Archbishop Beltran: 'Notre Dame has certainly turned against the Catholic Church'

Oklahoma City, Okla., Apr 2, 2009 / 15:21 pm

Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran of Oklahoma City has sent a letter to University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins in which he says that “Notre Dame University has certainly turned against the Catholic Church,” and that he is “appalled, disappointed, and scandalized” by the school's honoring of President Obama.

Beltran’s letter joins a chorus of people expressing their disagreement with the invitation and honoring of a president at odds with the Catholic Church's teachings.

The letter from Archbishop Beltran is as follows:

Reverend John I. Jenkins, CSC, President
University of Notre Dame
300 Main Building
South Bend, Indiana 46556

Dear Father Jenkins:

I am appalled, disappointed and scandalized! Notre Dame University has certainly turned against the Catholic Church. I believe you have a moral responsibility to withdraw the invitation to President Barack Obama to be your commencement speaker in May. I also ask that you refrain from giving him any award whatsoever.

President Obama has publicly and ruthlessly affronted the Catholic Church of America during the short time of his presidency. His single-handed actions have totally reversed decades of successes of the Church in the prolife cause. Needless to say, he deserves no honor or recognition from Notre Dame or any other Catholic institution.

Please have the courage to take this extraordinary stand in view of the extraordinary scandal you have generated.

May Our Lord and Savior and Giver of Life bless you during this penitential season of Lent.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran

Archbishop of Oklahoma City