Irony Watch: Notre Dame President Announces Will "March for Life" As "ND 88" Face Jail Time for Doing the Same on ND Campus

Notre Dame President John I. Jenkins announced today that he intends to join the "March for Life" this coming January as part of his commitment made last May, according to Jenkins, to bear witness to the sanctity of life. The March for Life is held each year in Washington, DC to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Apparently the irony was lost on Jenkins that while he will be preparing to protest against Roe v. Wade, the actual Roe, Norma McCorvey, will be preparing for her criminal trial for protesting at Notre Dame after she was arrested under orders from Father Jenkins who has, so far, refused to drop the charges brought against McCorvey and the rest of the "ND 88", the dozens of pro-life protestors arrested last spring for "crimes" such as saying the rosary and wearing pro-life t-shirts.

In this announcement, Jenkins recognizes that his decision to invite the most pro-abortion president in the history of the United States to speak at the University's 2009 Commencement and award him an honorary degree "caused some divisions in the Notre Dame community". Gee, ya think?

Jenkins, of course, failed to mention that the decision has cost the University millions of dollars as large numbers of Notre Dame alumni have discontinued previous commitments to donate money to the school and as many as half of alumni have openly refused to make further donations to the University, citing the Obama invitation as the reason.

Jenkins expressed his hope that "we can overcome divisions to foster constructive dialogue and work together for a cause that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s mission" something which many in the Pro-Life community believe to be impossible so long as the "ND 88" are facing possible prison sentences for peacefully expressing the same point of view Father Jenkins is now prepared to support at the March for Life.

Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society and a 1965 Notre Dame graduate, said he was very encouraged to read Fr. Jenkins' email.  Last week Brejcha had written an 'open letter' to Fr. Jenkins urging that Notre Dame drop criminal charges against the ND 88 defendants.

"Every statement or signal we had received from Notre Dame officials since last May had been hostile at worst and at best seemingly indifferent toward those in the pro-life movement who felt that the university had turned away from the pro-life movement or, worse, rebuked it."

Brechja said he is hopeful that this announcement indicates Notre Dame is turning a corner and perhaps moving toward a position that is not only supportive of pro-life initiatives but at the vanguard of this latest phase of America's ongoing civil rights movement, toward recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of all human beings, of every race or color, gifted or challenged, rich or poor, newly conceived and vulnerable or robust or ill or dying. 

"It remains to be seen whether Father Jenkins is prepared to follow up this announcement with another decisive, positive and concrete step in the right direction -- calling a halt to the ongoing prosecution of those arrested last May, all of whom were jailed and still await trial in St. Joseph County Criminal Court.

In his open letter last week Brejcha urged Father Jenkins to avoid a long series of 88 trials that will only serve to cast a long shadow over Notre Dame's professed intent to mend fences with the pro-life community.

In the same announcement, Jenkins also announced the creation of the Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life which he has tasked to "consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life."

The full announcement, send moments ago to Notre Dame alumni, is published below in full.

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Family,

Coming out of the vigorous discussions surrounding President Obama’s visit last spring, I said we would look for ways to engage the Notre Dame community with the issues raised in a prayerful and meaningful way. As our nation continues to struggle with the morality and legality of abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and related issues, we must seek steps to witness to the sanctity of life. I write to you today about some initiatives that we are undertaking.

Each year on January 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, the March for Life is held in Washington D.C. to call on the nation to defend the right to life. I plan to participate in that march. I invite other members of the Notre Dame Family to join me and I hope we can gather for a Mass for Life at that event. We will announce details as that date approaches.

On campus, I have recently formed the Task Force on Supporting the Choice for Life. It will be co-chaired by Professor Margaret Brinig, the Fritz Duda Family Chair in Law and Associate Dean for the Law School, and by Professor John Cavadini, the Chair of the Department of Theology and the McGrath-Cavadini Director of the Institute for Church Life. My charge to the Task Force is to consider and recommend to me ways in which the University, informed by Catholic teaching, can support the sanctity of life. Possibilities the Task Force has begun to discuss include fostering serious and specific discussion about a reasonable conscience clause; the most effective ways to support pregnant women, especially the most vulnerable; and the best policies for facilitating adoptions. Such initiatives are in addition to the dedication, hard work and leadership shown by so many in the Notre Dame Family, both on the campus and beyond, and the Task Force may also be able to recommend ways we can support some of this work.

I also call to your attention the heroic and effective work of centers that provide care and support for women with unintended pregnancies. The Women’s Care Center, the nation’s largest Catholic-based pregnancy resource center, on whose Foundation Board I serve, is run by a Notre Dame graduate, Ann Murphy Manion (’77). The center has proven successful in offering professional, non-judgmental concern to women with unintended pregnancies, helping those women through their pregnancy and supporting them after the birth of their child. The Women’s Care Center and similar centers in other cities deserve the support of Notre Dame clubs and individuals.

Our Commencement last spring generated passionate discussion and also caused some divisions in the Notre Dame community. Regardless of what you think about that event, I hope that we can overcome divisions to foster constructive dialogue and work together for a cause that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s mission. We will keep you informed of our work, and we ask for your support, assistance and prayers. May Our Lady, Notre Dame, watch over our efforts.

In Notre Dame,

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.