I believe that Roxanne Martino, the University of Notre Dame Trustee who just resigned over her support of virulently pro-abortion groups, was just a mere symptom of a much greater disease.
Something has been sticking in my craw these last few days. It is this line used by Martino in her resignation statement and is similar to the defense mounted for her by Fr. Jenkins and his minions on the Notre Dame Board.
“In the best interests of the University, I regretfully have decided to step down from the Notre Dame Board of Trustees,” Martino said in the statement. “I dearly love my alma mater and remain fully committed to all aspects of Catholic teaching and to the mission of Notre Dame. I had looked forward to contributing in this new role, but the current controversy just doesn’t allow me to be effective.”
I remain fully committed to all aspects of Catholic teaching. Aspects? If my wife quizzed me on whether I am a faithful husband and I responded by saying, “Honey, I remain fully committed to all aspects of our marriage vows,” she would slap my face and run off crying.
The only people who say I remain fully committed to all aspects of something are people who are not fully committed to some aspects. Truth be told, when it comes to Catholic teaching, this phraseology is as close as you can to saying “seamless garment” without getting invited to Father Fr. Pfleger’s house for dinner and some light meditation.
Father Jenkins, President of Notre Dame, and Richard Notebaert, chairman of the University’s board of trustees, used similar language in their defense of Martino saying that she is fully committed to Church teaching on human life while she sent gobs of money to groups whose sole reason for being is to promote killing babies. This is similar to the defense that Notre Dame launched when it invited the virulently pro-abortion Barack Obama to speak at commencement and receive an honorary degree. Some people have tried to dull the sharp edge of the obvious and call it dissembling. I call it lying. Do you know what you call people who repeatedly lie? You call them liars, that is what you call them.
Father Jenkins is a liar**. Father Jenkins must go.
How can the flagship Catholic University in the country have a priest who has proven to be a serial liar on the most important moral issue of the day? It is untenable.
When Father Jenkins looks into the eyes of those rightfully outraged and says with Weiner-esque chutzpah that Martino is pro-life and did not know that Emily’s list supports abortion, he proves himself to be a liar and completely unfit for the office that he holds.
This is why there is no statement from Notre Dame regretting their error and vowing to fix the process leading to this horrendous error. It was not an error. They knew. They did not care, or worse. Moreover, they lied about it. No amount of spin can change this simple fact.
George O’Leary was fired from a Notre Dame coaching job for lying about things he had not done. Father Jenkins remains president of Notre Dame by lying about things he has done.
All money to Notre Dame from Catholics, who do not just support merely aspects of Catholic teaching but are simply Catholics, needs to cease immediately. Protests should be mounted and petitions signed. Whatever it takes. We want our Catholic University back.
Father Jenkins must go.
**This piece represents my own opinion and not necessarily the view of the National Catholic Register. Although they should agree, ‘cause I am right.
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You are right, Patrick, period.
Nothing remains to be said.
God bless you.
Exactly right and no more sugarcoating the issue, so now Catholics need to energize and take back Our Lady’s university. We should do what it takes and it would be nice if the alumni continue to step up more forcefully about this.
You’re right. I agree.
I am a Notre Dame alumni and appreciate Patrick’s courage to plainly state the truth and NCR’s willingness to print it. I am hopeful that someday, with the efforts of people like Patrick, Notre Dame will again be Our Lady’s most faithful university. Until then, I prefer my kids attend truly Catholic schools like Texas A&M.
Agreed, Mr. Archbold. Considering that there are still places that you can get a real Catholic education, Notre Dame’s prestige doesn’t hold much appeal.
Pat, well and truly said. Years ago I spent a summer at Notre Dame, and the Catholic identity seemed shadowy even then. My daughter graduated from Texas A & M, a public school, and the environment there was, curiously, more Catholic.
Julia Patti is soooooooooooooo right! It is a mistake to refer to Notre Dame as “Catholic”, let alone as the “flagship Catholic University.” The principles that are now NDs ethos are NOT the two greatest commandments or the Sermon On The Mount, but “follow the money” and “suck up for secular status.” Jenkins will remain PRECISELY because he tells the lies the ND Board wants told - and he tells them with Board-approved tone and nuance. Newly installed Bishop Aymond of Austin TX was approached by several bishops who congratulated him and informed him that he had the most Catholic university in his diocese. They explained it was Texas A&M that now has about 15,000 Catholic students. But it is not only the numbers that make it Catholic. By their fruits you know them-the Texas Aggie Catholics-true to Holy Mother Church, joyously adhering to the magisterium, and producing an inordinate number of consecrated workers for the Lord’s vineyard. There was another Texas school that used to be Catholic; but it enthusiastically put on the seamless garment, led folks to believe they could in good conscience vote for party-of-death Democrats promoting abortion andf Black and Brown genocide, and honored Hillary Clinton with an apparent Catholic imprimatur by having her speak there-and -sadly - this too was formely [but no more] Our Lady’s schoiol-St Mary’s University in San Antonio. Holy Marianists like J. Willis Langlinais, Joe Rudolph, and Bill Ham are ashamed.
