Bishop Aquila: Notre Dame ‘not on the side of God, but of men’

April 08, 2009

Quoting Christ’s rebuke to St. Peter, Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo has offered strong criticism of the University of Notre Dame’s decision to award President Barack Obama an honorary degree:

Even though President Obama is not Catholic, he clearly rejects the truth about human dignity through his constant support of a so called “right to abortion.” He also tolerates the inexcusable act of letting aborted children die who are born alive. He promotes an intrinsic evil which must always be resisted by a just and civil society. Inviting President Obama to award him a degree and to speak at a Catholic University implicitly extends legitimacy to his views on these issues in the minds of the average onlooker. Your actions and that of the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame do real harm to the mission of Catholic education in this country and further splinters Catholic witness in the public square … Your judgment in this matter is seriously flawed, with damaging consequences, for “…you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Mt 16:23).

 

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Further information:

• Fargo Bishop Aquila condemns Notre Dame's invitation to Obama (Fargo Forum)
• Bishop of Fargo addresses “gravity of Notre Dame’s error” in inviting President Obama to speak at commencement exercises and receive honorary degree (Diocese of Fargo)