Open Letter to Father Jenkins of Notre Dame

Father Jenkins, Mr. X forwarded to me your reply to him regarding the arrests at Notre Dame last May.

I am not a lawyer and am not versed in the various legalities of who has what authority to drop charges or who has what property rights over the campus of Notre Dame. I do believe that these are minor questions, and perhaps even red herrings to avoid dealing with more fundamental issues.

We all know that on campus at that time were people of many various opinions regarding the decision to honor President Obama. Many of these individuals expressed their opinions by wearing clothing, carrying signs, etc. I speak not only of the Catholics protesting Obama’s appearance, but those individuals who approved of Obama’s appearance. Yet only those people who opposed Obama’s appearance were barred from campus and subsequently arrested. Obviously there were distinctions made on basis of expressed opinions. You mentioned that the police were professional in their demeanor. Given that, there is no way that the police would have made distinctions concerning who would be admitted to campus and who would not be granted such admission; they lacked the authority to do so, and they knew it. They had to receive instructions from some other authority. That authority, Father, could have come only from your office.

The response you gave to Mr. X is the same pathetic cop-out that you have given to many others. It is an attempt to play Pontius Pilate by washing your hands of this matter while trying to pawn responsibility to Indiana legal authorities, when these Catholic people were plainly arrested at the behest of Notre Dame authorities. It is utter nonsense to claim that you are unable to at least ask that the charges be dropped, when those charges exist because you forbade them to come onto campus. Let me be plain, and please direct this to the Board of Directors and to the Trustees of Notre Dame. By extending that ill-advised invitation to one of the most pro-abortion presidents in United States history, Notre Dame seriously besmirched its very identity as a Catholic institution. Will you continue to bring shame upon Notre Dame by prosecuting these people? What have you to gain, Father, by doing so? Do you think your seared conscience will somehow be assuaged by your vindictive pursuit of these charges against good Catholic people? Why not urge the authorities to drop those charges and retain at least some shred of dignity and honor for yourself and Notre Dame?

Father, this letter to you is open. It appears in the blog http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com, under a posting with the date of this email. Any replies – or lack thereof – will likewise be posted. Please do the right thing and have these charges dropped.
Praying that God will bless you with common sense and wisdom regarding this matter, I am

Janet Baker, President, Faithful Catholics of MD/DC, Inc.

Here's the email from Fr Jenkins that occasioned this open letter:

(begin quote)
Thank you for your email regarding Notre Dame’s response to the arrests of protesters on campus in connection with the commencement exercises in May.

As I understand, you are calling upon Notre Dame to “drop the charges” against those arrested for criminal trespass. It is important to note that these protesters were arrested for trespassing, not for expressing their pro-life position; we agree with them and uphold the Catholic Church’s position on the sanctity of human life.

Under Indiana law, however, Notre Dame is not the complainant in these matters and so is not in any position to “drop the charges.” Nevertheless, Notre Dame officials have been in regular contact with the prosecutor’s office on these matters, and, in consultation with the University, the prosecutor has offered Pre-Trial Diversion to those for whom the May incident was a first-time offense. As described by the prosecutor, this program does not require the individual to plead guilty or go through a trial; rather, the charges are dropped after one year so long as the individual does not commit another criminal offense. We understand that most of those arrested have chosen not to take advantage of this offer and obviously we cannot force them to do so. In essence, the choice of whether or not to go to trial belongs to the defendants.

Finally, it must be stated that the police who were on duty during this time were professional and respectful in carrying out their responsibilities to protect private property. Each person was given fair warning to leave the campus prior to any arrests.

Hopefully, this information provides you with a greater understanding of the issues involved in this matter. Again, thank you for writing. (end quote)

Emily's List Contributer Resigns From Notre Dame Board Of Trustees

Last week the news broke that Notre Dame University appointed to its Board of Trustees Roxanne Martino, a big-time contributer to Emily's List.  Thanks to the Cardinal Newman Society and the protests of thousands of Catholics, Ms. Martino has stepped down.  She stated that her resignation was in the best interests of Notre Dame.  On that point she is correct.

Our prayers are with Ms. Martino so that she reconsiders her support for baby-murder before she faces eternal judgment.  We also pray for those at Notre Dame who had invited her to the Board in the first place.  Under no circumstances do I believe that they were unaware of her contributions to Emily's List.  Therefore, either they just don't give a hoot about the murdered babies, or they themselves are supporters of baby-murder.

