The following comes from a Jan. 30 story on Spero Forum.
Pope Francis received members of the board of Notre Dame University on January 30. One of the most recognizable Catholic institutions of higher learning in the United States, its winning football barnstorms the country and challenges big name institutions such as the University of Michigan and Stanford. Founded in 1842, Notre Dame has long been not only a football powerhouse but an exemplar of the merging of American values and Catholic faith. Pope Francis paid tribute to Notre Dame, which he said “has made an outstanding contribution to the Church in your country through its commitment to the religious education of the young and to serious scholarship inspired by confidence in the harmony of faith and reason in the pursuit of truth and virtue.” Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana.
Notre Dame has been the focus of criticism on the part of some Catholics who fear that the university may have compromised its Catholic identity. For example, Notre Dame awarded President Barack Obama an honorary degree in 2009 when he gave a commencement address at the Indiana-based university. Critics pointed out that Obama has long been a vigorous proponent of abortion, something which flies against long-standing Catholic doctrine.
Pope Francis, in speaking to the Notre Dame delegation at the Vatican, said pointedly,” It is my hope that the University of Notre Dame will continue to offer unambiguous testimony to this aspect of its foundational Catholic identity, especially in the face of efforts, from whatever quarter, to dilute that indispensable witness.”
“The vision which guided Father Edward Sorin and the first religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross in establishing the University of Notre Dame du Lac remains, in the changed circumstances of the twenty-first century, central to the University’s distinctive identity and its service to the Church and American society. In my recent Apostolic Exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel, I stressed the missionary dimension of Christian discipleship, which needs to be evident in the lives of individuals and in the workings of each of the Church’s institutions. This commitment to ‘missionary discipleship’ ought to be reflected in a special way in Catholic universities, which by their very nature are committed to demonstrating the harmony of faith and reason and the relevance of the Christian message for a full and authentically human life.”
The Pope went on to say that “essential in this regard is the uncompromising witness of Catholic universities to the Church’s moral teaching, and the defense of her freedom, precisely in and through her institutions, to uphold that teaching as authoritatively proclaimed by the Magisterium of her pastors. It is my hope that the University of Notre Dame will continue to offer unambiguous testimony to this aspect of its foundational Catholic identity, especially in the face of efforts, from whatever quarter, to dilute that indispensable witness.”
Responding to news of the visit, Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society stated, “Pope Francis has met Notre Dame at a crossroads, where it must choose between its current course of compromise and infidelity and its founding mission as a Catholic university. The Holy Father has clearly called Notre Dame to the better path, as have hundreds of thousands of American Catholics who treasure faithful Catholic education.
Apropos of Reilly’s remarks, Notre Dame professor Gary Gutting published an opinion piece in the New York Times asking whether Pope Francis might be well advised to alter the Church’s position on abortion. Reilly wrote, “Gutting’s article is outrageous public dissent in the guise of an academic argument. In this, he has no claim to authentic academic freedom: He is outside his field, dabbling in moral theology and lobbying the Pope on a matter of life and death, while directly opposing the Catholic teaching that is essential to Notre Dame’s Catholic identity.”
(See Cal Catholic story from yesterday, Feb. 10 on Gutting, with response from Father Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press.)
Some Catholics are upset that Notre Dame decided earlier this month that it would comply with the controversial federal mandate that compels educational institutions, businesses and religious groups to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for their employees. A federal judge recently ruled to deny Notre Dame’s request for relief from the Obama administration mandate. Next, on December 31, a panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency motion for a stay, pending an appeal. Notre Dame has decided to accept the Obama administration’s “accommodation,” which ensures employees contraception coverage even over the university’s objection.
“Having been denied a stay, Notre Dame is advising employees that pursuant to the Affordable Care Act, our third party administrator is required to notify plan participants of coverage provided under its contraceptives payment program,” said Paul Browne, Notre Dame’s vice president for public affairs and communications, according to media reports. “As part of an ongoing legal action, however, the program may be terminated once the university’s lawsuit on religious liberty grounds against the HHS mandate has worked its way through the courts.”
To read the entire posting, click here.
Notre Dame claiming to be a Catholic University is a giant lie! Father Jenkins is the one who invited the most pro-abortion, anti-Catholic President in the history of the United States, Barack Obama, to Notre Dame to speak and receive an honorary degree. At the same time, Father Jenkins had an 84 year old priest arrested for saying the Rosary on the Note Dame campus. How much longer Lord, how much longer?
John that’s why it time to wait no longer, the laity must now act against these heretics.
Yes, Canisius, grab the pikes!
Storm the Bastille!
Set up the guillotines!
Anonymous,
The French Revolution, which you allude to, was anti-Church, rife with violent persecution of nuns and priests. A better indication of contemporary Catholic reaction are the Prayer Warriors outside abortion clinics and the health workers in Catholic institutions that care for Aids patients.
Like two birds of a feather . . . .
