A choice for life at Notre Dame

Golden Dome Statue of Our Lady, University of Notre Dame

The decision of the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA, to invite President Obama receive an honorary doctorate and to be its commencement speaker on 17 May has caused great controversy. The university has been one that all Catholic Americans were proud of and is run by the Congregation of the Holy Cross of which Father Patrick Peyton, ‘The Rosary Priest’, was a member.

The controversy is due to the fact that Mr Obama is militantly pro-abortion, as his record and his promises show. Mary Ann Glendon, former US ambassador to the Vatican, was to have received the Laetare Award at the same graduation but has now declined to do so because of her perception that she was being used to supply ‘balance’ on an issue on which the Church is absolutely clear: abortion is always intrinsically evil.

First Things features an article by a Notre Dame graduate, Lacy Dodd, who knows exactly what’s at stake and who concludes her article with a question for Notre Dame president, Fr John I. Jenkins CSC: There have been many things written about the honors to be extended to President Obama. I’d like to ask this of Fr. John Jenkins, the Notre Dame president: Who draws support from your decision to honor President Obama—the young, pregnant Notre Dame woman sitting in that graduating class who wants desperately to keep her baby, or the Notre Dame man who believes that the Catholic teaching on the intrinsic evil of abortion is just dining-room talk?

Read the full article to get the impact of Lucy's question.

H/T Catholic Culture

Probably no posts for a week or so

NUESTRA SRA. DEL TRIUNFO DELA CRUZ / OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL

The image on the wall of the Cotta is believed to be miraculous and has been the object of pilgrimage to the City of Ozamiz. (The feast of Our Lady of the Triumph of the Holy Cross is celebrated in Ozamiz City on 16 July but is separate from the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel on the same day. So I don't think that the caption above from the city's website is quite accurate.

I'm leaving tomorrow for Cebu on my wayto Ozamiz City where I'll be giving a short retreat to Columban lay missionaries. I won't be back in Bacolod till 16 August, God willing, and probably won't publish any posts in the meantime.

Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians

Patroness: OLSC unveiled at St Mary's

Written by Bridget Spinks
Friday, 11 July 2008

Now at St Mary's Cathedral: WYD08 Patron to officially initiate the WYD programme a stunning commissioned painting of a WYD08 Patron was unveiled this morning at St Mary's Cathedral.

Cardinal Pell and WYD08 coordinator, Bishop Fisher OP, were present with artist, Paul Newton, when the painting of 'Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians' was revealed.

Newton explained to those present the Australian aspects of the painting, noting the Southern Cross and Two Pointer stars, as well as the dry Australian landscape at the bottom.

Mary is depicted wearing a wattle garland and looking at the infant Jesus that she holds.

Newton detailed the way in which Mary is holding Jesus - not keeping Him to herself and in a way handing the child to the viewer or inviting the viewer to come to him.

One pilgrim present at the unveiling, Elise Nally, 19, says she was incredibly impressed with the piece.

"Once the veil was completely removed everyone was quiet and watched in awe," she says describing the momentous occasion.

"The painting is an amazing piece of art and I'm very excited for pilgrims to see it."

The painting will remain in St Mary's Cathedral for the rest of the WYD festivities in conjunction with the relics of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and is definately something to visit.

Image is (c) and from http://www.wyd2008.org/

Our Lady, Help of Christians, is the Patroness of Australia. The Southern Cross features on the national flag of Australia.