More Notre Dame Students Boycott Graduation Over Pro-Abortion Obama Speech

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 12, 2009

Email RSS Print

South Bend, IN (LifeNews.com) -- More graduating seniors at the University of Notre Dame are boycotting the commencement ceremony scheduled to take place this weekend featuring pro-abortion President Barack Obama. Their refusal to attend is a dramatic conclusion to what has been branded a scandal of national proportions.

Students say the decision to boycott the graduation and attend alternative commencement events, including a prayer vigil featuring Father Frank Pavone, is not a political decision.

“It’s not a political issue; this is an issue of human dignity, and it’s a Catholic issue,” said Greer Hannan, a Notre Dame graduating senior. “As a Catholic university, we need to stand up for it.”

The evening of May 16, Bishop of the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese, Rev. John D’Arcy, will lead a candlelight prayer vigil for graduating seniors and their families to pray for an end to abortion.

On graduation day, in addition to the meditation ceremony with the Priests for Life leader, a large rally will be held on the South Quad of the university featuring a variety of speakers.

ND Response, the student-led coalition that is planning the events, told LifeNews.com today that "Notre Dame should not be honoring a political figure who supports abortion and embryonic stem cell research."

The collection of several pro-life groups has also released a new Hollywood style video showcasing their displeasure with Notre Dame and Obama.

Meanwhile, a new article on the popular Catholic web site PewSitter indicates some reasons for why Notre Dame president, Rev. John Jenkins, invited pro-abortion President Obama to be the graduation speaker.

The article indicates political connections between members of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees and Obama which may explain why a Catholic university would ignore Church teachings and significant public outcry to honor the pro-abortion president with an honorary degree.

One example listed in the expose' is that of the Chair of the Notre Dame Trustees, Richard Notebaert, and his wife may be friends of Obama's and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has received federal funding earmarked by Obama when he was a senator.

One of Obama's "key" fundraisers, Frank Clark, served on the museum board at time the funding was received.

The PewSitter article also explores other connections and makes the case that Jenkins may be doing little more than the bidding of a Board of Trustees politically disposed to support Obama.

Related web sites:
ND Response - http//www.NDResponse.com
New video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KUBdrrbF6o

Mom, Thank You for Choosing Life!

By Hannah Goodwyn
CBN.com Producer

CBN.com – My name was supposed to be Benjamin Isaac. Mom and Dad had the name picked out for their baby boy. To my parents surprise, a little baby girl was born that day some 28 years ago.

Mom told me about this long ago, but it wasn’t until a little while back that I learned of a secret about my birth. During her pregnancy, my mother’s doctor urged her to abort me. Hearing this news, I felt a deep jolt in my soul as I pondered the idea that I almost never was.

My Almost-Never-Was Story

Still in shock, I listened to our story. This is what she said…

I was in my first trimester when my doctor decided to do a maternal blood screening test to check for possible birth defects. I had the test done and it came back positive confirming a higher than normal possibility of serious birth defects. Then, the doctor told me there was still time for a therapeutic D & C (Dilation and Curettage), in other words an abortion.

Even as my mother spoke these unbelievable words, I couldn’t wrap my mind around what she was sharing with me. Why would this man of medicine urge my mother to end my not-yet-realized life?

She continued...

He stated all of the possible defects, such as neural tube defects, Down syndrome, and other chromosomal defects.

Time seemed to stop as she recalled the long list of projected ailments I would have to deal with once I was born.

Mom said...

I don't know if I was shocked or stunned at first. I didn’t know what to think, so I left the doctor’s office to figure out what to do. I called your Dad. We quickly decided this was not up to us, but that our baby-to-be and our lives were in His hands. We both felt that God alone has the understanding and wisdom to know when a life begins and when it ends. Right then, I made God a promise. It was a promise He soon tested. Keeping me faithful to my word, God took your little brother Nathan James to Heaven.

I became pregnant when you were 5 months old. Another doctor ran the same tests on Nathan and the results came back positive – again. Dad and I were calm though because we knew God would make a way for us. That December, I started bleeding and the doctor ordered me to rest. On the way home from the appointment, my condition just got worse. My nurse friend Nancy took me to the emergency room and they admitted me at once. That night, I passed a large mass, which they said was our baby. Tests showed that it was a boy with numerous birth defects. The doctor encouraged us to mourn him and name him as if he drew breath. Doing that helped us heal.

