DEACON FOR LIFE

Were there to be no support in the whole history of ethical and moral thought, were there no acknowledged confirmation from medical science, were the history of legal opinion to the contrary, we would still have to conclude on the basis of God's Holy Word that the unborn child is a person in the sight of God. He is protected by the sanctity of life graciously given to each individual by the Creator, Who alone places His image upon man and grants them any right to life which they have.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Leaked: Text of Notre Dame's Honorary Doctorate Degree to Barack Obama

Leaked: Text of Notre Dame's Honorary Doctorate Degree to Barack Obama Given to Randall Terry, Leader of StopObamaNotreDame.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind., May 14 /Christian Newswire/ -- Below are the words of the honorary degree to be given to Barack Obama by Notre Dame.

After that are the words of John Paul II, which show that Notre Dame has contradicted Church teaching by her words and actions. Americans from every stripe will be appalled and embarrassed by the sycophantic tone of this degree.

Here are the words, exactly as given.

"At the 164th Commencement The May Exercises The University of Notre Dame Confers the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on the 44th president of the United States, whose historic election opened a new era of hope in a country long divided by its history of slavery and racism. A community organizer who honed his advocacy for the poor, the marginalized and the worker in the streets of Chicago, he now organizes a larger community, bringing to the world stage a renewed American dedication to diplomacy and dialogue with all nations and religions committed to human rights and the global common good. Through his willingness to engage with those who disagree with him and encourage people of faith to bring their beliefs to the public debate, he is inspiring this nation to heal its divisions of religion, culture, race and politics in the audacious hope for a brighter tomorrow.

On Barack H. Obama, Washington, District of Columbia"

Statement of Randall Terry:

"This was given to me by someone connected with Notre Dame; he/she will remain unnamed. I will not answer any questions about this person, because I do not want him/her to lose their job. (I do want one person to lose his job over this scandal, but Fr. Jenkins did not give me this document.)"

"This degree hovers between juvenile, and of the spirit shown by a teenage girl who is about to throw away her honor with an abusive preditor. She refuses all warnings. The fact that Obama promotes abortion around the world makes him the adversary -- not the champion -- of the 'global common good.'

"We are begging for a Bishop, or a Vatican official to bring this scandal to an end, and keep Obama from speaking at Notre Dame." -- Randall Terry

"This idolatrous language confirms the scandalous nature of the invitation and honorary degree being given to Barack Obama; it not only honors evil, it exalts and worships it." -- Dr. Alan Keyes

Following are excerpts of Evangelium Vitae, penned by John Paul II. Look at how JPII describes "the common good;" this degree shows how far Notre Dame has gone in denying the teaching of the Church, and betraying the human life it is charged to defend.

"It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop... Only respect for life can be the foundation and guarantee of the most precious and essential goods of society, such as democracy and peace." (Evangelium Vitae 101)

"Laws which authorize and promote abortion and euthanasia are therefore radically opposed not only to the good of the individual but also to the common good; as such they are completely lacking in authentic juridical validity. Disregard for the right to life, precisely because it leads to the killing of the person whom society exists to serve, is what most directly conflicts with the possibility of achieving the common good." (Evangelium Vitae 72)

"When a parliamentary or social majority decrees that it is legal, at least under certain conditions, to kill unborn human life, is it not really making a "tyrannical" decision with regard to the weakest and most defenceless of human beings? Everyone's conscience rightly rejects those crimes against humanity of which our century has had such sad experience. But would these crimes cease to be crimes if, instead of being committed by unscrupulous tyrants, they were legitimated by popular consensus?" (Evangelium Vitae 70)

Called to serve the people and the common good, [civil leaders] have a duty to make courageous choices in support of life, especially through legislative measures. In a democratic system, where laws and decisions are made on the basis of the consensus of many, the sense of personal responsibility in the consciences of individuals invested with authority may be weakened. But no one can ever renounce this responsibility, especially when he or she has a legislative or decision-making mandate, which calls that person to answer to God, to his or her own conscience and to the whole of society for choices which may be contrary to the common good... For this reason I urgently appeal once more to all political leaders not to pass laws which, by disregarding the dignity of the person, undermine the very fabric of society. (Evangelium Vitae 90)

More at www.StopObamaNotreDame.com