As a practicing Catholic, Cardinal Francis George can kiss my ASS over President Obama's speech.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

One of America's most prominent Catholics has joined the chorus slamming the University of Notre Dame for inviting President Obama to speak at the school's May 17 commencement.

Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago, called Obama's planned appearance an "extreme embarrassment" to Catholics while speaking at a recent conference hosted by the archdiocese's Respect Life office in Rosemont, according to a video his remarks on lifesitenews.com.

"he problem is in that you have a Catholic university - the flagship Catholic university - do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic," George told the crowd. "So whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn't understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation."

Though Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush all spoke at Notre Dame graduation ceremonies and the school has an established tradition of having the current president speak at its commencement, extending the invitation to Obama, who is pro-choice and recently overturned the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, has caused a fierce backlash among some Catholic groups.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/02/obama-notre-dame-speech-c_n_182271.html

[redqueen]

1. "some" Catholic groups? Would those be the *right-wing* Catholic groups?

This is so ridiculous... why do these idiots never have a problem with pro-death penalty pols? Because they get their assigned talking points just like every other idiot RWer.

[pnwmom]

2. I think it's a stretch to say that the Cardinal is a practicing Catholic.

;)

Although I'm sure some would disagree.

[napi21]

3. I'm a Catholic too & pro-life, but I can still respect others who

have different opinions than mine. I am more offended that they invited Shrub, the man who ignored our laws, started 2 waes, and tried to destroy our constitution to speak at Notre Dame than I would ever be by someone who disagrees on the choice issue!

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Funny how Obama won the Catholic vote...

So I guess most Catholics aren't embarrassed by Notre Dame's selecting him.

You might be, Sir, but you do not speak for me or the millions of other Catholics who support Pres. Obama -- including my uncle, a graduate of Notre Dame.

[joeglow3]

5. I agree with you, but

as a Catholic, I recognize that the church is not a Democracy. I will respectfully disagree with their position on this, but have to wonder why it would be shock to anybody. It is not as if the chrurch had hidden their views on these issues.

[Still Sensible]

6. The last time I was in a Catholic church, we were reminded

of the church stance against capital punishment. And encouraged to hold vigil outside the gates of the state prison while yet another inmate was put to death.

So why were cardinals and bishops not so outraged when George W. Asshole was in office and when he spoke at the Notre Dame graduation. After all, when he was governor of Texas they were setting all kinds of death penalty records down there. And the jerk was even heard making fun of some of the condemned.

And by God, the Catholic Church can have little moral authority right now after decades of clergy sexual abuse has been brought out in the open. IMO, their loss of moral authority comes not from the actions of a relatively (but still unacceptable) small number of their clergy and the acts they committed, but more due to the organized duplicity of the Church covering up, protecting offenders, and clearly more concerned with the Church's image than in the righteous tending to their parishioners.

[frazzled]

7. As a Chicagoan, I'm embarrassed

I'm not Catholic, so I probably shouldn't comment. But the Cardinal is an important figure here. I wish the Catholic church could do better.

I believe issues like this will eventually cause a schism in the Church.

[Arkana]

8. Earth to Catholic higher-ups--the majority of Catholics are now "cafeteria" Catholics.

They don't rigidly follow all doctrine. There's nothing wrong with that. Get with the goddamn program you fucking morons.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. Catholics voted for obama. HA HA HA Cardinal.

[SoxFan]

10. I really miss Cardinal Bernardin

[dflprincess]

11. Archbishop Neinstedt in St. Paul has also poked his nose into this

Only he didn't stop at fretting over abortion and stem cell research - he thinks Obama is too supportive of Gays as well

http://minnesotaindependent.com/30918/archbishop-nienstedt-calls-obama-anti-catholic-vows-to-pull-support-from-notre-dame

Nienstedt’s full letter:

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President, University of Notre Dame
400 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Dear Father Jenkins:

I have just learned that you, as President of the University of Notre Dame, have invited President Barack Obama to be the graduation commencement speaker at the University’s exercises on May 17, 2009. I was also informed that you will confer on the president an honorary doctor of laws degree, one of the highest honors bestowed by your institution.

I write to protest this egregious decision on your part. President Obama has been a pro-abortion legislator. He has indicated, especially since he took office, his deliberate disregard of the unborn by lifting the ban on embryonic stem cell research, by promoting the FOCA agenda and by his open support for gay rights throughout this country.

It is a travesty that the University of Notre Dame, considered by many to be a Catholic University, should give its public support to such an anti-Catholic politician.

I hope that you are able to reconsider this decision. If not, please do not expect me to support your University in the future.

Sincerely yours,

The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

[truebrit71]

12. The ENTIRE Catholic church is more than welcome to kiss my ENTIRE ass...

...It is time to REVOKE the tax-free status of ALL churches if they want to stick their noses in the political arena...

Just as soon as the church gets on it's knees and abjectly begs for the forgiveness of the planet for the pain and suffering it has caused millions and millions over the centuries, then and ONLY then would I consider giving more than a tinker's damn about what ANY of their pedophile-apologist funny-hat wearing motherfuckers said about anything....