Lay Catholics support Notre Dame honor for Obama
While church fathers continue to come out against the University of Notre Dame for inviting President Barack Obama to commencement, ordinary Catholics support the university’s decision by a margin of nearly 2-1, according to a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Obama’s support for abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research put him at odds with Catholic teaching. Nonetheless, Notre Dame has invited the president to speak and receive an honorary degree during commencement exercises Sunday.
The web site LifeSiteNews.com has counted 76 American bishops who have spoken out against Notre Dame since the invitation was announced. Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien was among the first, writing to Notre Dame President John Jenkins in March that he was “disappointed and bewildered” by the invitation.
Locally, the controversy recalls the outcry that greeted the decision of Loyola College of Maryland to invite former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another abortion rights supporter, to participate in commencement there in 2005.
According to the Pew survey, 50 percent of Catholics polled between April 23 and 27 said Notre Dame was right to invite Obama. Twenty-eight percent said the school was wrong.
“These findings are consistent with Catholics’ overall views of Obama: A majority voted from him in the 2009 presidential election and express approval of his performance in office thus far,” Pew reports. “The new findings are also consistent with Catholics' views on abortion and embryonic stem cell research, with pluralities in the poll expressing support for each.”
The survey noted a divide between more- and less-observant Catholics. Those who said they attended mass weekly said Notre Dame was wrong by a margin of 45 to 37 percent; those who attend less frequently said Notre Dame was right by a margin of 56 to 23 percent.
Asked about the controversy during his prime time press conference last month, Obama spoke of a White House task force that he said was working with groups on both sides of the abortion divide on ways to reduce “the number of unwanted pregnancies that result in women feeling compelled to get an abortion or at least considering getting an abortion.”
“I believe that women should have the right to choose, but I think that the most important thing we can do to tamp down some of the anger surrounding this issue is to focus on those areas that we can agree on,” he said. “And that’s where I’m going to focus.
Comments
As a former Catholic, it was my experience that the Catholic Church did not do a very good job of conveying the essence of what they believe. Rather, they gave a set of rules and expected obedience without question. I think that results in a lot of Catholics viewing their religion as part of their heritage, rather than a central part of who they are. While I know some Catholics who live pious lives, I know many more who consider themselves Catholic, yet hold to heretical beliefs and practices (as far as their religion is concerned).
With that in mind, it makes sense to me that so many "ordinary" Catholics don't have a problem with a pro-choice politician being given the honor of partipating in a Catholic university's commencement. Many ordinary Catholics wouldn't recognize the disconnect there. I think that's why you see a higher percentage of regular atendees, as well as church leaders, taking issue with it. They probablyhave a better understanding of the implications of their faith.
Posted by: HypocriteJim | May 18, 2009 11:48 AM
Hundreds of years of misunderstanding keep the Roman Catholic Church in veils of mystery. This proves that religion and government can coexist and disagree but still find common ground. Mr Obama is a spiritual man. the church a spiritual haven. I'm glad to see that matters out side the realm of church responsibility can be set aside. Common sense must prevail. I believe that everything happens for a specific reason. And Nothing absolutely nothing happens without God's blessing. Let Religion be religion. Science be science. And Government be mind full of the awesome responsibility it holds to balance between necessity and spirituality.
Posted by: Raymond Thibault | June 1, 2009 7:58 AM
How can someone call themselves Catholic and support abortion? If there are so many Catholics who support it then the Catholic church is in more trouble than I thought. The problem with the Catholic church is that their own traditions become as important as scripture. They say that Peter started their church and that it is the only true Christian church, when in fact Peter was dead for hundreds of years before this church was started essentially by Constantine who had a vision of a cross. Constantine was an emperor from a wicked Roman empire. The hill Vaticanus, where the Vatican now is, was used to put prisoners to death. The fact is that if God wanted us to pray to Mary, He would have put it in the bible. He also doesnt want drinking and gambling in church. The priest orders Christ to come down into a wafer? Give me a break. The wafer is symbolic. Mary, Paul, Peter, Mary Magdelene and others of their time were holy people who are not to be prayed to or asked for anything. They were human and would probably be embarrassed to be told that it happens. Especially Paul. Thanks.
Posted by: Clay | June 19, 2009 10:32 AM