Why is anyone still calling ND Catholic?
From the Pope, the word “continue” is an issue. Notre Dame has been violating major teaching of the Church for many years (which the Pope probably has no knowledge of).
To justify their actions and in order for them to teach errors in Faith, Notre Dame does not require that the 25 year old “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” be one of the required texts for freshmen and/or sophomores.
In addition their Diocese Bishop does not enforce Code of Canon Law as he is required to do regarding Universities. Can 807-814.
Note that Cardinal Donald Wuerl was present. Wuerl of the Washington DC Docese participates by aiding and abetting in Sacrilege against the Body and Blood of our Lord by giving Holy Communion to politicians publically and scandalously known to be in the state of Mortal Sin – Pelosi, Kerry, Biden to name a few.
Wuerl’s public statement is that he does not want to use the Eucharist as a weapon. So the mortal sins and the scandals continue. Relativism grows.
Code of Canon Law 915 and 1399 are very clear. Cardinals and Bishops do not have a choice.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2O.HTM
and
https://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/holycom/denial.htm
and
CCC: “1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
– by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
– by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
– by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
– by protecting evil-doers. “
Cardinals and Bishops who refuse to correct those who obstinately and publically (scandalously) remain the in the State of Mortal Sin are a huge problem.
(Follow the money, the power, and the sin.)
This is a HUGE insult to anyone’s intelligence! Notre Dame is a “Living Lie!” What is actually needed, is NOT a “polite Papal persuasion or request,”– but an unconditional DEMAND that Notre Dame either abide by Catholic teaching– or close its doors, forever!! And excommunicate all the “dissenters!” Tell them “NO,” and MEAN IT!!
Linda Marie what is wrong with you? Don’t you know that we would rather have this mess in the Church than to make DEMANDS? Making DEMANDS would be uncivil and we wouldn’t want to be uncivil. We need to go along to get along.
Yeh – the Church of Nice, just like Protestants.
When the leaders don’t teach, just vote that sin out of existence.
The Church according to Christ – a democracy ? :(
“Go along to get along,” sounds like a silly, frightened baby, who is afraid of responsibility, leadership, and COMMITMENT!! Meanwhile, millions of beautiful, unborn children, made in the very hands of God– suffer the evil fate daily, of facing either a live birth– or MURDER!– at the ignorant, horrific “decisions” of their mothers-to-be!! They are our Nation’s future!! They have absolutely NO LEGAL RIGHTS– to LIFE!! NONE!! Watch millions of mothers-to-be get out the hatchet to KILL their own child–at Planned Parenthood– while a lazy, scared, uncommitted, selfish, babyish Church sits down and “plays politics”– “go along to get along!” HORRIFIC!!
they are our Nation’s future– and they have NO RIGHTS
Pope Francis exhorts Notre Dame
To show ‘unambiguous’ teaching about abortion! Please show me where Pope Francis mentioned abortion. Only in general terms does he seem to speak. Possibly he does not wish to appear judging.
We must JUDGE sin, and NOT TOLERATE sin – otherwise no one will know right from wrong.
.
GOD said to Moses: Lev 19:15 – – – “You shall do not injustice in judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor”.
JESUS: Jn 7:24 – – – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge wih right judgement”.
JESUS: Mt 7:5 – – – “….. first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”.
JESUS: Lk 6:37-38 – – – “Judge not and you will not be judged. ….. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back”. (meaning you will be judged by the same measurements as you judge others)
.
NEVER did Jesus say we should: ignore, or tolerate, or approve of – sinful actions.
3 of the Spiritual Works of Mercy are: Admonish sinners; Instruct the uninformed; Counsel the Doubtful.
A picture of the Pope smiling with Fr. Jenkins — a scandal in itself. Then the words: “Pope Francis paid tribute to Notre Dame, which he said “has made an outstanding contribution to the Church in your country through its commitment to the religious education of the young and to serious scholarship inspired by confidence in the harmony of faith and reason in the pursuit of truth and virtue.”
Gary O, a recent convert, in his comments regarding Prof. Cutting (Feb. 10) asks: “doesn’t the Church care anymore?” I know the Pope is “Catholic”, but those around him shouldn’t have to be explaining this all the time. Actions and words have meaning — and consequences.
Why is even the Pope intimidated into speaking in suggestive tones rather than lashing out with statements of brutal fact and demanding a return to full-on Catholicism from Notre Dame? Does everyone deem this educational institution above the canons of Catholicism, and therefore the law of God?
Either give up your sinning ways, Notre Dame, or change your name to Faithless Former Catholics or even more accurately, Followers of Football, Satan and Famous Faithless Friends.
And while our Dear Holy Father is at it………..
How about U.S.F, Santa Clara, Georgetown, Fordham, etc..etc….too numerous to name unfortunately.
Full Definition of PREROGATIVE
1a : an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: as (1) : one belonging to an office or an official body (2) : one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals.
