A group of alumni from the University of Notre Dame wrote an open letter to University President Father John Jenkins urging him to take the strongest of stances by openly and publicly stating that the school named for Our Lady will never comply with the HHS contraceptive mandate.
They are urging Fr. Jenkins to flout and disregard the HHS mandate even under threat of federal action. This would be a bold move from the most well known Catholic university in America that would likely bring a level of national focus to this issue that hasn’t been seen yet.
More than a dozen alumni signed the letter that appeared in the student newspaper The Observer, saying:
Today, the Obama administration has attempted to undermine the University’s ability to exercise its religion freely. But there is an answer: Disobey this regulation. Defend the freedom of religion by refusing to comply with an edict that is neither an ordinance of reason nor directed for the common good. Continue to offer health care for employees, and continue to offer only those services that comport with the Church’s moral teachings.
There may come a point when the government attempts to force the University to change, either through a revocation of federal funding or through the courts. If that day comes, we will be standing beside you.
Father Jenkins, we encourage you to clearly announce Notre Dame’s intention to disregard the HHS regulation as an infringement of the freedom of religious exercise and to state in succinct terms that there can be no compromise on this particular issue.
In a statement, Fr. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said he was “deeply disappointed” by the Obama administration’s decision, as it places religious organizations in “an untenable position.”
The open letter by the alumni comes on the heels of a statement published in The Observer made by University Spokesman Dennis Brown who said the University has not made a decision on how it will move forward in terms of complying with the law.
“We’re going to evaluate,” Brown said. “We’re going to review our options.”
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
33 Comments
Civil Disobedience is exactly the correct response to this unconstitutional action. On the day that Kathleen Sibelus made her announcement I sent a similar letter to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops urging them to disobey this unholy ruling. Let’s force a showdown between the government and the Catholic Church – for if God is with us who can be against us?
Fr., as part of the alumni of Notre Dame, it is time to MAN UP. Be the man God expects you to be.
Solution to this ‘forced choice’ is another choice….The employer give the money they designate for a health plan to the employee..each and everyone and let each one make their own choice(s).
Then no one knows who is choosing what….an adult is capable of making such choices and does not need federal OR local authorities to tell them what to do.
Patricia in St Louis, MO
Patricia,
I think you are missing the point.
There is only ONE choice, that is LIFE.
No Pat, That is not “another choice”. The issue is straight forward. Does the Federal government have the right under the Constitution to force Catholics to obey this law. The answer is a firm and unequivocal NO.
We pray that he has the guts, integrity, fortitude, and courage to do this.
We must flout the federal government’s power push in no uncertain terms.
We must meet them with a greater power, with God’s blessing and direction, to overcome this heinous evi. Fr. Jenkins,NOW is the time; now is your opportunity to stand for Our Lord and Our Lady.
PLEASE FR JENKINS LISTEN TO GOD AND WE NEED TO FIGHT THIS EVIL IN WASHINGTON TRYING TO DISREGARD OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AND GOD BLESS YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
Jenkins invited the ‘abortionist in chief’ to campus to honor him… What do we think he’ll do…!!
Add my name to the list of supportrs of civil disobedience to this most anti-Catholic and overtly unconstitutional mandate by the Obama Administration. Add it WITH EMPHASIS!
Michael T. Carroll, Esq.
ND Classes of 1968 and 1972
Jesus said at the end times everyone would lose their faith and only give lip service to his name.
Taxes, as public funds, belong to the taxpayer even as they are administered by the administration. Therefore, it is discrimination because of religiously held beliefs to be denied public funding. I thought that the different grants were actually given to individual citizens for education, a public good. In which case any citizen needs to sue for public funds to be restored to each and every citizen under the civil right to freedom of their free expression to the Gift of Faith from God. For the government to deny any person the freedom to express their freedom by retracting the same public funds granted to all citizens is totalitarianism.
We hope that you, Father Jenkins, will follow your conscience and “STAND UP FOR LIFE!!” It seems unbelievable to us that any faculty member, or student, at Notre Dame would be so willing to strengthen the anti-life position of the present supreme court. PLEASE HAVE THE COURAGE TO FOLLOW YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS!!
Father Jenkins, this is an opportunity to be a man and stand up for Our Lady and the School that chose to carry her name. YOU CAN DO IT! I have faith in you as a Priest. We will be praying for your courage. God bless! Carol Brennan
Jim and Sandi – Fr Jenkins has been following “his” religious beliefs – it is time for him to have the courage to follow the Catholic Church’s religious beliefs
I sincerely hope that Fr. Jenkins will do the moral thing and not comply with the mandate. Realistically, I doubt there is much chance he will. By inviting President Obama to speak at a Notre Dame commencement, Fr. Jenkins has already shown his lack of courage and leadership. Nevertheless, I pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten and embolden him. Now is the time for strong Catholic leaders to emerge to take the Church and our country through these dark times.
Father Jenkins, at least change the name of the university to South Bend U. Stop embarrassing real Catholics.
