Shades of Notre Shame! Jesuit-run Boston College to honor pro-abortion ‘catholic’ Irish PM

Did you see that Jesuit-run Boston College is going to have the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny as their commencement speaker and then give him an honorary degree?  HERE

Shades of Notre Shame!

Enda Kenny, catholic, promoted abortion in Ireland.  Enda Kenny has repeated shown spectacular disrespect to the Catholic Church.  He pushed legislation to prosecute priests who refuse to violate the Seal of Confession.  He threatened to expel Catholics from parliament if they didn’t support a bill permitting abortion in all 9 months of pregnancy.

This is whom Boston College wants to honor with a doctorate?  Really?

BC aligns their image with him?  I know that BC was founded for Irish Catholic immigrants, but…. what is this?  Is this some kind of Irish Catholic self-loathing guilt thing?  Is this a protest against the Church’s unwaivering teaching about the evil of abortion?  What is this?

What does the USCCB have to say about this event?  What of their document Catholics in Political Life?

ADDENDUM:

I especially recall Kenny’s texting during an audience with Benedict XVI.

Classy!

This in itself should disqualify Kenny for a doctorate in anything.  Doctorates are generally not to be given to the thick.

If you are a major political figure, and you don’t have the slightest interest in what the Pope says or thinks, let your aide have your phone during papal audiences where you are sure to be recorded on video for the news, lest you be caught on camera doing something abysmally, stupidly crass.  Duh!

Are you ready for a variation of this stellar moment for Catholic universities in America?

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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38 Comments

  1. Burke says:

    Apparently Mr Kenny said, when it was mentioned that his pro-abortion activities might get him excommunicated, that he ‘spoke to God in his own way.’ Truly, a fine example of what it is to be a catholic.

  2. anna 6 says:

    Oh wow. Kenny is WORSE than Obama! He is a political opportunist who used the shame of the sexual abuse crisis in Ireland for political gain. He even quoted Cardinal Ratzinger out of context in a speech before parliament to imply that he was responsible for the failings of the Church. The Vatican recalled its ambassador following the episode.

    He is a repulsive politician in my opinion. It is distressing that BBC would honor him in this way.

  3. Long-Skirts says:

    Fr. Z says:

    “Did you see that Jesuit-run Boston College is going to have the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenney as their commencement speaker and then give him an honorary degree?

    Shades of Notre Shame!”

    NOTRE DAME

    Dare me Not
    Woe…
    Notre Dame –
    To hold back His wrath
    For my holy name

    Dare me Not
    Woe…
    Notre Dame –
    Bestowing great honors
    On lawmakers who maim

    Dare me Not
    Woe…
    Notre Dame –
    With Judas you learned
    At the first priests can shame

    Dare me Not
    Woe…
    Notre Dame –
    Transpose my nine letters
    “Dare me Not” I proclaim!!

  4. anna 6 says:

    Sorry, “BC” – Boston College, not “BBC”…though I would expect no less of them.

  5. jaykay says:

    He is still arrogantly carried away by the landslide in votes for his party in the election 2 years ago (although significantly, still not enough to get him an overall majority) which had previously been pretty moribund. What he fails to recognise, in his arrogance, is that he and his party are ONLY there because they represent the “least worst” alternative. The other party in government is the “Labour” Party, basically a bunch of superannuated 60s & 70s middle-class student lefties, but with a vicious bite (like all such). They are the instigators behind a lot of this.

    This is also a man who included in his campaign a promise that he would not legislate for abortion. So texting in front of another Head of State at a formal audience is easy-peasy for Mr. Manners (and he had trashed the Vatican in a mendacious speech in the Parliament not long before). That’s the sort of class act we’re talking about here. As we say in Ireland: you can take the man out of the bog, but you can’t take the bog out of the man.

    The proposed legislation contains no exemption for hospitals with a religious ethos, none at all, which is a great deal more extreme that the current law pertaining in Britain (not including Northern Ireland).

    There is a lot of discontent among the grass roots of his party and those of us in the pro-life area have been targeting local party representatives, basically pledging that we will never vote for this party again if this legisaltion goes through. I personally am determined to carry this through, even though my family had favoured that party for generations and it will leave me in a political wilderness, as what passes for opposition is below contempt. I let my local representative know that too. It will be interesting to see his reply.

  6. Cathy says:

    Drinan award, anyone?

  7. Phil_NL says:

    He threatened to expel Catholics from parliament if they didn’t support a bill permitting abortion in all 9 months of pregnancy.

    Erm, I know Ireland is a far cry from what it used to be, but last time I looked the degeneration was more in terms of faith and morals rather than a decent into outright dictatorship. Expelling (presumably permanently) members of parliament over their positions falls firmly in the latter category. At any rate, I’m pretty sure it isn’t something that the Irish constitution provides for.