Give a habitually disobedient child a prerogative inch of hopeful options and they will continue to run for miles of disobedience.
Notre Dame has been caught red handed in many acts of INFIDELITY to Church teaching. WITH A FIRM MERCIFUL LOVING VOICE OF CLARITY Our Lord told the woman caught in adultery to go AND SIN *NO MORE!*
Our Lord did not say, “It is my hope, woman caught in adultery, that you will continue to offer unambiguous testimony to this aspect of foundational marriage identity, especially in the face of efforts, from whatever quarter, to dilute that indispensable witness.”
Our Lord was perfectly clear when he told the woman caught in adultery to go “AND SIN *NO MORE*.”
Too much attention is paid to how it would ‘look’ for the Church hierarchy to correct her own. The supposed attempt to avoid scandal IS the scandal a there is no correction that will not be perceived – by those paying attention – as a condemnation of many ‘pastoral’ and/or ‘academic’ allowances’.
God bless.
Yes, he must start speaking with directness, clarity and full accuracy.
There is already too much confusion and lack of unity within the Church.
Clarifications after the fact are not helpful, when the confusion could be avoided in the first place. Confusion gives rise to the mortal sins of scandal, heresy & schism, and relativism.
Based upon the European survey, the Pope needs to evangelize his own Bishops, Priests and Nuns within the Church as his FIRST priority.
They have been disobedient and refuse to actively and publically promote the reading/study of the New Testament and Catechism of the Catholic Church to ALL the literate as requested by Popes France, Benedict, and Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Reading the Bible and CCC can easily be done at home. But the leaders in the Church MUST prominently encourage this, and require it of all Diocese employees.
Otherwise there will be no UNITY within Christ’s Church.
It’s the apprehension of schism – that is making the assorted schisms of the heart formal – that keeps the Pope from speaking/acting clearly and with authority. He knows precisely what the Church teaches. Obviously. But so do the Bishops. Nuns do too – at least those who are the heads of order.
Much like a King managing powerful Barons, the Pope has to ‘manage’ the internal dissent diplomatically. That’s why I view all this talk of potentially giving more doctrinal authority to regional Bishop’s conferences is so disturbing. It looks like little more than an appeasement tactic to put off the egos of Bishops who otherwise might threaten to rebel more publicly – taking ‘their’ flocks with them.
To say this flattening of power structure – or rather final authority – would make things more efficient is just modern-speak for taking the heat of Rome for enforcing the Catechism.
That said, evangelizing Bishops would be a complete waste of time, for it is not preaching the gospel to them that is necessary, but rather showing them that not preaching it will bring severe consequences – FOR THEM.
It’s like cutting teenagers more and more slack just to ‘keep them at home.’ Taken to its logical end, such a system only scandalizes any children coming up from the cradle into not knowing what is expected at home.
Thank you Oscar! You said “There is already too much confusion and lack of unity within the Church.
Clarifications after the fact are not helpful, when the confusion could be avoided in the first place. Confusion gives rise to the mortal sins of scandal, heresy & schism, and relativism.”
Your comments are well expressed. The scandal exists because it is preached by those who are not united with the church.
“The scandal exists because it is preached by those who are not united with the church.”
Sorry, I love Virgin Mary, but if the Church doesn’t want scandal those in positions of authority need to be honest about and correct that which causes scandal. To blame the reporter for the news story is like blaming victims of pedophile priests for their abuse.
The Church’s opting for appearance in favor of transparency only gives those outside the Church more fuel to twist the assorted scandals. In other words, the hierarchy should take the drivers seat on Truth and reveal the sins, admit to them, repent of them, and move forward. Otherwise you’ll always have the dig, dig, digging of those outside the Church.
Excellent post, Catherine. Who could disagree? Our new pope been so disappointingly wishy-washy. Too often he has shocked and disappointed us, and I am wondering when Catholics are going to demand more Catholicism from Pope Francis! The question comes to mind, “Is the Pope Catholic?”
The VATICAN SURVEY 02-14
https://www.churchmilitant.tv/daily/?today=2014-02-14
The Vatican Survey indicts our Cardinals and Bishops and Priests throughout the world.
It proves that most have not been teaching anything of significance for the past 50 years.
You do not love your neighbor when you tolerate sins that will send him/her to Hell.
Go to the USCCB, Diocesan, and Parish web sites. – Very few PROMINENTLY have links to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”.
Very few PROMINENTLY encourage literate lay persons to read the CCC at home.
Peggy, That question of “Is the pope catholic?” used to be a joke. It isn’t any longer. The many heretical facts of evidence shows otherwise. The V2 church is no more catholic than the protestant religions. The Roman Catholic Church does still exist as Christ promised to be with Holy Mother the Church always, even to the end of time. The Roman Catholic Church exists today in those Roman Catholic parishes living the traditional faith, the rosary, TLM, and the 7 sacraments of our ancestors.