Fr. Jenkins didn’t know that ObaMao wouldn’t have done this? Most liberals like Jenkins are probably “shocked, shocked!” that Barry and his HHS disciples did this. Their protestations are to be taken with a grain of salt, like N.D.’s cathylic identity.
Last time I looked, many Dioc. bishops sent a letter to parish folks saying “we cannot comply – we will not comply”. Take a look at your and other bishop’s letters on Sunday. Why not all? We will not comply. Check out the web below.
http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=25591
We all need to stand up and be counted for
our religious liberties! Hopefully our religious leaders: Bishops, Priests and Religious will lead the way. God give us the courage, truth and strength to hold fast to our Catholic beliefs!!
I add my name to the list of those that will not
bow to this mandate and false god. I have not been so disappointed in my country since Roe vs. Wade became law. Our Lady must be saddened at the country dedicated to her Immaculate Conception to issue such a mandate.
Patricia, I think if they do this, they will be fined for disobeying the mandate. This is why the law is so pernicious. It is meant to be punitive. There is a reason why he chose Sibilius to be secretary.
Dear Fr. Jenkins,
I pray that you will have the fortitude to see this as an opportunity to reverse the rapid pace of America’s culture of death, especially within our Catholic universities. You hold the key to the lives of many of God’s unborn children. Please have the strength to abide by God’s will in this matter. We will stand by you!
God Bless you,
Scott
Isaiah 5:20 – “woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” We see this in today’s world, BIGTIME! When siding with Satan, we are fairly warned…woe to those who call evil good…woe to you who call evil good…
Fr. Jenkins: I backed your right, and the University’s, to invite the President of the United States to the Campus to deliver the Commencement Address. I thought at the time it might help to have him see what the “other side” thought and desired. I WAS WRONG!! This latest move clearly shows that. However, it is not only Obama it is many of the so called Catholic Representatives in Government, like Dick Durbin, Nancy P. and others. Let’s put the presure on them as well. Fr. do the right thing, stand up like a man and tell the people of this country what the University of Notre Dame really stands for. We are far more then football. I also speak from the point of a Hospital Administrator who spent 43 years in the field, much of which was in Catholic Hospitals. This mandate is also HELL for every Catholic Hospital in the Country. I Pray you make the right choice.
Indeed, this is the watershed moment for Fr. Jenkins. Fr. Hesburgh fought for civil liberties. Now you, Fr. Jenkins, must chose to fight against this religious intolerance. As the Notre Dame football game ads ask: “what will you fight for?”
We were proud to see you at the March for Life rally; now it is your time to lead.
Father Hesburgh started the downhill slide.
Father Jenkins needs to remember the order of these words: GOD, COUNTRY, NOTRE DAME. GOD is first….always. When Fr. Jenkins honored the most pro-abortion president he mixed up that order. And now,the Obama administration has made “COUNTRY”, which used to be a beacon of freedom because of our divinely inspired Constitution, a place where religious freedom and Constitution rights are snatched away before our very eyes. I no longer recognize my country. And, 3 years ago, Fr. Jenkins muddied NOTRE DAME when he honored the most pro-abortion president. Let him redeem Notre Dame and his own soul by not obeying this unconstitutional and evil law.
But didn’t ND invite Obama to their commencement and give him an honorary degree? Can’t have it both ways
The Obama position seems to be that an institution is of a specific religious confession if its members/employees are of one faith/belief system. If one surveys Notre Dames faculty etc. the institution fails to meet that criteria. Obama is aware of the schism between catholic magesterium since the Land of Lakes manifesto and now many Catholic Universities are about to reap the world wind. The critique that many Catholic institutions are loosing there identity has not gone unnoticed in Washington DC.
Unfortunately, Jenkins follows the money and not the mission of founder Edward Sorin. ND is now in the Jay Carney mode (“We are going to evaluate. All options are on the table.”) For the sake of all those parents who are shelling out fifty grand a year plus, I hope Jenkins learned his lesson.
History is repeating itself. Karl Marx, Adolpf Hitler, Ron Peron all dictated that the health of its citizens would be cared for under their terms. They all gradually removed religion from the public sector of society.
Now our “president ” is following these same steps.
The Catholic Church must stand up for God’s principles not that of a dictator. The presidents of our Catholic Colleges and Universities must do the same.
Fr. Jenkins stand up for the dogmas and beliefs of your Church.
In my opinion, every Catholic who refuses to give into the modern liberal age, can expect to be jailed in his lifetime.
We have hope. The light will conquer the darkness, so let’s be proud to let the light shine through the darkness. This law has no binding nature, so to disregard it is not to disobey anything. To follow it would be to disobey God and his Church. We shall stand with God, here first, and then in eternity. Do not be afraid. God is with you. Our Lady will protect us. The Government has taken sides in way as never before. We must stand as Americans with the true Government, one that is true to the Constitutional First Amendment. Let us not bow to a king, for he is not a rightful ruler. Let us bow to the King of Kings, obey Him and trust in His mercy. Times will be hard for us, but our consciences will be free.