Faithful Catholics, your prayers and actions do make a difference.  Ora et labora!

Notre Dame Establishes "GLTBQ" Student Organization

The University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University seem to by vying with each other to win the prize for besmirching their once-Catholic heritages and leading their students down the primrose path to hell.  This week the spotlight is on Notre Dame.  Notre Dame president Father John Jenkins (no, he didn't get sacked after the 2009 Obama debacle) announced the formation of a "GLTBQ" student organization.  Why?  In Father's own words, "to expand and enhance the support and services for students who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual and questioning".  Another main goal is "to create and sustain a welcome and inclusive environment for all students".

Uh-oh!  There's that word "inclusive" again!

I thought Father Jenkins was a priest - no?  As such, isn't one of his main purposes "to save souls"?  Nowhere do I see diddly-squat being said about saving the souls of these students who are admittedly flirting with mortal sin.  Let's be clear - homosexual acts are, objectively speaking, acts that are mortally sinful.  Those who engage in them, knowing that they contravene God's laws, imperil their immortal souls.  If they are engaged in these sinful lifestyles, they are on the road to damnation.  How will this "student organization" address this dire situation?  Will they preach God's truth so that these young people will leave that sinful lifestyle and go to Confession?  This pressing spiritual crisis far outweighs any contrived need for "inclusive environments".

The local bishop (of the Fort Wayne/South Bend diocese), Bishop Kevin Rhoades is "hopeful" that the group will be faithful to Church teaching.  Hopeful?  That implies that fidelity to Church teaching on the part of this student organization is not at all certain!  Even this statement by the local bishop does not address the spiritual plight of the students already embroiled in the mortally-sinful homosexual lifestyle.

What is needed, more than any "inclusive" stuff, is the proclamation of the Church's teaching on life, marriage, holiness, etc and emphasis on the need for the Sacraments.  Otherwise, this "inclusive" student group will be one big occasion for mortal sin.  Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Let us ask Our Lady's intercession for this university that still bears her name.

Less-Than-Stellar Faculty At Notre Dame

The Huffington Post brings news that some faculty of the University of Notre Dame are calling for the resignation of Bishop Jenky from the University's Board of Fellows for having the audacity of giving a homily that is authentically Catholic.  No doubt the notion of the Catholic faith being boldly proclaimed is abhorrent to a university that invited the Messiah Most Miserable (almost 3 years ago) to give its commencement address.  Read the text of their letter.  They "find it offensive that the bishop compared Obama's actions with "those whose genocidal policies murdered tens of millions of people".  Never mind that Obama's love affair with baby murder is a genocidal policy that today continues to murder tens of millions of people.

It was Pewsitter that alerted me to this story.  Pewsitter alerted me to another story related to Notre Dame.  In this piece, a professor named Julia Marvin is taking Notre Dame to task for "workplace discrimination against non-heterosexual employees".  Get a load of that word "non-heterosexual"!  She knows the gay lifestyle is sinful but embraces it anyway - so she tries to pretty up the language a bit, in a manner similar to cloaking the reality of baby-murder with the word "choice".  Sorry, Julia!  It ain't flyin'!!  I won't waste too much time picking apart the errors in this thing.  Suffice it to say that I had a hunch that there was a common link between this and the snit-fit against Bishop Jenky - and Julia Marvin is that link!  Go back to the Huffington piece and look at the signers and you will notice Marvin's name.

It actually makes sense.  Marvin has absolutely no respect for Catholic teaching, at least regarding sexual morality.  No wonder Bishop Jenky "offends" her; it's the truth he proclaimed that offended her seared conscience.  I suspect that if I took the time to dig a little more, that I'd find similar mindsets among the other signers of that letter.

The Deaths Of Two Polar Opposites

Both these men, who died just this week within days of each other, were prominent at the University of Notre Dame, a formerly Catholic institute of higher learning.  One was an enemy of the faith who undermined the faith of many Catholics and the morality of this nation.  The other was a brilliant legal scholar who also championed the faith and unborn children.