What is this ‘seamless garment’ mentioned above? It sounds like the invisible cape one dons in the Harry Potter movies to make one disappear.
God Bless, you ...
I think Notre Dame better start watching their back, or they like Manhattan College and a Sister of Mercy College will be deemed a non religious facility based on it’s teachings and staff. They will open the door for Uncle Sam to come in regulate their labor practices, such as providing insurance that includes paying for birth control pills, abortion, same sex partners. Who knows, maybe they already do!
Why the surprise about Notre Dame? Fr. Hesburgh was also an indirect supporter of abortion and population “control” as head of the board of the Rockefeller Foundation. He wanted their money and he got it. Father McBrien believes that the “fetus” is not ensouled for three months, which gives three months to “get rid of it”.
@ Eileen:
“Seamless garment” is a pious-sounding subterfuge used by dissenters to undermine the hierarchy of truths by relativizing central and fundamental truths in relation to tertiary truths or even particular applications of tertiary truths.
For example, Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae emphasizes the absolute centrality of the defense of innocent life as the sine quo non for a just society. But dissenters invoke the “seamless garment” (the allusion is to the seamless garment of Christ mentioned in John’s Gospel, often cited as a metaphor in the early Church for the unity of the Church) to argue that, say, social justice in the form of amnesty for “undocumented workers” is no less pressing a priority than abortion and euthanasia.
There is a germ of truth here: We must be “fully committed to all aspects of Catholic teaching.” In that sense, Church teaching is a “seamless garment.” But Pat is right: nobody talks this way unless they mean to downplay and ultimately subvert the Church teachings they don’t like by talking up the aspects of Catholic thought (broadly construed) that they do like.
Incidentally, Pat, love this bit:
How many on my alma mater’s Board are long time supporters of the Democratic Party, esp. in Chicago? I agree Jenkins should go, but it’s the Board & Fellows that need a high turnover.
There are still orthodox faculty at Notre Dame, in Theology and elsewhere. Yanking their Catholic status would only encourage those to leave who’ve been fighting for orthodoxy, uphill, for years. I’m sure plenty of Sisters of Mercy and Adrian Dominicans would have their CV’s and applications in the mail to replace them via overnight mail. And no one wants that.
Unfortunately, Notre Dame is not alone. 95%+ of Catholic universities have become so secularized that they are indistinguishable from state schools (except for the cost of tuition).
I graduated from two Catholic universities (Detroit and Dayton) both of which to differing degrees have lost their way. I sent both my children to a traditional Catholic high school. But, there is no way I would waste my money on giving them a “Catholic” college education.
Notre Dame and Father Jenkins are both subject to a bishop.The bishop says nothing. Who are we to complain, then ?
I would add that “conversion of heart” is also and option that would remedy the “bad situation” etc. Either conversion-of-heart or resignation-and-retreat is required of those in such positions, any who claim to hold the Catholic faith while at the same time clearly and publically performing actions that are obviously in opposition to the Holy See, the Catechism, etc. We must pray for the conversion of such souls. The enemy has sown snares of deceit and distraction along the path, both external snares (such as those based in society and culture) and internal snares (such as those based in pride and doubt and despair). Many souls get caught in such traps and they need the help of pray, the intercession of the Virgin Mary, whereby through the power of the Holy Spirit souls can come to know Jesus. HTH. Thank you. - Mark Kamoski
Got a problem? FIND THE LIE….and confront the liar….The faculty has abandoned the Church for junk…
RE: Guy McClung - you are sooo right! Notre Dame is no longer the “flagship” Catholic University in our country - Texas A&M is! See link here:
http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/5401
This is where Abby Johnson joined the 40 Days for Life campaign and ultimately converted to Catholicism this past Easter Vigil.
I am blessed that Father Dean Wilhelm, one of the priests from St. Mary’s is now our priest in Round Rock, TX!!
Patrick, it is delightful to see someone finally take off the gloves. Among the higher echelons at ND there needs a “witch-burning.”
