They say the imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So hopefully
would be flattered that I copied his format of commenting on articles and speeches. Below are my some of my internal thoughts as I watched Fr. Jenkins introduce President Obama last Sunday. The speech below is word for word in the black. My comments are in the
Jesus said to “Love they neighbor as yourself” I’m trying hard to figure out how to accomplish that with these two. I think what is most scandalous, about the whole Notre Dame fiasco is that with as many people who were angered by the invite and the event is that there was absolutely no apology or recognition that some Catholics might be offended by the situation from Fr. Jenkins. Catholics and the larger Pro-Life community are justifiably angry with what has occurred.
Fr. Jenkins Graduation Address to Notre Dame Students
May 17th, 2009
President Obama, Fr. Hesburgh, Judge Noonan, Members of the Board of Trustees, Members of the faculty, staff, alumni, friends, parents, and most of all – the Notre Dame Class of 2009:
Several autumns ago, you came to Notre Dame from home….now Notre Dame has become home. And it always will be. For home is not where you live. Home is where you belong. You will always belong – and I pray you will always feel you belong – here at Notre Dame. [Hopefully Fr. Jenkin's home will soon not be at Notre Dame]
You are … ND.
In my four years as President of your University [four is enough after the events of this spring] – I have found that even among those who did not go to Notre Dame, even among those who do not share the Catholic faith, there is a special expectation, a special hope, [the word hope is strategically placed five times in the first minute of the address, and plays right into President Obama’s hands] for what Notre Dame can accomplish in the world. They hope that Notre Dame will be one of the great universities in the nation, [unfortunately it once was a great university, now they are just hoping to be] but they also hope that it will send forth graduates who — grounded in deep moral values – [if this means folks who think it’s okay to honor Pro-Abortionists you can keep your moral values especially if they are "deep"] can help solve the world’s toughest problems.
Their [not mine] hope is in you, the graduates of 2009.
That is a good place for hope [can we stop with the patronizing hope] to be. I have great confidence in what your talent and energy can accomplish in the world. But I have a special optimism for what you can do inspired by faith. [I pray it’s still Roman Catholic faith]
It is your faith that will focus your talents and help you build the world you long to live in and leave to your children. [if you choose not to abort them]
The world you enter today is torn by division [its been like this since the fall of Adam & Eve] – and is fixed on its differences.
Differences must be acknowledged, and in some cases cherished. But too often differences lead to pride in self [maybe you should look in the mirror Father] and contempt [by definition of the word contempt Fr. Jenikins has shown it to the Bishops] for others, until two sides – taking opposing views of the same difference – demonize [abortion is intrinsically evil so I’m sure there are some demons around] each other. Whether the difference is political, religious, racial, or national — trust falls, anger rises, and cooperation ends [my catechesis told me that I should never cooperate with evil, abortion is evil] … even for the sake of causes all sides care about. [if we all cared about the lives of the unborn “legal” abortion would not be the law of the land]
More than any problem in the arts or sciences – engineering or medicine – easing the hateful divisions between human beings is the supreme challenge of this age. If we can solve this problem, we have a chance to come together and solve all the others. [fallen human beings cannot solve this problem without the help of God]
A Catholic university – and its graduates – are specially called, and I believe specially equipped, to help meet this challenge. [this depends on their education, Notre Dame appears Catholic in name only these days]
As a Catholic university, we are part of the Church [then act like it] – members of the “mystical body of Christ” animated by our faith in the Gospel. [read it] Yet we are also – most of us – citizens of the United States – this extraordinary evolving expression of human freedom. We are called to serve each community of which we’re a part, and this call is captured in the motto over the door of the east nave of the Basilica: “God, Country, Notre Dame.” [This weekend it appears to be "Country, Notre Dame, God"]
As we serve the Church, we can persuade believers by appeals to both faith and reason. As we serve our country, we will be motivated by faith, but we cannot appeal only to faith. We must also engage in a dialogue that appeals to reason that all can accept. [How can you dialogue with someone who will not appeal to the scientific logic that life begins at conception?]
When we face differences with fellow citizens, we will be tested: do we keep trying, with love and a generous spirit, to appeal to ethical principles that might be persuasive to others – or do we condemn those who differ with us for not seeing the truth that we see? [Fr. Jenkins, I do not condemn you, but you have yet to demonstrate that you see the truth I do]
The first approach can lead to healing, the second to hostility. We know which approach we are called to as disciples of Christ.
Pope Benedict said last year from the South Lawn of the White House: “I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.” [did you miss his address to Catholic educators?]
Genuine faith does not inhibit the use of reason; it purifies it of and distorting self-interest. As it does so, Pope Benedict has said, “human reason is emboldened to pursue its noble purpose of serving mankind, giving expression to our deepest common aspirations and extending … public debate.”