I'll start with the enemy of the faith - Father Theodore Hesbergh, former president of Notre Dame and much of the reason why its Catholicity is in tatters.  I've written about him in the past and urge you to read the postings, and to pay special attention to the embedded video detailing Hesbergh's conspiracy with the Rockefellers.  A low point to Hesbergh's career was his spearheading of the Land O Lakes statement, in which the signers declared that Catholic institutions of higher learning owed no allegiance to the Traditions and dogmas of the Church.  Oh, by the way; Cardinal McCarrick signed it.  There is no doubt that when Obama gave the 2009 commencement at Notre Dame, that Hesbergh was gloating in the background.  He certainly is NOT gloating now!  Pray for God's mercy on his soul.

The champion of the faith is the late Dr. Charles Rice.  He had a long and distinguished career as professor of the Notre Dame School of Law.  He was a faithful Catholic and advocate for the unborn children.  The Cardinal Newman Society released a tribute to him.  Below I'll post a Vortex tribute to him, as Dr. Rice hosted some shows with ChurchMilitant.tv.  We pray for his soul, too, that any stay in purgatory be rendered brief.  We also ask his prayers for those of us who remain to carry on with the work of establishing a culture of life.

Fresh Insults to Our Lady

As the title hints, more perfidy issues forth from the formerly Catholic institution that bears the name "University of Notre Dame".

It has come to our attention that the campus' "Progressive Student Alliance" received permission to use student activity funds to send five of its members to the Equality March this past weekend in Washington. That's right! Catholic funds, presumably from Catholic parents, were used to promote the sinful gay lifestyle while further corrupting those five students.

Ask Bishop D'Arcy to take the disciplinary action against Notre Dame that he should have taken last May.

To contact University of Notre Dame:
President Fr. John Jenkins
Office of the President
400 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Phone: 574.631.3903
Email: president@nd.edu

Bishop John D'Arcy
Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese
114 West Wayne Street
South Bend, IN 46601
Chancery phone: (574) 234-0687

Father Norman Weslin - Requiescat In Pace

Yesterday evening Father Norman Weslin, founders of Lambs of Christ, passed to his eternal reward at the age of 81 years.  He had been arrested during pro-life rescues and other protests over 100 times.  He was one of the "Notre Dame 88", arrested during the Notre Dame commencement ceremony that was polluted by Obama.  The American Catholic has a biographical sketch of him, including a video of his arrest.  His attorney at Notre Dame posted this tribute to Father.

Let us pray for his speedy entry to heaven, and for his intercession as we carry on with the pro-life cause.

Who will join us at Georgetown tomorrow in honor of his memory?

The Pope And Notre Dame - Does He Know??

My friend at Les Femmes and I have similar questions such as the one voiced by Michael Voris.  Just how much does Pope Francis know regarding the sorry state of affairs at Notre Dame University?  In regards to his remarks about Cardinal Wuerl "whispering sweet nothings" into the Holy Father's ear, well, it wouldn't be the first time a DC bishop muddied communications between the Holy See and affairs in the United States.

How all this pans out will be told in two things:

1. If Notre Dame recants all its errors and returns to the faith.
2. If not, what will the Holy Father do in the wake of continued disobedience and scandal?

Cardinal Dolan To Shame Himself Before Obama

By now most people have heard that both presidential candidates will be the main speakers at the Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, hosted by Catholic Charities of New York.  It will be held Thursday, October 18th at the Waldorf-Astoria.

That's right!  Once again, the Messiah Most Miserable, the most abortion-fostering president to date, is being wined and dined and adulated at a Catholic event.  Of course decent people are outraged at this invitation.  Obama has shown himself to be openly hostile to Christian values of life and morality - particularly as they are displayed by Catholics.  Even now we are fighting the draconian HHS mandates that came into play a few days ago.

Cardinal Dolan's office tried to stave off criticism.  His spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, claimed, "this is not a partisan event.  It is an evening to put politics aside and come together in a spirit of civility."  Well, here are a few questions for Mr. Zwilling and (by extension) His Eminence.

• If this is not a "partisan event", just what kind of event is it?  Answer - a money-grubbing event, and an event to flatter the wealthy and powerful.
• When you "put politics aside", what else are you putting aside?  Answer - your Christian principles, your sense of right versus wrong.
• If you think you're putting politics aside, do you really think Obama is doing the same?  You are handing to him, on a silver platter, the perfect photo-ops to use on the Catholic public just two weeks away from the presidential elections.  But if you really persist in that belief, may I sell to you the Brooklyn Bridge?
• If you really want to engage in a "spirit of civility", why not ask Obama to "reach across the table" in that regard?  The fact is that while the dinner is occurring and all the schmoozing and elbow-rubbing occurs, babies will be murdered during that time.  Try asking Obama to have all abortions in New York City suspended while that dinner occurs and see how far that "civility" will go!