I agree with Marcia’s comment re. those Catholic universities which have been identified by the State as not reflecting a religious philosophy and thus do not qualify for the requisite exemptions.Its one thing to argue and be critical from a Catholic perspective, for eg. conservative v. liberal, but when a secular regulator determines that a Catholic uiniversity is more like any other public institution and its religious character has become so blurred that they are no longer distinguishable from non-religious schools,warning bells should be ringing.I wonder too if this has not had a domino effect in that the State seems to be further dictating aspects of curricula which properly belong to parents, the states nor should it impose values for which there is no concensus?
On behalf of my family consisting of three generations of Notre Dame graduates beginning in 1930, I fully support your move to remove Father Jenkins and the rest of the university’s ilk from office. To make sure that their removals “stick”, the remaining leadership of Notre Dame University must publically repudiate Father Hesburgh’s allegiance to the principles of the 1967 Wisconsin Land-O-Lakes conference that has caused its slide to secularism.
NEVER AGAIN!
Barb Johnson-“Elizabeth” -the Aggie Catholic who gave Abby flowers and “prayed” her out of PP -now directs the AUSTIN COALITION FOR LIFE - begun with one person [her alone] and now has over 800 folks who pray at all 4 Austin abortion businesses all the time. They have now saved many babies [and mothers][and fathers][and families] from abortion. Recently Elizabeth went to Cleveland, taught 55 new sidewalk counselors there. Following weekend-two saves in Cleveland. You can contact Eliz at AUSTIN COALTION FOR LIFE site [and she lives right down the road from you].
From your blog to God’s eyes and ears.
I have personally contributed to some groups that I did not realize support the pro-abortion agenda. If it is true that Mrs.Martino was not aware of the pro-choice nature of some of the groups she donated to and plans on doing her due-diligence in the future, then this blog should be about resources that will enable us to all do our due-diligence. In the spirit of Caritas in Veritate, I hope that this blog and comments will be replaced with one that is part of the solution, not a part of the problem.
Your remind me of the Fiddler on the Roof. The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival, through tradition and joyfulness, in a life of uncertainty and imbalance.
People like you keep the Church honest. May you never tire in your vigilance to keep the faith through our Tradition.
It took just one President of Villanova, fawning all over Rembert Weakland, to cause me to sever all ties with my Alma mater. With schools like Christendom, St Francis of Steubenville , Thomas Aquinas, etc., who needs them?
Patrick,
Notre Dame led the Land O’ Lakes conference in 1967, and they (along with all the other signatory schools) have been running away from the Faith ever since. Notre Dame doesn’t hide this fact; they post the Land O’ Lakes Statement on their website: http://archives.nd.edu/episodes/visitors/lol/idea.htm.
Notre Dame and the other signatory schools have chosen not to be Catholic, and they made that decision a long time ago. No use crying over spilled milk.
Nancy D
You are part of the problem. Martino donated over $25k to a group who’s only stated aim is abortion. This was not an oops situation. That is the point.
Charity calls for us to call a lie a lie.
Nancy, I can appreciate your desire to give Ms. Martino the benefit of the doubt, but it is simply impossible that she did not know she was giving money to a pro-abortion group for years and years. Emily’s List only has ONE purpose: to elect pro-abortion female politicians. Period. That is their only stated reason for existing, and everyone involved with them knows that.
Martino knew exactly what Emily’s List was about; so did Fr. Jenkins and the ND Board. There is NO WAY they could not have known.
Way to go, Patrick. I completely agree that Fr. Jenkins needs to go NOW. Yesterday would be better.
MR. Jenkins lost all creditability when he allowed Obama a platform at ND and the abortion perputator an award and yet had 88 praying folks arrested who were praying in defense of the unborn. Jenkins and other progessive/liberal Priest will meet THE FATHER/SON/HOLY GHOST in due time, however it is up to those who follow the faith to make sure these imposters are exposed.
A so called Catholic college in my home town is also named for Our Lady, only under a different title: Salve Regina University. I also recommend not sending your child there if you want them to retain their faith. It is very sad. Check out:
http://www.salve.edu/newsEvents/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=/Channels/Site+Wide+Content&WorkflowItemID=ea3635c6-403f-41cf-871e-b838b7cbae3c
This is typical of their approach to all the moral issues, very politically correct in all areas. And it is very pricey. How sad to spend such huge amounts of money to endanger your child’s soul.
“Gay-Straight-Lesbian-Bisexual Alliance hosts Day of Silence on April 19”
on the camppus is the title of the link I posted above. The link may not work so I decided to post the title of the piece. That really says it all. And this is typical of the fare pushed at SRU, sad to say.