    Googling it suggests that the threat was of expulsion of the party, which is an altogether different thing. Also, the issue was a health exception. While that doesn’t mean the 9 months is necessarily incorrect, it’s a far cry from what’s implicitly suggested, namely a Chinese style abortion-on-demand for all 9 months.

    Now I find abortion just as heinous as the next commenter of the blog, and mr Kenny is by all accounts a very poor catholic and politician. But let’s not weaken our own case by blowing up the failures of the dark side beyond the realm of realism. What they actually do is more than bad enough already.

  8. Phil_NL says:

    To be absolutely precise, that should have read: Expelling (presumably permanently) members of parliament from parliament over their positions.

  9. disco says:

    For Boston For Boston
    We copied Notre Shame
    For Boston For Boston
    Our guy has much less fame
    But here all are dems
    And we vote for fools
    Want marriage for the gays
    Think the pope’s a tool
    For Boston For Boston
    Real Catholics are lame!

  10. Cantor says:

    Quoting from Catholics in Political Life cited by Fr. Zuhlsdorf above:

    The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.

    If the Archbishop of Boston does nothing, and the USCCB does nothing, I would venture that they have surrendered their moral authority as representatives of Christ’s Church on earth.

  11. LarryW2LJ says:

    It’s stuff like this that shows why I could never be a bishop, or someone with authority in the Church. The moment I would have gotten wind of something like this, I’d have been on the phone to Boston College so fast that the telephone wires would have spontaneously combusted and my blood pressure would have been through the roof.

    In my view, these “anti-life catholics” are like terrorists or kidnappers – you don’t negotiate or have anything to do with them.

    When the rules about giving honors to politicians like this are so flagrantly flaunted, I just shake my head. Maybe it would be good if the Archbishop of Canterbury would institute an American Ordinate, so that these folks could finally join the Anglican Church that they so strongly desire to drag the rest of us towards.

  12. tealady24 says:

    Well, I was going to say what’s good enough for Notre Dame is good enough for BC; but there was that despicable picture again. Makes me wanna retch! Hypocrites!

  13. anilwang says:

    Phil_NL says: “the issue was a health exception…..namely a Chinese style abortion-on-demand for all 9 months.”

    No, it’s the same thing. Every country that has had a health exception inevitably interprets health to include “emotional health” (i.e. having a baby will cause too much stress that I don’t want to deal with). Even if all doctors try to interpret the health exception narrowly, it’s only one court challange away from getting the abortion-on-demand.

    Remember, when Anglicans first approved contraception it was only under extremely limited circumstances within marriage. Within 5 years most Reformed Churches declared contraception to be virtue, and the Anglicans followed soon after.

    BTW, you don’t have to go as far as China to have “1984/Orwellian” abortion-on-demand. Canada has had “Brave New World” abortion-on-demand for 20 years because “the right to security of the person of a pregnant woman was infringed more than was required to achieve the objective of protecting the fetus, and the means were not reasonable.” and “courts cannot impose a duty of care on a pregnant woman toward her fetus as it would interfere with the exercise of her autonomy rights during pregnancy”. Essentially, it doesn’t matter if the preborn child is a child, women’s autonomy is all that matters. Given this reasoning, I don’t think we’re too far off from declaring infanticide to be an issue of women’s rights.

  14. bvb says:

    ‘Taoiseach Enda Kenny has ruled out allowing abortion for women who have been raped or where the unborn child has a fatal foetal abnormality, or even holding a referendum on the issue.’

    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/irish-pm-enda-kenny-rules-out-abortion-referendum-29249933.html

  15. gracie says:

    May one ask where Cardinal Sean O’Malley is in all of this? The UK website “Protect the Pope” reports that, “Responding to a request for comment, the Archdiocese of Boston noted that Cardinal Sean O’Malley was not scheduled to attend the Commencement due to another commitment”.

    http://protectthepope.com/?p=7221

    That’s it?!!? That’s the sole remark coming from the Archdiocese??? – that O’Malley isn’t going to be there? Why are we hearing no words from the Cardinal himself about this scandal? Why is he not publicly calling out Boston College over this?

  16. Soler says:

    I second Phil_NL’s comments. Furthermore, the first piece of legislation Father mentioned, as I understand it, does not affect the Seal of Confession (although the Government has been content to let the public think that it does). Exaggeration only gives ammunition to the other side.

  17. frjim4321 says:

    Honorary Doctorates are silly. Like calling a crappy hot dog a “sausage.”

    Though that woman on “The Doctor is In” presents herself as a real doctor, even though it’s an honorary doctorate.

    They should be against the law.

