Francis Cardinal George
Archbishop of Chicago
President
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, has said that the University of Notre Dame's decision to host and honor President Obama at their commencement ceremony this year was an "extreme embarrassment" to Catholics.
"Whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn't understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation," George told the crowd at a conference Saturday on the Vatican document Dignitatis Personae. The conference was hosted by the Chicago archdiocese's Respect Life office and Office for Evangelization at the Marriott O'Hare hotel.
In a video obtained by LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) today, Cardinal George prefaced his remarks by noting that although he is the president of the USCCB, he does not have jurisdiction or authority over other bishops. His role, he indicated, nonetheless has "some moral authority, without any kind of jurisdiction or any sort of real authority." (Download the brief video to view in Windows Media format - http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/video/CardinalGeorge.wmv - or QuickTime format - http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/video/CardinalGeorge.mov - allow time for the download to complete.)
"As president of the U.S. bishops' conference I have to precisely speak for the bishops and not in my own name, as I could as Archbishop of Chicago," he added.
George said he had spoken with the administrative committee of the bishops' conference and corresponded with University president Fr. John Jenkins several times on the issue.
"That conversation will continue .... whether or not it will have some kind of consequence that will bring, I think, the University of Notre Dame to its [the USCCB's] understanding of what it means to be Catholic," said the Cardinal. "That is, when you're Catholic, everything you do changes the life of everybody else who calls himself a personal Catholic - it's a network of relationships.
"So quite apart from the president's own positions, which are well known, the problem is in that you have a Catholic university - the flagship Catholic university - do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic," said the cardinal.
"So whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn't understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation, and didn't anticipate the kind of uproar that would be consequent to the decision, at least not to the extent that it has happened," said George.
The Cardinal urged concerned Catholics "to do what you are supposed to be doing: to call, to email, to write letters, to express what's in your heart about this: the embarrassment, the difficulties."
However, Cardinal George emphasized that the U.S. presidency "is an office that deserves some respect, no matter who is holding it," and said that Notre Dame would not disinvite the president, since "you just don't do that (disinvite the president of the United States)." According to the cardinal requests to revoke the invitation would fall on deaf ears, but he also observed that there is legitimate potential to organize some form of protest at the ceremony.
"You have to sit back and get past the immediate moral outrage and say, 'Now what's the best thing to do in these circumstances?'" said the Cardinal.
"I can assure you the bishops are doing that."
Cardinal George is the ninth U.S. bishop to speak out against the scandal.
To sign the Cardinal Newman Society's petition protesting the Notre Dame scandal: http://www.notredamescandal.com
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For a list of contact information regarding the Notre Dame scandal:
Following is a compilation of pertinent contact information for those wishing to voice opposition to the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama to offer the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17, 2009:
To contact Notre Dame:
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
46556, USA
phone: 574.631.5000
email form: http://president.nd.edu/contact-us
Board of Trustees
The Board has general power of governance at the University
Mr. Richard C. Notebaert, Chairman of the Board
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
phone: 574.631.5000
list of all trustees: http://nd.edu/leadership/board-of-trustees/
Notre Dame Fellows
(The Fellows are the "successors and associates in office" of the original founders of the University.)
The Most Rev. Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C.
Diocese of Peoria, IL
phone: 309.671.1550
ckreps@cdop.org
Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., President
University of Portland
phone: 503.943.7101
Patrick F. McCartan, Senior partner, Jones Day
phone:216.586.7272
email: pmccartan@jonesday.com
William M. Goodyear, CEO
Navigant Consulting
phone: 312.583.5700
list of all Notre Dame Fellows: http://www.nd.edu/leadership/fellows/
Alumni Association
contact info: https://secure.alumni.nd.edu/site/c.luIZLdMOJpE/b.2660531/k....
To contact the Vatican:
Vatican Switchboard: 011.39.06.6982
Congregation for Catholic Education
Palazzo della Congregazioni, Piazza Pio XII, 3
00193 Roma
ITALY
Fax: 011.39.06.69.88.41.72
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Newly Appointed Archbishop of New York on ND Scandal: "They Made a Big Mistake"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09033001.html
Houston Cardinal Becomes Highest Ranking Official, 4th Bishop to Condemn Notre Dame Scandal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032717.html
Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend Obama-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html
Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Obama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html
Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Obama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html
Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Obama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html
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Barack Hussein Obama aka Barry Soetoro
is a usurper
because he is not eligible to be President of the United States
because he is not a Natural Born Citizen
as required by Article Two, Section One, Clause Five
of the United States Constitution regardless of
where he was born (Mombassa, Hawaii, Chicago, or Mars)
because he was not born of TWO PARENTS
BOTH OF WHOM WERE UNITED STATES CITIZENS
at the time of his birth. His father was a subject/ciitizen
of Kenya/Great Britain
and his mother was too young to pass on her citizenship
according to the law in effect when he was born.
Check it out:
http://www.TheObamaFile.com/ObamaNaturalBorn.htm
His usurpation cannot be corrected by Congress,
it can only be corrected by his removal
or
by an amendment to the Constitution.
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