Research at Notre Dame , Ignores Adult Cells Pro-Life Advocates Arrested at Notre Dame Protesting Pro-Abortion Obama Visit Inight Scoop: Pres. Obama's ND appearance: Links, commentary, analysis ***UPDATED: Archdiocese of Denver: Archbishop Chaput on Notre Dame and the issues that remain The Curt Jester: 120,000 Babies today and everyday will never get to go to Notre Dame or anywhere ...

On May 17, 2009, thousands of pro-lifers converged on South Bend, IN, to protest Notre Dame's selection of radically pro-abortion Barack Obama as not only commencement speaker but honoree. This video tracks the 2 mile continuous protest route from I80 to the campus's main entrance. Jill Stanek rode in one of the truth trucks from the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform to capture this video. This is just amazing! I have been involved in peaceful, pro-life protests before, but have never seen anything quite like this. How I wish I could have been there! Jill Stanek was at the Notre Dame Grotto this afternoon watching Fr. Frank Pavone speak to pro-life graduates who refused to attend their commencement honoring radical pro-abortion Barack Obama. She has some impressive photos of Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. Corapi, and members of the Notre Dame graduating class you'll want to see. Norma McCorvey, the original Roe in Roe v. Wade - who renounced her ties to the pro-abortion movement w...

Someone leaked the text of Notre Dame's honorary doctorate degree to Barack Obama, according to Randall Terry. Here are the words, exactly as given: "At the 164th Commencement The May Exercises The University of Notre Dame Confers the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on the 44th president of the United States, whose historic election opened a new era of hope in a country long divided by its history of slavery and racism. A community organizer who honed his advocacy for the poor, the marginalized and the worker in the streets of Chicago, he now organizes a larger community, bringing to the world stage a renewed American dedication to diplomacy and dialogue with all nations and religions committed to human rights and the global common good. Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politic...

While pro-abortion Barack Obama is scheduled to receive an award from Notre Dame, an elderly priest is arrested for standing up for the rights of the unborn. Shame on you, Notre Dame! You are not a Catholic university! Allen Keyes arrested again protesting Obama speech at Notre Dame

Randall Terry was on Shawn Hannity's show last night discussing the Notre Dame scandal. He appeared in the place of Alan Keyes, who was still in jail when the show was taped. Hannity also announced his show Sunday night will spotlight Obama's appearance there that day. ~ H/T: Jill Stanek

What 'Church' Does Notre Dame Belong to? by George Weigel is an excellent read.

I'm pleased to see that many prominent and well-respected Catholics and pro-lifers are speaking out and protesting the Notre Dame scandal now, as commencement ceremonies draw near. In "The Audacity to Speak: Thoughts on Why Obama Should Excuse Himself from Notre Dame's Commencement Ceremonies", Day Gardner of National Black Pro-Life Union, comments, "I am baffled at the audacity of Barack who insists on speaking at this graduation even if graduating students don't want him there. President Obama doesn't get it. His ego is so big that he has no problem forcing himself on the students and faculty of Notre Dame. A man of greater stature would simply have excused himself--in order to maintain decorum and dignity." The majority of students don't want him there nor do the alumni. So, why is he not bowing out? Is it to cause even more division in the Catholic Church? Is he trying to exert his power and authority over the Catholic sector? Whatever the r...

Press Conference Today: 2:00 PM, Headquarters, Stop Obama Notre Dame, 2614 South Michigan Dr. Alan Keyes charges Fr. Jenkins with abuse of authority. Also to be present at press conference will be others arrested, including Ed Schaub, a New Mexico man, who was sexually abused by a priest as a boy. Mr. Schaub spent 3 days in jail after being arrested at Notre Dame. Mr. Schaub gave a moving testimony at a pro-life meeting as to the harm he suffered because of spiritual indifference to the damage done to him by those in authority in the Church community who abuse their position. Dr. Alan Keyes has contacted Fr. David Tyson, the immediate Superior of Fr. Jenkins in the Holy Cross order, asking for a hearing to deal with what Keyes charges is an abuse of authority by Fr. Jenkins and other members of the Congregation of the Holy. Writing on his own behalf and that of others arrested last Friday, Keyes said: "We are writing to seek redress of grievances we have suffered at the hands of a...

I am more than a little fed up with the antics of Fr. Jenkins and his board at Notre Dame, especially after reading the latest information at Operation Rescue and Pewsitter.com. Here's what Operation Rescue has to say: A new article published May 10 at Pewsitter.com reveals connections between members of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees and President Barack Obama, which may explain much about why a devout Catholic institution would ignore Church teachings and major public outcry to honor the most pro-abortion president in U.S. History. One example listed in the exposѐ is that of the Chair of the Notre Dame Trustees, Richard Notebaert of the Chicago area. Notebaert’s wife, Peggy, also a luminary in the Notre Dame community, runs the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which received federal funding earmarked by then Senator Barack Obama. One of Obama’s “key” fundraisers, Frank Clark, served on the museum board at time the funding was received. The Pewsitter.com article goes on to ...

American Life League will lead a prayer rally on the steps of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend today to encourage Bishop John D’Arcy to remove Notre Dame from “The Official Catholic Directory.” The group says more than 40 years of dissent from official Catholic Church teaching disqualifies the school from identifying itself as a Catholic institution. American Life League set up operations in Fort Wayne, Indiana, last month in response to the scandal surrounding Notre Dame and the announcement that President Barack Obama, the most pro-abortion president in history, would give the 2009 commencement address and receive an honorary law degree. “We’re begging Bishop John D’Arcy to rebuke this attack on the faith. No more will we tolerate Catholic schools undermining Catholic teaching on life, on marriage ... on the family itself,” said Michael Barnett, American Life League director of leadership development in a letter to the group’s support...