Where’s the petition to rid ND of Fr. Jenkins and his ilk? Can’t wait to sign it!!
To be clear, by part of the problem, I am referring to doing one’s due-diligence. Since it is possible that Mrs.Martino had never accessed the Emily!s list website, it is also possible that she did not know that Emily’s list only supports women for office who are pro-choice. She may have began contributing to Emily’s list at a time when it was not clear that their primary goal was to elect pro-choice women to office. Someone should have done their due-diligence and asked her directly, why she decided to donate to Emily’s list and what she thought their mission was. Father Jenkins and Mr Notebaert claim that Mrs.Martini told them she was not aware of the pro-abortion mission and that in the future she will do her due-diligence, and I believe them.
Thanks you Pat Archbold. If there was a petition for removal of Fr. Jenkins I would sign it. And thanks to the Cardinal Newman Society who busted the pro-abort Martino. The Cardinal Newman Society is an excellent organization who deserve monetary contributions. But I wouldn’t give a dime to Notre Dame.
Since it is true that one cannot be autonomous and in communion, simultaneously, out of Love and respect for Father Hesburgh, perhaps someone close to him can explain the need for a new Land O’Lakes statement that recognizes our Catholic Identity depends upon our communion with The Catholic Church.
Clearly Ms. Roxanne is a liar. In her statement she says she’s FULLY committed to Catholic teaching. But, she donates money to an organization that states it’s PRO-ABORTION on its landing page. That’s it in a nutshell.
I can’t believe that Fr. Jenkins could possibly expect anyone to believe that Martino didn’t know that Emily’s List was pro-abortion! It’s common knowledge; and even if it weren’t, it takes less than 4 seconds to Google Emily’s List and come up with this description from their own website (you don’t even have to click on their website to see this—it comes up on the search page): “EMILY’s List is a national organization dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women to office.” Sooooooo, EITHER Martino is too stupid to be able to do research at the 2nd-grade level; -OR- she’s too stupid to know not to give gobs of money to unknown entities (and if that’s the case, I would expect her to have randomly donated to pro-life causes, too); -OR- she’s too ignorant to know what “choice” in the term “pro-choice” means (maybe she’s never been taught about “the birds and the bees”, either) (and, by the way, in any of the above scenarios, she certainly should not qualify to be a trustee of a presitigious university); -OR- as Pat has (rightly) concluded, she’s LYING, plain and simple. Or Fr. Jenkins is lying for her. Or (as I feel completely safe in concluding), BOTH. In any case, it’s time for Fr. Jenkins to go, so that there is a hope that Notre Dame can once again become a CATHOLIC university!
“honored Hillary Clinton with an apparent Catholic imprimatur by having her speak there-and -sadly - this too was formely [but no more] Our Lady’s schoiol-St Mary’s University in San Antonio”
Thankfully, then-Archbishop (now Archbishop of Los Angeles) Jose Gomez took St Mary’s to the woodshed over that political rally for Clinton. See
http://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-21765
Not just Notre Dame, but throughout the country. Here in the Diocese of Buffalo we have Niagara University and D’Youville College, both on First Things’ list of the Top Ten Least Catholic Catholic Colleges. The Bishops need a backbone. No need to wonder why the church is losing young people fast.
In the Land O’ Lakes Statement, the signatory colleges and universities, led by Notre Dame, declared themselves independent of ecclesiastical authority. That was in 1967. They have not been Catholic since.
I’m glad to hear someone tell it like it is! Thank you Pat!
“Father Jenkins and Mr Notebaert claim that Mrs.Martini told them she was not aware of the pro-abortion mission and that in the future she will do her due-diligence, and I believe them.”
If they believed HER, than they are infantile in their management judgement. Not a sin, but a disqualifier for future trust. Haven’t we learned our lesson in cutting or clerical leaders absurd slack. He can find another job, but he does… not… deserve… this one!
WHo’s he going to schmooze next, Nancy Pelosi or Sister Joan? Don’t answer that…
I couldn’t agree more & thank God someone has come forth to “call it like it is”. Let’s hope a huge wrong can be righted.
It is absolute truth - the Reverend Mr. Jenkins is a liar, and he should go. I wonder what the cognizant Bishop will do?
My cat is more Catholic than Father Jenkins.
I graduated from Aquinas College, and Father Jenkins gave our commencement speech. I remember getting the distinct urge to fling a tomato- there were so many veiled references to pro-life Catholics, specifically ones causing him trouble, and all of those references were of course, not very nice. You know, because its divisive to stand up for the faith.
He is just as messed up as Balog an all the other “Catholics” who never stood up for much of anything (other than when donors threatened, of course!) at Aquinas.