Father Frank Pavone, president of Priests for Life, denounced Obama's planned appearance at the dinner.  His remarks, though brief, are spot-on.  Of particular note is his statement, perhaps as a retort to Zwilling, "there comes a time when the polite putting aside of differences for a while amounts to scandal".  Father Pavone is correct.

Over three years ago, Obama gave the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame.  That was roundly and rightly criticized.  Among the critics was - Cardinal Dolan!   Read his statement from April 15, 2009!  He said (among other things), "by inviting President Obama to deliver the commencement address and to receive an honorary degree, Notre Dame wrongly signaled to students 'we hold him up as a model to you'".  I submit that there is no change between that occasion and this.  Why the change in Cardinal Dolan's outlook between then and now?  I submit that Cardinal Dolan is sending the same signal now that he so correctly deplored in 2009.  This dichotomy in the Cardinal's two positions is rendered more stark by the evils thrust on this nation during the intervening three years.

I now post below some comments from the Vortex, as well as a petition that Michael Voris is asking all to sign, to have this ridiculous invitation rescinded.  Click here if you can't see embedded video.



Here is the petition link http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cdl_dolan_disinvite_obama/

I frankly believe the petition will be ignored (although I'd welcome being proved wrong in this case).  In that case, it might be necessary for Catholics (and others of good will) to take to the streets in front of the Waldorf-Astoria in protest, as did hundreds of good people at Notre Dame.  The onus for this will largely be on the faithful of New York.  Are we up for it?

Cardinal McCarrick Praises Culture Of Death Icon Father Hesburgh

Father Theodore Hesburgh, president of Notre Dame University for thirty-five years, used his influence and position to severely compromise Catholicism in the United States (maybe the entire western world) and to promote the Culture of Death.  Part and parcel of the Culture of Death is socialism.  This blog and a number of others have documented his rather putrid career.  He has:

• Played a pivotal role in creating and promulgating the heretical Land O' Lakes Statement, that declared de facto rebellion of Catholic colleges against the Magisterium.
• Gave aid and comfort to Alinsky-disciple Msgr Jack Egan (when the latter was evicted from his diocese), allowing Notre Dame to be used as a base to create the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
• Chaired the Rockefeller Foundation, advocates for "population control"
• Go to this link to see how Notre Dame University has done tremendous insult to Christianity.  The 2009 commencement was just the most notorious example.  I've no doubt that this list is not exhaustive.

I think it's fair to say that if it weren't for Fr Hesburgh's influence, Catholic institutes of higher learning would not be polluting the minds of their students.  The CCHD may not have gained the footholds in so many chanceries that it now has.  And yes, Obama may well not be president.

Two days ago in the US Capitol Building, some Catholic (using "Catholic" loosely) politicians hosted a birthday party for Father Hesburgh.  We can guess why there was no screeching and howling from the "separation of church and state" crowd over this - because their champion was being honored!  Among the "usual suspects" in attendance were Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi: two CINO pro-aborts who enjoy their positions of influence due in no small part to Fr Hesburgh.  

One of the other attendees called Father Hesburgh "one of four great Americans", the other three being George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.  For the profuse amount of slobbering, kissing-up and toadying that oozed from such a stupid statement, this attendee made an utter fool of himself.  And who was that who stuck both feet in his mouth?  Cardinal McCarrick!

Today was not at all the first time that Fr Hesburgh and Cardinal McCarrick met.  Thanks to a colleague in the Catholic Media Coalition, I was informed that Cardinal McCarrick is a signer of the Land O' Lakes Statement.  Go to the link to the statement and scroll down.  Sure enough, his name is there.  He stood "lock, stock and barrel" with those who deliberately introduced dissension and heresy into our Catholic schools!

This past Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Cardinal McCarrick was the main celebrant at the 9:30 Mass at St John Neumann Church in Gaithersburg, MD.  I was in attendance and recorded his homily; I link to it here.  Take note of the homily between 4:50 and 5:10.  He says that "once we leave the teaching of the Apostles...then Islam comes.."  While that statement is true enough, I was aghast when I heard it for I remembered other times when he affirmed Islam.  As you continue to listen him praise (rightly so) the "purity of doctrine", recall how he helped adulterate that same purity with his affirmation of the poisonous Land O' Lakes Statement and his squalid associations with Sister Carol Keehan, Ted Kennedy, John Sweeney, etc.

