Photo via inauguration.nd.edu

Notre Dame President announces will join "March for Life"

Notre Dame President John I. Jenkins announced today that he intends to join the "March for Life" this coming January as part of his commitment made last May, according to Jenkins, to bear witness to the sanctity of life. The March for Life is held each year in Washington, DC to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, reports Thomas More Society Pro-Life Law Center.

Apparently the irony was lost on Jenkins that while he will be preparing to protest against Roe v. Wade, the actual Roe, Norma McCorvey, will be preparing for her criminal trial for protesting at Notre Dame after she was arrested under orders from Father Jenkins who has, so far, refused to drop the charges brought against McCorvey and the rest of the "ND 88", the dozens of pro-life protestors arrested last spring for "crimes" such as saying the rosary and wearing pro-life t-shirts.

In this announcement, Jenkins recognizes that his decision to invite the most pro-abortion president in the history of the United States to speak at the University's 2009 Commencement and award him an honorary degree "caused some divisions in the Notre Dame community". Gee, ya think?

Jenkins, of course, failed to mention that the decision has cost the University millions of dollars as large numbers of Notre Dame alumni have discontinued previous commitments to donate money to the school and as many as half of alumni have openly refused to make further donations to the University, citing the Obama invitation as the reason.

Jenkins expressed his hope that "we can overcome divisions to foster constructive dialogue and work together for a cause that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s mission" something which many in the Pro-Life community believe to be impossible so long as the "ND 88" are facing possible prison sentences for peacefully expressing the same point of view Father Jenkins is now prepared to support at the March for Life.

Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society and a 1965 Notre Dame graduate, said he was very encouraged to read Fr. Jenkins' email. Last week Brejcha had written an 'open letter' to Fr. Jenkins urging that Notre Dame drop criminal charges against the ND 88 defendants.

"Every statement or signal we had received from Notre Dame officials since last May had been hostile at worst and at best seemingly indifferent toward those in the pro-life movement who felt that the university had turned away from the pro-life movement or, worse, rebuked it."

Brechja said he is hopeful that this announcement indicates Notre Dame is turning a corner and perhaps moving toward a position that is not only supportive of pro-life initiatives but at the vanguard of this latest phase of America's ongoing civil rights movement, toward recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of all human beings, of every race or color, gifted or challenged, rich or poor, newly conceived and vulnerable or robust or ill or dying.

"It remains to be seen whether Father Jenkins is prepared to follow up this announcement with another decisive, positive and concrete step in the right direction -- calling a halt to the ongoing prosecution of those arrested last May, all of whom were jailed and still await trial in St. Joseph County Criminal Court.

In his open letter last week Brejcha urged Father Jenkins to avoid a long series of 88 trials that will only serve to cast a long shadow over Notre Dame's professed intent to mend fences with the pro-life community.

In the same announcement, Jenkins also announced the creation of the Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life which he has tasked to "consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life."

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TAGS: USA Notre Dame President John I. Jenkins "March for Life" pro-life protestors Thomas More Society

[09/19/2009]

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