Posts Tagged ‘notre dame scandal’

Obama decides on his pay grade

Posted: November 10, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
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Apparently he figured it out after the vote:

“I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill,” Obama said. “And we’re not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.”

Saying the bill cannot change the status quo regarding the ban on federally funded abortions, the president said, “There are strong feelings on both sides” about an amendment passed Saturday and added to the legislation, “and what that tells me is that there needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we’re not changing the status quo.”

Fr. Jenkins of Notre Dame who was just extended there could not be reached for comment, but you can contact him here.

How’s that Common Ground on Abortion going Notre Dame?

Posted: October 8, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
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…apparently not so well:

In his address at the University of Notre Dame, Obama talked a good game about respecting conscience on abortion rights. He did the same thing when he met the Pope.
But that was all it was — talk.

The Obama Administration’s attack on Belmont Abbey College proves that.

Apparently the Catholic College decided that the “Catholic” part actually matters as they were unwilling to cover contraception, abortion, and voluntary sterilization all directly opposed to the college’s faith so of course we had a lawsuit and the results were interesting…

Belmont Abbey College was not discriminating against women. Unlike many “believers in name only” the college was adhering to the principles of its faith.

At first, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found no evidence of gender discrimination by Belmont Abbey College… After a few weeks, the EEOC mysteriously reversed course and announced, in effect, that the college had better toe the Administration’s line, or else.

They are now demanding the school go against the very principles it exists to serve.

I presume they are going to fight it as far as they can, if they lose then there is only one choice that is acceptable in terms of faith and that is to simply drop all coverage divert the cost into the pay of the employees so they can purchase private insurance to cover what they wish.

But I’m over-reacting after all the state wouldn’t go after Catholics for obeying their faith would they?

So how did that work out Fr. Jenkins?

Of course, this does not mean we support all of his positions. The invitation to President Obama to be our Commencement speaker should not be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of human life, including abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Yet, we see his visit as a basis for further positive engagement.”

Maybe you should thank him.

If you were looking for a worse idea than a ND’s presidental invite

Posted: May 16, 2009 by datechguy in oddities
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This is it:

A total of 43 children were directly and indirectly shocked by electric stun guns during simultaneous ”Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day” events gone wrong at three state prisons, according to new information provided Friday by the Florida Department of Corrections.

Also, a group of kids was exposed to tear gas during a demonstration at another lockup.

No word yet on how the “show your daughter the front lines” event in Afghanistan worked out.

Listening to the ASU speech I see big trouble…

Posted: May 14, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
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…for those of us who think it is a disgrace that he (the President) is invited to Notre Dame to receive a degree and give the commencement speech.

He is likely going to give a very good speech and maybe an uplifting one. We are going to look very foolish when he does…

…however you know what: Let us look foolish!

We don’t dispute that the president can make a good speech or give a good message. Since Fr. Jenkins is not going to retreat I hope that the president does give a good speech and an inspiring one. That is the task that he has been given.

We say and we affirm that we are Catholics. We say and affirm the Nicene Creed every week. We affirm our loyalty to the Holy Roman Catholic Church. We affirm that the foremost Catholic University in the United States has a moral obligation to stand up for those Catholic values that we embrace. We affirm and support the message of the Bishops of the church that we don’t honor those who stand against our deepest beliefs and aid an intrinsic evil.

We take this stand even if it is unpopular, in fact especially if it is unpopular. St. Peter’s greatness didn’t come when he took the popular and safe decision to deny Jesus when he was clearly going down. He built a church by defying the leaders of his own Jewish faith (Don’t forget Jesus and all of the early disciples were Jews.) and the greatest military power in the world. He died defying that power but he died with the keys to heaven in his hands and when those who killed him came to the gates who was standing there with the keys?

I am an American Catholic of Italian/Sicilian stock. My grandparents came to this country over 100 years ago and built a life. I would not trade my worst time in America for the citizenship of any other nation and I thank God and my parents and grandparents that I and my children are Americans, however at best I will live in America for 120 years more likely with my waistline closer to 60-70 years if I’m lucky. Eternity is a whole lot longer. If I have to choose between America and the kingdom of heaven that is no choice at all:

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.”

Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:18-31

We will look foolish in the eyes of many but eternity is a long time and when we get to the gates we know who will be holding the keys.

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