| Politics

What occurred at this commencement was exactly what the Bishops warned of in their 2004 document, Catholics in Political Life.

NOTRE DAME (Catholic Online) – The build up to the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame was more dramatic than the event itself. It was almost choreographed. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, is an amazing communicator. There is no doubt. The real question continues to be what he is really communicating? Beneath the well timed and elegant delivery, what is this man actually saying?

The President was one of eight recipients of Honorary Doctorates from the University of Notre Dame. However, he did not process in with the rest of the honorees. Rather, his entrance was timed to be the most dramatic, almost theatrical. And, he elicited the “Rock Star” response he so often does from most in that packed auditorium. The 164th graduating exercise of the University of Our Lady was underway and it was Obama’s day, once again.

Dr. Thomas Burish, the Chancellor of the University, explained the significance of the awarding of Honorary Doctorates. He noted that they are given to those who made the world a “better place.” The wording of the honor to the President, which had been leaked to the Press yesterday, applauded the Presidents “advocacy for the poor.” I was already sick to my stomach. I knew that he was going to deliver a solid speech and that his presence would fuel the effort to describe the choice by Notre Dame as somehow commendable and “enlightened” in this age of compromise disguised as tolerance.

I kept “clicking” between networks, thinking I might get a better view of this historic event. Instead I simply discovered what I already knew; news is advocacy these days, plain and simple. I must admit that one line from Fr. Jonathan Morris, a guest commentator for Fox (who was excoriated by Randall Terry in the FOX broadcast) raised an analogy which broke through the veneer of congeniality about all of this. He asked the viewers to consider this scene: “Imagine Planned Parenthood giving a degree to Pope Benedict?” The analogy worked, well done Father.

The University of Notre Dame is a part of the ecclesial community of the Catholic Church. So, it appeared to the world today that the Catholic Church conferred a Law Degree upon this President who is absolutely opposed to the fundamental ground of all Catholic Social Doctrine, the inviolable dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. In fact Fr. John Jenkins made it very clear in his introduction of the President that his vision of the nature of the Catholic Church was behind his decision to do so. He said that a Catholic University is a “part of the Church… a member of the mystical Body of Christ.” So, he believed it was appropriate for the Church to confer a Law Degree on a world leader who denies the fundamental Human Right to Life for our littlest neighbors.

Fr. Jenkins quoted the late Servant of God Pope John Paul II who, in any honest assessment of his great body of teaching, would have NEVER condoned this conferral of a Doctor of Law on a champion of what he rightly labeled the "Culture of Death." Such a misuse of the late Servant of God's name was wrong. Similarly, he quoted Pope Benedict whose teachings on this fundamental truth are equally as clear and the efforts to use them to support this action were also wrong. It appeared to this observer that Fr. Jenkins used both Pope's for some "borrowed" authority for his own questionable actions.

The Presidents’ speech, (except for a few unrecognizable outbursts from scattered Pro-Life opponents), was well received by most of the crowd. Oh, I know, the folks praying at the Grotto who refused to attend the commencement (hearing pro-Life hero Fr. Frank Pavone) ….as well as the arrests of Norma McCorvey (the “Jane Roe” of Roe v Wade who is now a Catholic and a Pro-Life champion) Dr. Alan Keyes and others sent an entirely different message.

Only, here is the real problem, that message was not broadcast to the world. Instead, the slick, well delivered address of this compelling orator who has stopped his ears to the cries of the children killed by abortion was broadcast globally. That well delivered speech, full of self deprecating humor, sophistry, appeals to tolerance and human rights and artful rhetorical devices, was vintage Obama. We have offered it in full to our readers. The President called for reaching some kind of “common ground.” He laced his presentation to this Christian group with Christian references to the reality of “original sin.” It all sounded so "good." That is why it was so bad.

He spoke of the “controversy over abortion” and presented his standard invitation to find a common ground and somehow “reduce” the number of abortions together. Now really, think about it, if every procured abortion is, in fact,the taking of an innocent human life, which it is. And, if the moral analysis concerning this intentional act of killing our youngest neighbor by ...