Each year busloads of Catholics go to Washington to protest abortion (Roe vs. Wade).
What a waste of time and money when they possibly should be protesting at their own churches, archdioceses or, for sure, at Notre Dame University.
The money and time spent on this jaunt to Washington would be much better spent on trying to get candidates elected who share our view on abortion.
How can we expect our lawmakers, (some whom already call themselves “Catholic”) to vote pro-life, when priests, bishops and other leaders in the Church, don’t support the Church’s position?
It was a priest who invited President Obama to address the graduates at Notre Dame last Sunday and awarded him his honorary degree.
Probably most of us, me included, are not in a position to cast the first stone.
However, if the leadership of our Church won’t stand up for the Church’s position on abortion, how can they expect the laity, and especially politicians, to follow the Church’s teaching?
How Can We Know?
Very few bishops objected to the President being awarded an honorary degree from Notre Dame.
Who even knows if any priest objected, when it was one of their own who made the arrangements?
For that matter, week after week priests welcome our “Catholic” politicians, who openly support abortion, into their churches, receiving the sacraments and then making sure to get publicity for having them as guests.
What a mockery of the Church’s stand on abortion.
Please don’t take me wrong. Politicians need to go to church. Receiving the sacraments should be a personal thing between you and God. But publicity for merely attending church is not required.
I want to make it clear that I do not object to the President being the commencement speaker.
All of us should be open to different points of view, although I firmly believe abortion is killing, just as if you had pulled a trigger on a gun.
But for Notre Dame to award the President an honorary degree, given his position on abortion, is and was wrong.
Would Planned Parenthood give an award to the Pope?
Or for that matter, allow him to speak at their convention?
I think not.
Notre Dame honored a President who probably is the most anti pro-life leader our country has ever had.
And now he has a degree from Notre Dame, even if it’s only honorary.
Mr. Hennessey is an accountant in Dayton, the birthplace of aviation, a community volunteer, and he writes for the Cash Register Collectors Club. He may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net