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, has been invited by Notre Dame graduates to join them in prayer Sunday as they boycott their own commencement and instead have a prayer vigil for life. Fr. Frank also proposes some other action items. Questions: Will Fr. Frank be jailed, too, or will he be considered a guest of the Notre Dame students? If the Bishop of the diocese participates in this alternate ceremony will he be jailed too, like Alan Keyes? I wonder if other priests, deacons or religious participate in this if they, too, will be imprisoned while the "King of the Culture of Death" receives an award ? Priests for Life has also opened a statement against the Notre Dame scandal to all priests and deacons wishing to sign it. Go here : http://www.priestsforlife.org/statement/notredame.aspx Priests for Life is joining forces with the student groups in the ND Response coalition ( http://www.ndresponse.com/ ) in calling on all the faithful to pray a million...

Coach Dave Daubenmire interviews Alan Keyes 05/09/09 before being arrested at Notre Dame University in South Bend Indiana for a peaceful demonstration against abortion. This is an awesome interview!

Former U.S. Ambassador and Presidential candidate Dr. Alan Keyes is currently in Jail; along with over 20 anti - abortion activists. They were arrested at Notre Dame for peacefully, quietly, walking on campus with baby carriages carrying dolls covered with stage blood. For more information, read Leticia's post and go to http://www.stopobamanotredame.com/ . To see more photos, go here. Let us continue to pray for Fr. Jenkins. May God have mercy on his soul for causing this horrible scandal. Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for him. Let us also pray for those who are being hurt as a result of the ND decision. A moving and powerful witness from Ambassador Keyes: Dr. Alan Keyes receiving a trespassing warning at a press conference at the south gates of The University of Notre Dame. Dr. Keyes did not even enter the gates, rather stayed on public property when he received his trespass warning. "Forgive our trespassers as we trespass Notre Dame."

Dozens of St. Louis Catholics are planning to travel to South Bend, Indiana to take part in May 17 protests against the University of Notre Dame’s decision to host President Barack Obama as commencement speaker and to award him an honorary law degree. The protesters from the St. Louis area are being organized by John Ryan, a 56-year-old member of Most Sacred Heart Parish in Eureka, Missouri. An announcement from Ryan says the group aims to confront the "scandal" caused by University of Notre Dame President Fr. John I. Jenkins’ decision "to honor the most pro-abortion President in history." The group also intends to "make amends for the damage this scandal has caused the Church." Describing its motives, the announcement cites President Obama’s decision to overturn the Mexico City Policy and to expand federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. "The minute I heard about this, I knew I had to find every Catholic I could and be on that campus ...

Fr. John Corapi thanks signers to the petition at NotreDameScandal.com and urges Catholics to continue the fight for Catholic campuses. For more information on this scandal and to sign the petition, go here . Let's continue to pray for Notre Dame!

"...If this be trespass, then forgive us our trespasses and join us in trespassing until the South Bend jail is filled to overflowing with witnesses to truth..." Dr. Alan Keyes Dr. Alan Keyes, who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004 against Barack Obama, has announced plans to come to Notre Dame to be arrested for protesting Obama's address and honorary doctorate at Notre Dame's graduation. Dr. Keyes urges pro-life compatriots around the country to join him, as a witness against Notre Dame's betrayal of the babies, and in the hope that President Obama will be cancelled. Following are excerpts from his full statement: "...I will go to South Bend. I will step foot on the Notre Dame campus to lift up the standard that protects the life of the innocent children of this and every generation. I will do it all day and every day from now until the Master comes if need be, though it mean I shall be housed every day in the prison house of lies and injustice that Obama, Jen...

Norma McCorvey, the woman who was the “Jane Roe” in the U.S. legal decision “Roe v. Wade,” has said Notre Dame's choice of President Barack Obama to be the commencement speaker gives its graduates a poor example. She also expressed surprise more parents have not pulled out of commencement. Speaking to Damien Thompson, the Britain-based editor of the Catholic Herald and writer for the Daily Telegraph, McCorvey said “Obama is not the ideal person to speak to a young bunch of kids that are going out into the world for the first time.” “These people will have to remember that it was him who spoke at their graduation for the rest of their natural lives. We have many in the pro-life movement that are better qualified to do this,” she continued. "I am really surprised more parents haven't pulled their kids out. I have heard that many of them will not show up this reason. " Article

WHAT: "Revealing the Sins of Notre Dame" - a history of undermining the Catholic Church and a formal appeal to Bishop John D'Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend to remove the school from the Official Catholic Directory in the wake of the Obama scandal. WHEN: Tuesday, May 5, 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Front Gates of the University of Notre Dame. At the intersection of E. Angela Blvd. and N. Notre Dame Ave. WHO: American Life League, in conjunction with Catholics from Fort Wayne, South Bend and across the country. WHY: Since the early 1960s, the University of Notre Dame has actively undermined Catholic teaching, culminating in an invitation to President Barack Obama to speak at the 2009 May commencement exercises where he is set to receive an honorary law degree. "Notre Dame is placing the souls of millions in jeopardy in exchange for their own prestige," said Mike Barnett, leadership director at American Life League. " The school has no right to sell itsel...