Comments on: They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Denunciation

By: Marian Ronan

Marian Ronan — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:27:17 +0000

I am a graying liberal Catholic–a women’s ordination activist among other things–but I couldn’t agree more with this post. The “chew each other up and spit each other out” approach has really reached the end of its usefulness. Wasn’t it Jesus who said we should love our enemies?

In fact, I agree with “They Will Know We Are Christians by our Denunciation” so much, I’ve published a book exploring why post Vatican II American Catholics fight so much, and how we might find a better path into the future: “Tracing the Sign of the Cross: Sexuality, Mourning, and the Future of American Catholicism” (Columbia University Press, 2009) In this book I argue that for many of us, the Catholic sex/gedner wars were a way to avoid mourning the extraordinary losses we suffered beginning in the last third of the 20th cnetury. Then, drawing on fiction and memoirs by four American writers with distinctively Catholic imaginations, I trace the outline of a more productive American Catholic future, an outline that bears a striking resemblance to the cross. I’m hoping my book will advance the conversation to which this post has already contributed.

By: Joe DeCarlo

Joe DeCarlo — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:35:14 +0000

Those who are pro-choice are illogical. You can’t say something is wrong and give a person the right to do a wrong. You are either for or against abortion. As Jesus said, you are either for me or against me.

By: Joe DeCarlo

Joe DeCarlo — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:30:46 +0000

Obama should be denounced by all human beings. He voted against a ban on botched abortions which means he would allow a baby to die because the baby was supposed to be aborted. He is evil and the anti-Christ. I could never have a dialogue with him, but I will pray that the devil is exoriced out of him.

By: Bruce Roeder

Bruce Roeder — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:36:15 +0000

Interesting article. Way to miss the point!

If one actually reads the comments of the 83 bishops who publicly objected, it is clear they did NOT object to ND inviting the President to speak: that is an obvious honor. The objection was that ND HONORED a public figure who advances the culture of death (reversal of Mexico City policy, destruction of human embyros for scientific research, withdrawal of conscience protections, etc.) with a doctorate of law degree, in direct DISOBEDIENCE OF THE BISHOPS.

Engaging opposing viewpoints are welcome in the academic world, especially at Catholic colleges and universities. The Catholic Church invented universities, remember?

But now, due to our stiff-necked stubborness (on both sides), it appears to the secular public that the Catholic Church denounces even engaging those who disagree with the Church at Catholic colleges and universities, and that Catholics disobeying their bishops is reasonable.

Way to miss the point!

By: Gennie

Gennie — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:22:55 +0000

Great article. It put my thoughts into words. I’m not a fan of President Obama, didn’t and won’t vote for him (provided there’s a pro-life candidate), but this is showing how divided the Church in America is. Why can’t we all just get along? He’s the President of the United States, let the man speak. If we just completely shut him out, we’ll be shut out too and the Catholic voice will not be heard. We need to get rid of the “conservative” and “liberal” labels that so many put in front of Catholic when describing themselves or others, and all just be Catholics. If we love our neighbors, Catholic or not, who are not in full communion with the Church, some of them just may follow us back.

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:13:26 +0000

As a current ND student, thank you for not simply condemning my school for inviting President Obama. Abortion is an absolutely terrible practice, but it is not the only crucial political issue with which our country is faced. Notre Dame is home to many adamantly Pro-life students who voted for Obama, and even many of those who voted for McCain were excited and honored to welcome the President to our school. I am proud of Father Jenkins and proud to call myself a Notre Dame student.

By: Michael Hebert

Michael Hebert — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:33:15 +0000

I like your thinking, but don’t really understand how a “prophesy of solidarity” applies to abortion. Surely this doesn’t mean we stand together in disagreeing with it, but do nothing about it.

If abortion is wrong we are obligated to do something about it. Obama’s giving a speech at ND doesn’t bother me, but the protests didn’t either. We do have an obligation to speak out about this.

By: Brandon Kraft

Brandon Kraft — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:12:58 +0000

Very nice. While I disagree with the President’s opinion on abortion, his call for fair-minded words, open hearts and minds is dead on.

Every human life is sacred from conception to natural death and our goal is to convince everyone else of that. If we aren’t willing to move past polarizing talking heads on both sides of the debate and move toward talking to each other. Not talking about each other–talking to each other.