Tapping the full potential of human reason to seek God and serve humanity is a central mission of the Catholic Church. The natural place for the Church to pursue this mission is at a Catholic university. The University of Notre Dame belongs to an academic tradition of nearly a thousand years – born of the Church’s teaching that human reason, tempered by faith, is a gift of God, a path to religious truth, and a means for seeking the common good in secular life.
It is out of this duty to serve the common good that we seek to foster dialogue with all people of good will, regardless of faith, background or perspective. We will listen to all views, [but we don’t have to provide the platform] and always bear witness for what we believe. Insofar as we play this role, we can be what Pope John Paul II said a Catholic university is meant to be – “a primary and privileged place for a fruitful dialogue between the Gospel and culture” ~ Ex corde ecclesiae, 3.34. [stop cherry picking lines and read the whole document in context]
Of course, dialogue is never instantaneous; it doesn’t begin and end in an afternoon. [unfortunately that’s all Notre Dame has Obama there for, an afternoon, so I guess this isn't dialogue after all] It is an ongoing process made possible by many acts of courtesy and gestures of respect, by listening carefully and speaking honestly. Paradoxically, support for these actions often falls as the need for them rises – so they are most controversial precisely when they can be most helpful. [I will agree that the dialog surrounding abortion would not have happened over the last few months had Obama not been giving the commencement speech at Notre Dame. God can obviously pull good out of a bad situation, but it doesn't mean we should cause bad situations so that God can prove Himself]
As we all know, a great deal of attention has surrounded President Obama’s visit to Notre Dame. [really?] We honor all people of good will who have come to this discussion respectfully and out of deeply held conviction. [so we are to respect a deeply convicted pro-abortionist at a Catholic university, because you assume he has “good will”?]
Most of the debate has centered on Notre Dame’s decision to invite and honor the President. [as it should be] Less attention has been focused on the President’s decision to accept.
President Obama has come to Notre Dame, though he knows well that we are fully supportive of Church teaching on the sanctity of human life, and we oppose his policies on abortion and embryonic stem cell research. [he has come because he knows he can divide the Catholic vote, which he must do in order to remain the President in four years]
Others might have avoided this venue for that reason. But President Obama is not someone who stops talking to those who differ with him. [Obama always talks, he just never changes his position]
Mr. President: This is a principle we share. [Obama only shares such principle with those who agree with him or who pander to him]
As the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council wrote in their pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes: “Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters. In fact, the more deeply we come to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue with them.” [Fr. Jenkins maybe you should read the whole document and what it says about the life of the unborn and how it is to be protected]
If we want to extend courtesy, respect and love – and enter into dialogue – then surely we can start by acknowledging what is honorable in others.
We welcome President Obama to Notre Dame, and we honor him [in defiance of the Bishops of the Catholic Church] for the qualities and accomplishments the American people [and 54% of Catholic Voters who ignored the call of their Bishops] admired in him when they elected him. He is a man who grew up without a father, [by a mother who choose life verses an illegal abortion at the time] whose family was fed for a time with the help of food stamps — yet who mastered the most rigorous academic challenges, who turned his back on wealth to serve the poor, who sought the Presidency at a young age against long odds, and who – on the threshold of his goal — left the campaign to go to the bedside of his dying grandmother who helped raise him. [verses helping his mother obtain an illegal abortion at the time]
He is a leader who has great respect for the role of faith and religious institutions in public life. [that helped get him elected] He has said: “Secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door [just leave behind their beliefs on the life issue] before entering into the public square.”
He is the first African American to be elected President, yet his appeal powerfully transcends race. In a country that has been deeply wounded by racial hatred – he has been a healer. [except when it comes to abortion]
He has set ambitious goals across a sweeping agenda [to expand abortion] — extending health care [read... abortion] coverage to millions who don’t have it, improving education [on how to get abortions] especially for those who most need it, promoting renewable energy for the sake of our economy, our security, and our climate.
He has declared the goal of a world without nuclear weapons and has begun arms reduction talks with the Russians.
He has pledged to accelerate America’s fight against poverty, [by killing its most defenseless] to reform immigration to make it more humane, and to advance America’s merciful work in fighting disease in the poorest places on earth. [by making abortions available around the world]
As commander-in-chief and as chief executive, he embraces with confidence both the burdens of leadership and the hopes [unfortunately not Pro-Life hopes] of his country.
Ladies and Gentlemen: The President of the United States.
Fr. Jenkins Address with GTM Commentary
Jesus said to “Love they neighbor as yourself” I’m trying hard to figure out how to accomplish that with these two. I think what is most scandalous, about the whole Notre Dame fiasco is that with as many people who were angered by the invite and the event is that there was absolutely no apology or recognition that some Catholics might be offended by the situation from Fr. Jenkins. Catholics and the larger Pro-Life community are justifiably angry with what has occurred.
I may be too harsh towards Fr. Jenkins and President Obama, and if I have been I ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, but all I can think about are the millions of unborn children who have been murder due to the apathy and approval displayed by the majority of those in our nation who have failed act in their defense.