That being said, I got to meet a lot of the Pro-life group. WOW. What a pocket of beautiful orthodoxy from ND and Holy Cross! God bless them!
And hey, God bless Father Jenkins too. Hopefully it will get through to him at some point.
This article is shamefull.
I am no firend of Father Jenkins, I wrote many a letter opposing the decision to let Obama speak. The length of time the ND88 were under threat was both troubling and telling. I also agree the idea that Martino didn’t know to whom she was contributing strains cedulity.
None of that however justifies the outright labeling of Father Jenkins as a liar. Without specific proof of direct lies this article does not help the ongoing dabate or advance an argument. Rather it is shamefull and regretable. NC Register, I expect more from you. Please pull this “commentary” as soon as possible—even with the disclaimers, it does not reflect well on the publication.
Mit
So you admit that when Martino says that she didn’t know that Emily’s list was pro-abortion she is not telling the truth. You know, as does everyone else, that it cannot possibly be true. Agreed.
So when Father Jenkins offers this as a defense and suggest that Martino is committed to all aspects of Catholic teaching he is either A) A complete moron (which I do not believe for one second) or lying. How much more specific do you need to be?
If it were true that Mrs. Martino believed that being pro-choice was consistent with her identity as a Catholic, she would have tried to justify that position rather than remove herself from the board. I am very disturbed by the content of this blog posting, and believe that it lacks the integrity one should expect from a blog that identifies as being Catholic. Although I have great respect for those writers who contribute to this blog, and I have no doubt that lack of fidelity to Catholic Doctrine has caused division and scandal, in our desire to restore unity, we must always use integrity.
I’ve been saying this since May 17,2009. A day that will live in infamy.
Nancy D.:
There’s integrity of withholding judgement when reasonable doubt exists and then there’s burying your head in the sand to ignore reality.
Not only did Mrs. Martino donate to Emily’s List, but she has also given thousands between 2004 and 2011 to the Chicago Foundation. During the years Ms. Martino contributed, the Foundation made grants to the Chicago Abortion Fund, Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, the ACLU Reproductive Rights Project and Black Women for Reproductive Justice.
Again, there’s reasonable doubt vs burying your head in the sand. Supporting a trustee who donates to these groups is clearly the latter. If you persist in your argument, then you must believe that the trustee HERSELF had her head buried deep in the sand, ignoring reality. And if that’s the case, then my alma mater can clearly do better without her on the Board of Directors!
Rob, we are living in a Time when it is becoming more and more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff which is why sometimes even good people can be deceived. Mrs.Martino claimed that she was not aware that Emily’s list supports pro-choice women and that in the future she will thoroughly investigate any group that she contributes to. She may have been oblivious but that does not mean that she is a liar. The fact that she stated that she would thoroughly investigate those groups that she will contribute to in the future is an acknowledgement that she failed to do her due-diligence. Someone who is willing to admit when they have made a mistake, change their behavior so they don’t make the same mistake again, and resign from a board when she is fully committed to their mission because her failure to do her due-diligence has led to controversy, may be just the right person for this board given the fact that the lack of due-diligence on the part of many has contributed greatly to this controversy, to begin with.
There is one part of this ‘Mrs. Martino - Notre Dame’ story that leaves me wondering. When Mrs. Martino says “this current controversy just doesn’t allow me to be effective”, just what current controversy is she referring to? And just who is it that is putting enough pressure on her to make her resign, and just why can’t Fr. Jenkins and his minions sheild her from it so that she can remain on the Notre Dame board?
Pat on behalf of the Catholic Internet…we accept your challenge let’s see if we can’t turn the whole board upside down…and we can start with prayer…I personally recommend a Divine Mercy Novena!
@Barbara Johnson…FYI Fr Dean can bi-locate!
Blessed Pope John Paul II said that he was trying to avoid schism. Blessed John Paul II prayed that “the sleeping giant of the laity would awaken and save the Catholic Church.” Thank you Pat Archbold.
What is absent is an APOLOGY . If Martino truly made a “mistake”, there would have been an apology and Jenkins would have apologized for himself and Martino as well. When the Notre Dame 88 were arrested, Jenkins was asked to absolve the charges against them. Jenkins insisted that the 88 be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Jenkins needed the civil court to deny him the vengeance he sought.If Jenkins is innocent he would have offered his resignation before Obama was rewarded an honorary degree for infanticide and stripping sovereign persons of unalienable rights. Jenkins would have apologized for this miscarriage of Justice. Martino will quietly be awarded a higher paying job at Notre Dame for her public humiliation.
