Bishop R. Walker Nickless 'Sadness at Notre Dame'

SIOUX CITY, IA (Catholic Online) - As a part of a larger article written for the "Catholic Globe", the Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless added his voice to the growing crescendo of voices opposing the invitation by the University of Notre Dame to President Barack Obama to address their 2009 graduates and receive an honorary Doctor of Law Degree. The Bishop wrote:

SADNESS AT NOTRE DAME

"I know many of you join me in surprise and anger that the University of Notre Dame - which for many is “the” example of a Catholic University - through its president, Father John Jenkins, has invited the most pro-abortion president of the United States not only to give the commencement address this year, but also to receive an Honorary Law Degree.

"This is in violation of the U.S. Bishops teaching that no honors ever be given by our Catholic institutions to those who support and promote the killing of innocent human beings through abortion. This is truly a sad day for the famous university dedicated to our Blessed Mother.

"I encourage those who care to write to Father Jenkins and express their displeasure with this invitation. May Father Jenkins have the courage to rescind this invitation and not be afraid of the possible embarrassment by admitting that he has made a bad decision.

"Catholic institutions of higher learning must always be places where the Catholic values we hold so dearly will always be supported and promoted - not where the culture of death is allowed to be honored or valued. Let us pray for those who work so hard to keep our Catholic institutions truly Catholic in all they do to promote the gospel of life.

"May this Lent bring us to accept the need for a renewal of our entire faith, and the desire to live only in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, in His Church and in all His holy sacraments! Pray for me, and know that I continue daily to pray for all of you.

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless, Bishop of Sioux City

Thank you, Bishop Nickless, for expressing your beliefs. As a Catholic, I am beginning to wonder what is happening to our church, when our church leaders have views completely opposite of all that we have been taught and believe in. What good does it do for we parishioners to fight abortion in our country through our churches, when something like this happens at Notre Dame? It seems like our message is not "getting out" and we are wasting our time. Thank you, Bishop, for your support on this issue of Notre Dame. Nancy

Nancy | 6/2/2009

What an atrocity to invite, & bestow an honorary degree on the worst president, with regard to his view on the killing of unborn babies. One of his first acts, as president, was to rescind the ban on the funding of abortions, worldwide, & allow unrestricted killing of the unborn babies anywhere in the world. What a sad day for Notre Dame University, & all the alumni, who have gone through it all these past years.

As was said in WWII, if only more had protested Adolph Hitler before he took over, maybe all those Jews would not have been gassed, burned, shot, & killed by the SS & the other "camp" attendants.

Shame on the Notre Dame "leaders" who made this decision.

D R Wilburn | 4/2/2009

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