By: Brian Barcaro

Brian Barcaro — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:20:45 +0000

Honestly I am not sure how this article is relevant to the Obama-ND flap. I do not think most practicing Catholics think of themselves more Catholic than the pope. I also do not think most are unwilling to dialogue, share a meal or even a beer. I do not agree with Mr. Obama but if he invited me to dinner or a meeting I would certainly go both because he is my president and because it is the christian thing to do. But there is a very clear distinction between honoring people who are fundamentally hostile to Church teaching and being open enough to allow reasons and charity to flow forth towards those who disagree. What if a Catholic University would have invited politician to speak at graduation and bestow and honorary degree during the civil rights movement who was in favor of slavery even though he/she supported many other Catholic values? Abortion is different because it is an intrinsic evil, not poverty, not the environment, not even the death penalty. Commencements speeches are not dialogue and to claim they are is red herring, they are about providing a person with a stage in the most positive light to allow him/her to bestow their thoughts, opinions & ideologies on a graduating class and all those in attendance. Let’s have solidarity and dialogue where and when we can but we also have to be mindful that there are times when we must draw a line in the sand. Martin Luther King knew this as did Lincoln so too must we as Catholics.

Brian Barcaro
4marks.com/brianbarcaro

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:45:20 +0000

Wait… didn’t Cardinal George say that the Obama invite was a mistake? Also there is a difference between “dialogue” and “honoring” for sure.

By: Laura/ Bronzed Shoe

Laura/ Bronzed Shoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:56:06 +0000

I agree that we need a prophecy of solidarity. I’m a current ND student, and while I think that we never should have invited Obama in the first place, once the invite was given and announced, there was nothing to be dome. What, you expect Fr. Jenkins to uninvite the President of the United States? So our options were to A) make a big fuss, draw in the media, show the world how divided we are, and drive a bigger wedge in the Church or B) accept the situation and learn to make room in our hearts for even those who disagree with us. To my great disappointment, we chose A- and where has it gotten us? Nowhere good.

By: Mike Hayes

Mike Hayes — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:09:45 +0000

Slats–Bishop Quinn, the former Archbishop of San Francisco did offer some support for President Obama you can check it out here:
http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=11559

By: Gregg Kimball

Gregg Kimball — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:43:51 +0000

I agree that dialog (aka, preaching the Gospel) is vital if not central to the Christian witness. Therefore I was disappointeded to see Cong. Tom Tancredo banned from speaking at Providence College–along with Notre Dame, also a Catholic University. Sadly, it seems American Catholic academics can dialog ONLY out of the LEFT side of their mouths!

By: Rosemary Azzaro

Rosemary Azzaro — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:45:44 +0000

ND has set precedence by inviting other US Presidents to speak in spite of their opposing views on other life issues. Barack Obama IS the President of the United States and certainly has a lot to say to all the graduates of ND– Catholic and non. I look forward to hearing our President’s address. Some graduates tune out or might forget the words of those invited to give the address due to their own excitement or, frankly, the poor oratorical skills of the speaker. President Obama will not disappoint as a speaker. Let the well-educated ND grads make up their own minds. I liked the encouraging words our President spoke to the Arizona grads– urging them to reach out to the poor, sick and homeless. Values not valuables. Maybe these kinds of words and actions will help us all have better conversations– with one another, in our faith communities and in the world.

By: Slats Grobnik

Slats Grobnik — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:14:13 +0000

Here’s my question(s): Have any American bishops made a statement in support of Notre Dame? If not, why not? Bishops seem to take all kinds of stands about all kinds of issues. Is there not one bishop who thinks like the 52% of Catholic voters who put Obama in office and can accept the fact that the man might do some good for the country and the world, and who might have something important to say to the ND grads that is worth knowing DESPITE the fact that he is wrong on abortion? What’s the threat the bishops fear?

By: Bill McGarvey

Bill McGarvey — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:13:39 +0000

Thx for the spell check heads up, Liz, it’s been fixed.

By: Liz O'Connor

Liz O'Connor — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:32:28 +0000

L. O’C.: Polarization remains a huge problem in the church, and you are right in pointing out that it is an obstacle to evangelization because it makes us look, from the outside, like people who are all caught up in inside-baseball arguments, rearranging deck chairs, etc. And since we follow a Master who was accused of spending too much time eating & drinking & talking with sinners and outcasts, we shouldn’t be too quick to decline to share a platform with a fellow Christian who disagrees with us on some points, however crucial those points may be.
I don’t think Bishop Cupich was blas√© about his comment–beware of spellcheck!

By: ml

ml — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:00:36 +0000

The tone of the argument is a valid point; what I perceive, and I may be wide of the mark here, is that the camp that is prone to wholesale denunciations of pro-choice politicians (or those who support them), and the like, display a lot of fear and anger. I find it rather distasteful, and my first instinct is to put as much distance between myself and them as possible, but this reaction, too, is not conducive to a healthy interaction.

What to do…