In his Pentecost homily, Cardinal McCarrick deplored the confusion that his ongoing actions create!   His celebration of Father Hesburgh just a few days ago after that homily is merely the latest in the litany of contradictory messages that he sends.  Holy Mother Church is suffering through want of fidelity of action on the part of her shepherds.  Pray that God would send these to us quickly.

Notre Dame Cathedral - A Harbinger Of God's Purifying Judgments To Come

No doubt the world has heard by now that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was severely damaged by a fire today.  The fire destroyed most of the roof and a spire.  Firefighters managed to save a relic of Jesus' Crown of Thorns and a tunic used by King St Louis IX, along with the Blessed Sacrament.

The Cathedral dates back many centuries.  It is both a religious and cultural landmark not only of France and Western civilization, but that of the Roman Catholic Church as well.  However, I join many others in believing that this disaster is a harbinger of God's judgments that are yet to come.  We may well bewail the fate of the Cathedral,  But how many of us in Maryland are just as disturbed that Mark Shriver, a dissident Catholic, will befoul another institution names after Our Lady next month?  I've already written about that.  The question is, what are faithful Catholics doing about that??

We have a pope who scrapes and bows before pagan world leaders, but won't genuflect before Our Lord during Mass.  We stand by while he spews forth verbose documents that only serve to obfuscate God's timeless truths.  We have prelates who cover for each other as they rape young boys and men.  These same prelates wink at priests who lead their parishes in "pride parades" while punishing faithful priests for preaching true Catholic doctrine that some sin-blinded people find too convicting.

CCHD - Boycott This In November - ALL Localities!

With all the rightly-placed focus on the elections that will occur in two days, I can understand that the upcoming annual CCHD collection this November has slipped the minds of many.  Alas, it is a reality that now cries for our attention.

In previous posts, I had suggested that we all boycott the CCHD collection in all localities with the exception of the Chicago Archdiocese.  At the time, their local CCHD director had taken significant steps to improve the grant-making process, defunding various progressive organizations and redirecting those monies to pro-life organizations and those actively engaged in the Works of Mercy.  Sadly, but not too surprisingly, that director was released from his position.  There was an internal drive to have him fired. 

This latest development in Chicago, plus the unusual delay in CCHD's release of the names of current grantees, leaves me with the regretable but necessary task of calling for the boycott of the CCHD in all locations, no exceptions.

Pro-Abortion Summer Internships

At what left-wing institute of higher learning can the aspiring student have opportunities for summer internships at these progressive, pro-abortion groups?

• Human Rights Watch
• People for the American Way
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
• Feminist Majority Foundation
• Emily's List

GW University?  Any other state-run university?  Well, yes, but you'll also find these on the webpage of the Political Science Department of - University of Notre Dame!  Yes, this is the less-than-fine institution that forfeited its Catholicism when it hosted Obama as its commencement speaker in May 2009.

Look, I know on that website there are many other organizations, some of which could be called "right-wing".  The ones listed above are pro-abortion, and Notre Dame still calls itself "Catholic".  What we're watching is yet another chipping away and discarding of ND's Catholic heritage.

HT - TFP Student Action and Pewsitter

President Trump And Notre Dame

Most of us remember how the University of Notre Dame disgraced itself by allowing the Messiah Most Miserable to sully its commencement ceremony AND receive an honorary degree from what once was a Catholic institution.  This happened in 2009.  Many good people protested, both before and during the debacle, from afar and right on the campus itself with some being arrested.  Father Jenkins was warned of the protests beforehand but carried on, claiming that the President of the United States should be a welcome speaker.

My!  How times change in these eight years!  When faced with the prospect of President Trump giving a commencement address at his campus, all of the sudden, Jenkins is having his doubts!  Says the UND president, "I do think the elected leader of the nation should be listened to. And it would be good to have that person on the campus — whoever they are, whatever their views.  At the same time, the 2009 commencement was a bit of a political circus, and I think I’m conscious that that day is for graduates and their parents — and I don’t want to make the focus something else."