    How much aggravation would be avoided if there were no such thing.

    But this will never happen until people start turning them down.

  18. Bob B. says:

    Last year it was Kathleen Sebelius at Georgetown (you remember, it’s the school that covers up “religious” things for our president) – Cardinal Wuerl did nothing.
    This year, it’s BC and how much you wanna’ bet Cardinal O’Malley does nothing, too.
    Wonder how many Catholic “higher education” schools have homosexual clubs and Lavender Graduations – probably most Jesuit schools, at least.
    Just think how many Jesuit Catholic high schools students think that this kind of thing is the norm?

  19. catholic_at_nd says:

    The attack on Notre Dame is unwarranted, unnecessary, and unproductive. Does Notre Dame have problems? You bet we do. Is there nevertheless still a lot of good going on at Notre Dame? You bet. There are many faithful and traditional Catholics at Notre Dame working to better the place.

    Unlike Georgetown, which doesn’t even pretend to be Catholic, there’s a chance for a renewal at ND. There are a mass of faithful people, the young CSCs are good. In other words, Notre Dame can still be turned around. We need people like you, Fr. Z, encouraging traditional Catholics to come to Notre Dame to lead the change, rather than driving them away.

  20. Johnno says:

    catholic_at_nd –

    It would be uncharitable for Fr. Z not to call out Notre Dame’s past record and its present problems and to warn people about the dangers they face by going there presently. At the same time yes, efforts to encourage the faithful that are there to reform from within can also be made. In this instance however, Boston is committing the same sacrilege as Notre Dame. Though Notre Dame went a whole ball further to the point of covering up the Holy Name of Jesus everywhere so that Obama wouldn’t be offended. God have mercy on us…

  21. anna 6 says:

    And wasn’t it Prime Minister Kenny’s government that suggested that priests should break the seal of confession in cases involving child abuse? Kenny said that canon law would not be allowed to supersede state law.

    http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/07/18/irish-government-seeks-to-compel-priests-to-break-seal-of-confessional/

  22. LarryW2LJ says:

    To catholic_at_nd:

    If there’s going to be renewal at Notre Dame, then maybe what needs to happen is for faithful Catholics to make their voices heard, maybe by using their wallets. These days, money seems to talk. Perhaps if faithful alumni started making their voices heard by shutting down the cash flow, complete with an explanation as to why that cash flow is diminishing, someone might wake up and smell the coffee.

  23. Phil_NL says:

    anilwang

    I’m well aware that there may be a slippery slope. On a case by case basis, the morality stays the same. But there is a bloody big distinction in terms of the actual number of victims of a health exception on the one hand, and abortion-because-I-feel-like-it on the other. That doesn’t make it right, but it does account for a whole lot less dead babies.

  24. Dave N. says:

    What, no outrage? “I’m shocked….” I also see that open lesbian Barbara Garcia is receiving an honorary degree at USF this year.

    Based on subsequent (lack of) events, it’s now pretty clear that if Obama had been anyone other than Obama, nothing would have been said about the Notre Shame scandal either. Our politicized hypocrisy is absolutely deafening.

  25. DisturbedMary says:

    In the comments on the Boretex and the Church of Nice yesterday, JARay said this:
    “….Actually, Fr. Ray Blake who is the Parish Priest of St. Mary Magdalene’s in Brighton, has a very similar theme for his latest posting. He talks about The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, Mr “End-a Life” Kenny who is pushing abortion in Ireland, not being denied Holy Communion by the likes of Cardinal Brady, the Primate of Ireland, because that would be too judgmental and the former Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Tony Blair, being received into the Church by Cardinal Cormac O’Connor without any apparent sorrow of sin, which would also be a judgmental requirement!”

    Perhaps the Jesuits will offer a lighthearted moment by calling the Prime Minister by his nickname “End-A-Life”>

  26. anilwang says:

    Phil_NL says: “I’m well aware that there may be a slippery slope. ”

    Actually, there is no such thing as a slippery slope. It’s a fundamental shift in logic. When a fundamental shift is usually made, it’s usually done in special rare cases or cases that employ people’s prejudices or reactions to a particular news story (whether it be a hoax or not), or clouded language. But the shift has been made regardless.

    The parable that ends with the punch line “We’ve already established that. Now we’re just haggling over the price.” exactly illustrates what I’m talking about. If you haven’t hear it, here’s a link: http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/03/07/haggling/

    So let’s look at the provisions: http://www.anglocelt.ie/news/inthepaper/articles/2013/05/01/4015571-reaction-to-proposals-in-protection-of-maternal-life-bill-2013-/

    It can be summed up as follows. It’s my understanding is that doctors are currently required to save both the mother and the baby since both are equally valuable. The proposed bill says, baby’s are less important than their mothers and killing babies is okay if the health of the mother is possibly in danger in some way (mental or physical). This is the fundamental shift in logic.