When two become one, a family is formed, a family like unto the Blessed Trinity, the Persons of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the definition of Marriage. Two of the same sex cannot ever become one. Care for the other person’s soul takes precedence over one’s likes and dislikes, opinions and agendas for immortality is what it is and God’s love is guaranteed to all.
When the male seed enters the female ovum, the two become one if God wills a new person into existence and creates a soul for him and gives him His name: ”I AM”, a new creation, with life, sovereign personhood and immortality. The male seed and the female ovum die and become a newly begotten human being with a unique DNA in the first cell because of the human soul. A Human being is composed of body and soul in the image of God. This is the definition of when life begins and when personhood begins and when unalienable civil rights begin. Without ensoulment at the beginning of life there is no life only a menstrual period. That Mc Brien is teaching heresy at Notre Dame is horrific.
Oh grow up! Jesus would likely not be acceptable to zealots like you.
If priests do not fully believe in catholic teaching and who want to live with confused mind should leave. The Church needs really committed people to lead her and propagate her teachings that came down from Jesus
@Robert G. at 3:38
No. Abortion is about worshipping the devil through human sacrifice and giving the devil a platform to justify or proliferate the evil is a lie and persons who do lies are called liars.
No amount of “other” virtues can ameliorate worshipping the devil.
Nancy D.:
Google Emily’s list to see just how oblivious someone would have to be to think that it was in line with the Catholic Faith. It’s really not a wheat and chaff issue… more like a wheat and the millstone itself issue.
Repeated behavior (Emily’s list and Chicago Foundation) suggests that she knew full well what she was doing.
I guess you and I can agree though - whether she was totally oblivious or completely disingenuous - her resignation was a good thing.
Having board members who are willing to do their due-diligence in order that they remain faithful to the Catholic Identity and Catholic Mission of our Catholic Institutions is a good thing.
Bravo, Pat! You are dead right. Jenkins is a disgrace to the Church and to all those before him, teachers and students, at Notre Dame who dedicated themselves to our Lady’s university. He also needs to make a public apology for his actions.
Your argument is based on the premise that Mrs.Martino was aware that the mission of Emily’s list was to elect pro-choice women to office and that Father Jenkins and Mr. Notebaert knew that Mrs.Martino was aware that the mission of Emily’s list was to elect pro-choice women to office. One would then also have to believe that Father Jenkins and Mr.Notebaert, knowing that the members of the board would not approve of a member who donated to a pro-choice group, tried to deceive the members of the board. Then one would have to wonder why Father Jenkins and Mr.Notebaert would be on a board that would not approve of someone being on the board who contributed to a pro-choice group to begin with. Believing that someone is telling the truth does not make one a liar. Using poor judgement, does not make one a liar. Why not ask Mrs.Martino to clarify her statement so that there is no confusion?
Nancy - since you seem so interested in clearing Mrs. Martino of her obvious, repetitive and calculated wrongdoing, why don’t you ask her?
The rest of us will use common sense and see the situation for what it is, sans the rose-tinted glasses.
Posted by vincent manning on Monday, Jun 13, 2011 10:12 AM (EDT):Notre Dame and Father Jenkins are both subject to a bishop.The bishop says nothing. Who are we to complain, then ?
## Too bad all those lying paedophile-recycling bishops aren’t being asked to go. If priests should go, the case for their superiors going is much stronger. Bishops = pondscum.
As I have said before, I will never send my kids to ND or ever support that school financially. It is yet another a pro-abortion, non-catholic purely liberal and political institution. Obviously, with this kind of example, they are not changing their evil ways at all. The search for a real US Catholic college that actually lives up to their Catholic teaching label continues…
I graduated from ND almost 50 years ago. What a change for the worse!. Not only should Fr. Jenkins leave, but the Church should tell him where he must go. Otherwise he will do more damage at another institution. Suggest he spend some time rehabbing at a Trappist monastery for a few years, pondering the error of his ways.
GeorgeR
I remain fully committed to all aspects of Catholic teaching. Aspects? If my wife quizzed me on whether I am a faithful husband and I responded by saying, “Honey, I remain fully committed to all aspects of our marriage vows,” she would slap my face and run off crying.
The only people who say I remain fully committed to all aspects of something are people who are not fully committed to some aspects.
“All aspects of X” means “everything about X”. If supposedly intelligent Catholic journalists whose first language is some form of standard English have such basic problems in the reading & comprehension of standard English, maybe they should stick to “Janet and John” or “The Cat in the Hat”.