Although it was painful to lose a son, Mom shared that she clung to the fact that God knows what He’s doing. Nathan would have lived an unbearable life, and in His mercy the Lord spared him that pain.

Despite the bad report from the doctor, I was born healthy. My mom’s trust in the Lord spared my life. In fact, each of us five kids had health problems promised to us. One of my younger brother’s was even preliminarily diagnosed with spinal bifida, which by God’s grace and through the faithful prayers of my parents and countless others, he has never experienced. We are all healthy, thriving adults today.

With God in charge, it doesn’t matter if your child may have birth defects or if you do not think you can handle being a single parent. God alone knows the future – what you can handle and the life that can be lived if you give your baby a chance, as my mom did with me. I'm so glad she did.

New Wesley Movie Trailer

Movie Trailer

INTERNET EXPLORER USERS: Internet Explorer 7 has an issue that prevents the Flash 9 player from working in some situations. We are testing a different player solution below which so far has tested fine in current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera. If you cannot view the trailer, please CLICK HERE and report the problem.

You can also download the WMV version at the bottom of the page. Apologies for any inconvenience!

Thanks for your patience while the trailer loads...

Score for Trailer composed by Joel Steudler

"The Churchmen" Appearing
at Boonville Wesleyan Church

Sunday, June 14th, 7:00PM

Some Facts About the Churchman:

• Multiple nominations for "Gospel Group of the Year" by the Society of Preservation of Bluegrass in America
• Performance at the Ryman Theater
  
• Nominated for Two Dove Awards
• Bluegrass Gospel Album of the year (2005)
• Bluegrass Song of the year (2007)

"The Churchmen are one of the fastest growing,hottest new sounds in Bluegrass Gospel Music today. We have worked with these guys a lot, and they really live what they sing."
Jeff and Sheri Easter

For more information about the Churchmen, or to listen to samples of their music, click here:
www.thechurchmen.com/

TIME MAGAZINE PROMOTES EUTHANASIA KITS MAKING SURE ASSISTED SUICIDE REALLY KILLS
by Kathryn Jean Lopez
That Time magazine would consider covering a doctor who has advocated the right of troubled teenagers to kill themselves should set off all sorts of alarm bells. If we don't question the issue of assisted suicide and its seeming acceptance as an almost casual reality by the media, we're going to realize quickly that we have moved way beyond debating extraordinary care and the legality of assisted suicide in terminal cases.

Quotes From Our Founding Fathers

Quotes From Our Founding Fathers

Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, (I conjure you to believe me fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government.

George Washington's Farewell Address

How Can We Be More Content?

By Julie-Ann Lattimer-Wesleyan Life Magazine

…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands… (1 Thess. 4:11).

• Don’t compare yourself to others. If you do, look at those less fortunate and you’ll be thankful for what you have.
• Take a walk and look at nature. It’s God creation, not man’s. We can see His plan and control of this earth through the beauty and balance of nature.
• Read a book about India, Haiti or another third-world country. What we label bare necessities are unattainable luxuries to these people.
• When feeling shut-in, get out. Go to the library or a museum, not the mall.
• When feeling down about your job, think of those unemployed. If you’re exhausted or feeling over-worked, kick off your shoes and relax. Be thankful you’re tired from a hard day’s work instead of boredom.
• Dissatisfied with your looks? Gramma always said, “Beauty is a clean face, shiny hair, and a pure heart.” Anyone can have it.
• Do something thoughtful for someone. Thinking of others keeps our minds off ourselves.
• Focus on what is good in your life and rely on God to supply all your needs, not your wants.
• Enjoy the freebies in life: flowers, sunsets, love, family, friends and Christ’s salvation.
• Meditate on heaven and eternity. Our present situation is temporary.

Contentment is not boredom or lack of ambition. It is an acceptance. Being content does not depend on circumstances. With God’s help, may we say, as the apostle Paul did, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phil. 4:11).