Local News
Letter to the Editor
Published: May 28, 2009
To the Editor:
Thank you for reporting the news on the recent Notre Dame scandal. I have been following this issue closely, too.
(On) May 17, 2009, I listened to this monologue by President Obama amidst flowery words about reducing the numbers of abortions and making adoption more available and the heart-wrenching decision by women. And the crowd cheered. But the President’s remarks had a glaring omission. While willing to promote adoption, he gave no indication of any willingness to protect the right to life of the baby, body and soul, in the womb. That is the crux of the issue.Over 80 bishops, including the local Bishop John D’Arcy, publicly criticized Notre Dame for picking President Obama as their commencement speaker in view of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ teachings: It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, founded on her understanding of her Lord’s own witness to the sacredness of human life, that the killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified. …
… On this same day of the Notre Dame scandal, there was a remnant in an alternate commencement ceremony on campus at Notre Dame. About two dozen graduates accepted their degrees at the Grotto in alignment with the over 80 bishops who have expressed their dismay with Notre Dame’s choice in the commencement speaker. In my opinion, these graduates at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and Mary Ann Glendon have made the better choice. With God’s grace, may this remnant who listened to the Church’s teachings and the bishops be an example to leaven the truth in all of us.Patty Palmquist, Lilburn