    While on paper the restrictions seem small, there are no definition of what “a substantial risk” is or even a requirement to have the proper “due diligence”. The negotiations on what constitutes “a substantial risk” and “due diligence” are just haggling that will happen by courts and politicians once people accept this fundamental shift in logic as valid.

  27. MKR says:

    I don’t want to watch the video of Enda texting during the audience. It would be too painful.

  28. JARay says:

    Thank you to “DisturbedMary”.
    Those were indeed my words in that comment.
    Mr “End-a-Life” Kenny should indeed be censured by Cardinal Brady and denied reception of Holy Communion at least.

  29. Ichabod says:

    It is 2013 —- not 2009. The BC situation is shameful. Notre Dame, on the other hand, should be commended. Here’s what Fr. Jenkins said about this year’s commencement speaker:

    “He is a man of great intelligence and personal warmth, and a dedicated shepherd of the Church. We were pleased to have him here in 2011 to give the inaugural lecture for the Notre Dame Project on Human Dignity, and we are grateful that he has accepted our invitation to join us in celebrating the achievements of our students and to provide them with words of wisdom as they set out into the world.”

    Cardinal Timothy Dolan is Notre Dame’s commencement speaker this coming May 18. Call it redemption, call it “about time”, but let’s stop with calling ND out with the childish slur Notre Shame – that’s so 2009

  30. Midwest St. Michael says:

    “Cardinal Timothy Dolan is Notre Dame’s commencement speaker this coming May 18.”

    “…but let’s stop with calling ND out with the childish slur Notre Shame – that’s so 2009”

    Yeah. Four years.

    Yet, the following happened this year, Ichabod. Remember?

    http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2013/03/sigh-biden-receives-communion-again.html

  31. Southern Catholic says:

    I’m sorry but Notre Shame still has Fr. Jenkins running the show, and terrible professors teaching(like Candida Moss). They also failed to investigate a alleged rape by a football player, which led to the suicide of a young student. For the time being, they are no different than the other liberal college campuses and care way more about football and sports than anything else.

  32. robtbrown says:

    frjim4321 says:

    Honorary Doctorates are silly. Like calling a crappy hot dog a “sausage.”

    Their present use is silly, but the idea isn’t. Giving an honorary doctorate to Jane Goodall or David Brubeck for outstanding contributions in their respective fields is fine, but the process has been turned into little else than an opportunity to spice up graduation with celebrities or politicians.

  33. Ichabod says:

    MSM, yes, I’ll take Cardinal Dolan any day as commencement speaker. He is the highest ranking US prelate, after all. Cardinal Dolan is no fan of abortion: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cardinal-dolan-decries-proposal-to-expand-abortion-access. Plus, he’s leading the charge against the HHS mandate as his case against the federal government has not been dismissed like so many others around the country and is proceeding. In this day and age when so many of our Catholic religious are under attack, even by their own flock, it is refreshing to see a Cardinal receive this honor and public stage to spread the Gospel and the good of the holy roman Catholic Church to the next generation.

  34. pmullane says:

    I would suggest Notre Dame University is shamed until it strips President Obama of his honourary doctorate. Once she does that, repents and apologises, then she can move on. Until then, I think its right and fitting that she should be reminded of her shame, and the pun on her name is a pithy way of doing so.

  35. Paul M. says:

    Johnno said “Though Notre Dame went a whole ball further to the point of covering up the Holy Name of Jesus everywhere so that Obama wouldn’t be offended.”

    You are mistaken. That was Georgetown. http://m.cnsnews.com/news/article/georgetown-says-it-covered-over-name-jesus-comply-white-house-request-0 Notre Dame has done no such thing.

  36. Paul M. says:

    Johnno said “Though Notre Dame went a whole ball further to the point of covering up the Holy Name of Jesus everywhere so that Obama wouldn’t be offended.”

    You are mistaken. That was Georgetown. Notre Dame has done no such thing.

  37. Skylarke says:

    I think the Pope should speak ex cathedra about abortion being a mortal sin. End of story no more debating the issue to death. I don’t understand why this hasn’t been done yet.

  38. Titus says:

    “[Notre Dame] also failed to investigate a alleged rape by a football player, which led to the suicide of a young student. ”

    That’s demonstrably false on several levels. Notre Dame deserves excoriation for the Obama debacle. It deserves excoriation for Fr. Hesburgh’s role in the Land O’ Lakes statement. It deserves sound criticism for yawning at the shenanigans of members of its faculty. It deserves an extra dose of skepticism towards everything Fr. Jenkins says. But it doesn’t deserve rampant defaming.

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