Let's examine all this, shall we?  We'll start from the end: "I don't want to make the focus something else".  What a piece of crock!  When Obama came, Jenkins didn't care one whit about that day being "for the graduates and their parents".  It was a victory lap for both Obama and Father Theodore Hesburgh.  The latter was president of UND from 1952 - 1987.  During that time he authored the heretical Land-O-Lakes Statement and helped the infiltration of progressivism into the inner workings of the Church hierarchy.  Because he also gave aid and comfort to Msgr Jack Egan as the latter was developing the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, he fostered the kind of "community organizing" that jump-started Obama's political career.  Yes indeed, Jenkins was celebrating a triumph of progressivism that day, not the graduates.

Now let's look at the "circus".  He thinks that more of that may be present because of Trump as opposed to Obama?  Arguably he has a point.  Consider the rioting and rampage that occurred in various metropolitan areas as marauders roamed the streets, smashed windows, beat up Trump supporters, set things on fire, etc while proclaiming that Trump is "not my president".  Consider all those Clinton supporters who claimed to be traumatized, with many campuses setting up crisis counseling centers all because their candidate lost.  Perhaps Jenkins is concerned that UND students will have their noses put out of joint in such great numbers that he'll have trouble setting up enough counseling centers, safe spaces, etc.  Such a circus might indeed dwarf what he faced in 2009.  Does Jenkins realized what he might have admitted?  He might have cheered all the mayhem that happened elsewhere after the election, but isn't so keen with the prospect of his own campus being trashed by overgrown brats.  Well, just as he jailed the pro-life protesters, he can grow a backbone and be prepared to haul away any rampaging snowflakes.

Such double standards these progressives have!  And now the masks are coming off their faces.

Petition to Drop Charges Against the Notre Dame 88

You'll recall from last May that Notre Dame University, a FORMERLY Catholic institution, sullied itself by inviting the Messiah Most Miserable to give the commencement address and to receive an "honorary" (using the term "honor" laughingly) degree.

Eighty-eight prolife activisits, at various times and locations during that period, were arrested for giving pro-life witness.  Most of the arrests occurred on campus, and were done with the approval, if not the actual mandate, of Father Jenkins, the University president.  While he now claims that he does not have the legal authority to have the charges dropped, common sense dictates that a request from him to do so would have great bearing on the matter and would most likely result in dismissal.  Reasonable people can conclude that the courts would rather not be bothered with a myriad of tresspass cases, and would most likely welcome the request for dismissals so they could move onto other matters.

The Thomas More Society, Human Life International and Lifesite News have drawn up an online petition to ask that Father Jenkins request dismissal of the charges.  We link to that petition here and ask that you sign it, and to please advise those whom you know to sign it as well.  Thank you.

More On Father Hesburgh's Legacy Of Destruction

On Friday I touched upon the death of the notorious Father Theodore Hesburgh, long-time president of the University of Notre Dame.  The main thing he presided over while in his post was the destruction of Catholic education there and in many other places - not to mention the confusion and likely damnation of the souls of Notre Dame's students.

Regrettably but not too surprisingly, his death has garnered him accolades from the usual suspects.  Chief among them is Cardinal Dolan, giving the usual happy-clappy crap.  I've blogged about his gaffes many times.  One theme of this bloviation is Hesburgh's "priestly touch".  What is this "priestly touch" in Dolan's estimation?  Who knows?  When Dolan defines God as "him, her, whatever you want", I suppose this "priestly touch" can be "whatever you want", even if that "whatever" is the Land O' Lakes Statement.

Below is a Vortex summary.  Pray for Father Hesburgh.

Planned Feminazi Debacle In Baltimore - Cancelled, Deo Gratias

Last week I wrote of a feminist gab-fest scheduled to occur in Baltimore's Inner Harbor area this coming Saturday.  It was sponsored and organized by Notre Dame of Maryland University.  Its keynote speaker was going to be Cecile Richards, ex-president of Planned Parenthood, and it featured a sex-ed workshop for underage girls with no parents allowed.

The indefatigable gentlemen of TFP Action organized a Rosary of Reparation to occur outside the freak show and I had urged all to join them.

Comes now the happy news that the organizers canceled their event because of concerns about the corona virus.  I have it on good word, though, that before the cancellation of the event in its entirety,  Archbisop Lori ordered that Cecile Richards be disinvited from it.  A moral disaster has been averted - for now.