And since when did being “fully committed to all aspects” of something equal being “not fully committed to some aspects” of it ? Since the present Pope is - one presumes - orthodox in all aspects of doctrine, this must mean that he is orthodox in some aspects of doctrine, and not in all. At least by the reasoning adopted in this quotation.
Does it not matter that calumny and slander are sins ? There is nothing whatever Catholic, or Christian, or even half-decent, in accusing a man of telling a deliberate untruth (itself a sin) when his words mean the very opposite of what he is accused of saying. The constant tearing-down of the clergy & everyone else in the Church is making it a Hell on earth, and doing no work but the devil’s.
“Truth be told, when it comes to Catholic teaching, this phraseology is as close as you can to saying “seamless garment” without getting invited to Father Fr. Pfleger’s house for dinner and some light meditation.”
Not to have a “seamless garment” theory of bio-ethics makes thinking about bio-ethics an incoherent mess, because it will not be informed by any coherent animating principle. It will reduce bio-ethics to a disconnected series of issues, none of which are able to shed light upon others; they will be no more organically related and inter-related than beads on a strong. The harm done to other branches of theology by this will be incalculable, because everything illuminates & is illuminated by everything else; that is what makes the use of the “analogy of faith” able to be applied in theology. If people insist on having an unintelligible, disconnected, incoherent doctrine of bio-ethics or of anything else, they are vandalising Catholic theology & the very possibility of knowing God. This is a disservice to all mankind & to all generations yet unborn comnpared with which the vandalising of statues & paintings is as nothing.
For those of you who are awaiting for the Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend to “axe” Fr Jenkins, et al….don’t hold your breath! The current Bishop as well as his predesessor have weighed in with their not unsubstantial influence ..but have no authority there. Jenkins answers to the Holy Cross Order…not the local bishopric! End of story! He is entrenched
and if the Obama debacle did not cause his “demise” cannot think of what will short Of the Pope coming over and hitting him upside the head! That won’t happen either outside my dreams!
The Obama debacle was unreal, and now this. It is too much baggage for one person to carry and still remain president of Our Lady’s University. This priest needs time=out, He needs to enter into deep prayer, and then pray in front of Abortion Clinics to know the horror that is going on in this nation because of these people who support abortion! God Bless America and The Holy Cross Order!
While I agree with the article, it contains not an insignificant error: when referring to Notre Dame as a Catholic university, “university” should not be capitalized. Even if Notre Dame is this country’s de facto Catholic university, The Catholic University of America is its de iure Catholic university, officially led by the bishops of the United States.
I believe Magdelena is correct..The CUA is a Pontifical Institute..placing it directly under the Authority of Rome..but ND is not under any authority as such but that of the Order of Holy Cross…thus it
is not possible for the Bishops to “discipline” Father Jenkins!
There is a simple solution: Why doesn’t Holy Cross Congregation remove Fr. Jenkins from Notre Dame.
The same Congregation had Blessed Andre Bissette (Frer Andre) of Montreal declared Saint recently. Does Fr. Jenkins know about this “confrere” whose humility and devotion changed a city for the better.
Saint Andre of Montreal never indulged with abortion. Many of his miracles were cures, healing illness, restoring life.
Continue the good fight, Pat.
Coucel M.
Why doesn’t the Holy Cross congregation give Jenkins the boot? you ask?
Probably the same reason the Demoncratic Party won’t give Obama the boot and try to run another candidate in 2012….it’s called politics. And yes, there is lots of politics involved here…spreading all the way from South Bend to Chicago! As I said before the only way Jenkins will be gone is for the Pope to come over and escort the man off the campus! Which won’t happen either…we are stuck! But you are not..send your college bound yongster to real Catholic universities..bypass Notre Dame! Years ago Harvard, Yale, etc were all affiliated with a religious denomination and served as seminaries…then religion was overturned by the secularists and you have what you have there today…not everyone thinks that is so bad! Notre Dame will follow the same route…It will just be sort of hard to retain its nomenclature….as in Lady WHOOOO?
I can’t stop laughing! If I don’t laugh, I will start to weep uncontrollably. God help us. How long do we have to suffer from this liberal modernist disease?????
@Alice f!...Not long at all if alums would just stop sending contributions and wise
Catholic parents supported only the truly Catholic insitutions of higher
education…the renegades would either collapse ..or get in line!
I hope the good Fr. Peyton is praying hard for ND from his perch in heaven
You’re wrong Patrick.
