In May 2009, Priests for Life invited Priests and Deacons to sign the following statement to be sent to the President of the University of Notre Dame.
In union
with the dozens of bishops
who have spoken out on this
matter, I too voice serious
concern about the decision
of the University of Notre
Dame to honor President
Barack Obama at its May 17
Commencement. In theory, any
university in America should
be able to welcome with
honor the President of the
United States. But our
current President fails in a
key duty of his office to
recognize and protect the
most basic human right –
life itself. He therefore
places himself at odds not
only with a fundamental
aspect of our Catholic
identity, but with the most
fundamental demands of
justice, human rights, and
the stated goals of the
Founding Fathers of the
United States of America.
As an
ordained member of the
Catholic clergy, I recommit
myself to teach and preach
the full truth about the
dignity of the human person
at all stages of
development, and to make
decisions that avoid scandal
or the risk of obscuring
that truth.
Fr. Pavone Invited to Notre Dame Commencement by Students Holding Alternate Ceremony