The language in the WOW cancellation statement indicates that the planners consider their move to be a mere postponement.  We must continue to hold the collective feet of Notre Dame's administration to the fire.  If they attempt this nonsense again, we must be ready to protest again.

BREAKING - Charges DROPPED Against Notre Dame 88

The pro-life activists whose protests of Obama's commencement address at Notre Dame in May 2009 finally are releaved of trespass charges.  These individuals had taken their protests onto campus grounds and were arrested and charged with trespass.  Several of these individuals are friends of this blogger.

The Thomas More Society represented the pro-life activists, who eached faced up to a year in jail and a $5,000.00 fine.  Many investigations and discoveries were conducted.  One of these revealed that campus protesters of various left-wing pursuasions were given much more lenient treatment than the pro-lifers, indicating viewpoint discrimination.

Today, Indiana's prosecuter for St Joseph County, Michael Dvorak, dismissed the trespass charges.  Details can be found at Lifesite News.  What took them so long??

The Hypocrisy of Father Jenkins - Another Thrilling Chapter

By now most of you have heard the not-so-startling news that in 2007, when anti-war (Catholic Worker) and pro-gay (Soulforce) demonstrators dared to set their big toes on the campus of Notre Dame, they suffered no legal repercussions whatsoever.  They were arrested, processed, released - and that was that!  No trial, no specter of fines or jail sentences hanging over their heads.

Contrast that to the treatment meted out to those who protested on-campus the honors bestowed upon the Messiah Most Miserable in May 2009.  This group is known as the ND 88 (although one of them has since passed away).  They were no more violent than were Soulforce or the Catholic Worker people, yet they are being treated much more harshly.  Why?

Commencement Catastrophes

In a few months, high school and college seniors will be receiving diplomas during ceremonies where they will listen to speakers.  We would hope that at Catholic institutions that those speakers would be people who exemplify fidelity to Church teaching in their lives and words.  Sadly that has not always been the case during these past few decades.  I and others have often stood in protest at commencements where the speakers scandalized students and others, simply by being honored despite (or maybe because of) their publicly sinful conduct.

That trend still continues.  During these past two years, commencements often were canceled due to covid-related concerns, but now they are ramping up, as are the appearances of dissidents.  The Archdiocese of Baltimore, via the Catholic Review, just announced two such speakers about to poison the minds of the graduates.

The first is Sister Helen Prejean, who will address graduates of Notre Dame of Maryland University on May 22 at the Baltimore Convention Center.  She will be delivering her address virtually, but the plug needs to be pulled on that public address system when she speaks.  I have written quite a bit on her over the years.  Her heretical position on the death penalty is NOT her only problem.  I am considering a picket of that event, urging attendees to walk out during her prattling.

Then there's Anisya Thomas Fritz.  She is a bit of an entrepreneur.  There's nothing wrong with that, but she has other questionable associations.  According to her Linkedin page, she is a founder and current chair of something called Georgetown Ambassadors for Women, Peace, Security.  Any group that gives out "Hillary Clinton awards" is questionable, at best.  Then I googled that group and discovered who's on the board.  Ms. Fritz is, of course, but so is someone else named Tricia Hoefling.  Her bio blurb quite plainly states that "she is an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights" and counts as an "accomplishment" the establishment of two abortuaries.  Mind you, this is right on the website of Georgetown University, an ostensibly Catholic institution, but then again, it's Georgetown.  Anyway, we know a lot about people by the company they keep.  If she was a founder of that group, would she not have had some input regarding the composition of the board?  Can Ms. Fritz be that much of an exemplar of Catholicism? 

Fritz will be speaking at the commencement of Loyola University on May 14th at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore at 11am.  That's a Sunday morning.  Just when do the Loyola administration think that attendees will be able to attend Sunday Mass that day?  Or don't they care?  What's even more peculiar is that the Review staff didn't pick up on that.  On second thought, maybe not.

The fact that these scandals are happening is bad enough.  That they are lauded in an archdiocesan newspaper is itself bona fide evidence of the corruption that exists within Church hierarchy.  As I said earlier, I am contemplating a picket of the Notre Dame fiasco.  We've done it before, many times.  I link now to a picket that some of us conducted when Sr. Carol Keehan of the Pen of Perfidy spoke at Gonzaga High 12 years ago.  Watch the video to the end.  We need to rebuke the sinner.