I just heard a tape on Fatima (the apparitions in Portugal)which reminded me of the seriousness of the Blessed Mother’s requests. For conversion of souls she asked the children to do two things: pray the rosary and make sacrifices for sinners. The children gave up meals, water, wore itchy ropes around their waists and prayed alot. These things sound stupid to this generation, but she was pleased with their sacrifices and often they were reminded to pray more when they slacked off. The answer is still the same. We just aren’t listening. Let’s please just try it God’s way!
Until the Bishops mandate that Jenkins and Colleges who promote antii-Catholic agendas remove the title ‘Catholic’, they will go on as always. If ‘Catholic’ politicians like Pelosi, Biden, Kennedy, Dodd, Biden, et al, who are rabidly anti-life and who promote a pro-abortion agenda here and abroad, and who accept large donations and honors from Planned Parenthood - if these are allowed to continue to receive the Eucharist as ‘Catholics in good standing’ then nothing is sacred…and nothing has consequences.
This is sad….you people have no idea what you’re talking about when it comes to ND. You just read the stupid money grubbing blogs from people like Patrick Reilly at the CNS. I know none of you have actually read the Land O’ Lakes document, so stop pretending like you’re experts on it.
ND is stronger than ever and does more work to spread the Gospel through word and works than all the other Catholic universities combined.
Joseph,
You have crammed quite a few logical fallacies into your short comment. I note the ad hominem fallacy, the strawman fallacy, and the begging the question fallacy.
Logical fallacies do not advance the discussion, much less prove your position.
Even if you are right (though you offer no evidence) that ND does more to spread the Gospel than all other Catholic universities combined, imagine how much more ND could do if it were truly a Catholic university, and not merely a Land O’Lakesian one.
@Inigo Hicks
If you understood what the Land O’ Lakes statement actually imparts, and the reason it was conceived of in the first place, you would understand why ND wouldn’t be able to spread the word and works of the Gospel as prolifically as it does if there were no Land O’ Lakes statement.
Ad hominem fallacy? Have you read the comments about Fr. Jenkins?
Strawman fallacy? Explain the strawman you’re pointing out.
As far as facts, the University is winding down the largest campaign in the history of Catholic education - over $2 billion. There were more applicants than ever this year for admission. And the academic strength of those applicants continues to rise.
If you want to talk about Catholic nature, show me a Catholic university that provides more Masses, and more variety of Masses (including Latin). Ask about daily Rosary and Adoration. Ask about who has the Alliance for Catholic Education. Ask about community outreach in troubled areas of South Bend. Ask about the Knights of Columbus building on campus. Ask about the the Eck Institute for Global Health. Ask about the Haiti mission to alleviate Cholera. Ask about ND students in Uganda connecting communities and schools. Ask about a comprehensive study on abuse in elder guardianship that is leading to legislation to protect the elderly. Ask about every campus meeting starting with a prayer.
I could go on and on - heck, ask about who has ever had co-ed dorms? ND = never, Catholic U. = yep.
All I see above are catch phrases poached from blogs that konw nothing about the reality of the greatest Catholic university in the world
The Land O’ Lakes Statement says “the Catholic university must have a true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself.” In other words, by signing the Statement ND and the other signatory universities ceased to acknowledge the Church’s authority over them. I look forward to your explanation of how it became necessary for ND to cast off Catholic authority in order to spread the Gospel more effectively.
The ad hominem fallacy is not repaired by accusing others of the same fallacy.
You commit the strawman fallacy when you argue that those with whom you disagree pretend to be experts on the Land O’Lakes Statement. No one has made that claim. Surely, you cannot object to quotation from a document posted on ND’s own website.
The amount of money ND raises, the quality of its candidates and the other data you cite do not prove ND is a Catholic university. A Catholic university, like a Catholic individual, recognizes the authority of the Church. Since 1967, ND has not.
The impetus for Land O’ Lakes was primarily that a small religious order (CSC) would not and should not have the wherewithal to manage an entity that had over 30 times it’s own budget. It couldn’t effectively grow.
But, you look at it as the other posters do. It’s all about authority - which is useless and clearly not well exercised by the hierarchy in our Church to start with. What you won’t bother to recognize is even the few items I list as perfect and admirable witness to the Gospel in the world.
Like it or not, ND has more influence and respect from the Catholic population at large in this country than any Bishop or Cardinal could ever hope to have.
@Mary De Voe
“Martino will quietly be awarded a higher paying job at Notre Dame for her public humiliation.”
Do you understand what a Trustee is?
It cannot be true that managing a large university in any way required ND to cast off Catholic authority.
While on this earth, Jesus Christ granted to St. Peter, the apostles, and their successors the right to exercise His authority. Jesus Christ did not make a similar grant of authority to ND. Nevertheless, ND acts as though He did.
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