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Pro-Life Works: Notre Dame's Statement May 3, 2010 Notre Dame Adopts Pro-Life "Institutional Statement" Doug McGee Intern The University of Notre Dame has taken a positive Pro-Life step this month by adopting a new “institutional statement.” This statement comes nearly a year after the University courted controversy by presenting President Obama with an honorary doctor of laws degree, and does reaffirm the core Catholic Pro-Life values that should always be the driving force of Notre Dame. According to the Notre Dame News website, the statement includes: “Consistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church on such issues as abortion, research involving human embryos, euthanasia, the death penalty, and other related life issues, the University of Notre Dame recognizes and upholds the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.” This is a huge victory for the Pro-Life movement. It is essential that Notre Dame stresses its ties to the Catholic faith and affirms that life begins at conception and not at any point after. This statement also is more than just words, as it will also guide the University’s fund distribution. The University will no longer provide funds to studies or organizations that are contrary to Catholic teaching. Enforcement of this new policy will hurt “anti-life” studies and organizations in the pocketbook and that is the most efficient type of strike against them. There is another very important reason that this statement is such an important success for the Pro-Life movement. Young people are the future of the Pro-Life movement, and it is of the upmost importance for the University to set an example and teach its youth Catholic and Pro-Life values. These very students will be future politicians, lawyers, college professors, physicians, and maybe more importantly, parents raising children in the Church. Imagine what they could accomplish for the Pro-Life movement in their generation. It is also important that Notre Dame realizes that a large portion of its students choose to attend due to its Catholic and Pro-Life history and heritage. Not staying true to these values is a gross injustice to these students. Notre Dame also has the responsibility to honor its Catholic heritage by being a beacon of hope in the Pro-Life movement not only to its students, but also to the entire scholarly community. While this “institutional statement” is a great victory, there is still much work to be done. Notre Dame needs to make sure that this is not just a paragraph on a piece of paper, but is enforced especially the distribution of funds. There needs to be strict accountability for all organizations, scientific studies, and politicians to make sure that all of the University’s endorsements and funds go to truly Pro-Life candidates. There is no denying that this is an important Pro-Life step for Notre Dame, but the University has to answer for failing to live up to its Catholic values in the past few years. The most egregious example is the University’s treatment of the 88 Pro-Life protestors who were peacefully protesting the University’s decision to award President Obama his honorary degree last May. The ND 88 were arrested for trespassing, and almost a year later, they are either facing a year in jail or a five thousand dollar fine. What is even more outrageous is that while refusing to show any leniency towards the ND88, the University has actively let anti-military and pro-gay protesters go without any consequences. It is time to challenge Notre Dame to honor its heritage and make significant strides in the Pro-Life and Catholic values arena. I hope that this institutional statement is the first of many victories to come.
Read more about Notre Dame’s Pro-Life statement: Brown, Dennis, and Michael Garvey. "Notre Dame Adopts New Statement and Principals in Support of Life.” University of Notre Dame. University of Notre Dame, 04 Apr 2010. http://newsinfo.nd.edu/news/15165-notre-dame-adopts-new-statement-and-principles-in-support-of-life/. Read more about the ND 88 and Notre Dame’s reaction to the situation: Gilbert, Kathleen and John Jalsevac. “Notre Dame Anti-Military, Pro-Gay Protesters Let Go; Pro-Lifers Still Face Fines, Imprisonment.” Life Site News. 22 Apr 2010. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020811.html Gilbert, Kathleen. “Document Reveals Inconsistencies in ND's Jenkins Claims on ND88.” Life Site News. 08 Feb 2010. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020811.html |
