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Because of President Obama's appearance and speech at Notre Dame this Sunday, some seniors will not attend their own graduation ceremony and instead join a University prayer service on the grounds at Notre Dame. No indication yet as to how many seniors will forgo the graduation ceremony.
The student group behind this effort, ND Response, has made this wild hollywood style video showcasing their displeasure with Notre Dame and the President. I must say the production value is extremely high and I feel like I'm watching a trailer for some sort of hollywood blockbuster movie. Watch it here.
Read below as to what will be taking place this Sunday at Notre Dame:
The meditation, which will be led by Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, is part of a two-day rally that has been officially sanctioned by the university.
The evening of May 16, bishop of the Fort Wayne- South Bend diocese, Rev. John D'Arcy, will lead a candlelight prayer vigil for graduating seniors and their families to pray for an end to abortion and embryo research.
On May 17, Commencement Day, in addition to the meditation ceremony, a large rally will be held on the South Quad of the university, the campus' main quad, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Speakers at the rally will include Elizabeth Naquin Border, Notre Dame graduate and former chairman of the board for the Women's Care Centers in South Bend; Rev. Joseph Raphael, Notre Dame graduate and principal of St. Augustine's High School in New Orleans; William Solomon, director of the university's Center for Ethics and Culture; and Chris Godfrey, a Notre Dame law school graduate and former offensive guard for the Super Bowl XXI champion New York Giants.
You know, the Obama faith team worked really hard during the campaign to court
Catholic voters and it paid off because Obama won the Catholic vote. It made a
difference in swing states like Pennsylvania and others. All along the Obama
team knew they had a challenge on the abortion issue but was able to break
through because of how candidate Obama lined up with Catholics on other issues
like torture, healthcare, climate change, human rights, etc.
Since becoming President, Mr. Obama has made policy that has left himself open to criticism by pro-life Catholics (conscience clause, mexico city, embryonic stem cell research). When the President faces re-election in 2012, the faith team will have an even tougher challenge because with evidence in hand, pro-life Catholics will now mount a full scale offensive against the President. Moderate Catholic groups are armed for battle too. Will this be a Catholic armageddon of sorts?
By the way, just because some students at Notre Dame take issue with what will happen Sunday, let me provide a little balance here. Read more on that here. 23 student groups support the move by Notre Dame. More on that here and did you know that the Notre Dame valedictorian is an Obama supporter? Read that here.