Obama Notre Dame Speech: Cardinal George Rips Invitation As An 'Extreme Embarrassment' To Catholics (VIDEO)

UPDATE 4/3 Scroll Down To Watch Video Of George's Remarks

One of America's most prominent Catholics has joined the chorus slamming the University of Notre Dame for inviting President Obama to speak at the school's May 17 commencement.

Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago, called Obama's planned appearance an "extreme embarrassment" to Catholics while speaking at a recent conference hosted by the archdiocese's Respect Life office in Rosemont, according to a video his remarks on lifesitenews.com.

"[T]he problem is in that you have a Catholic university - the flagship Catholic university - do something that brought extreme embarrassment to many, many people who are Catholic," George told the crowd. "So whatever else is clear, it is clear that Notre Dame didn't understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation."

Though Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush all spoke at Notre Dame graduation ceremonies and the school has an established tradition of having the current president speak at its commencement, extending the invitation to Obama, who is pro-choice and recently overturned the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, has caused a fierce backlash among some Catholic groups.

At least 13 Bishops, including John D'Arcy, whose diocese includes Notre Dame, said they will boycott the ceremony, according to lifesitenews.com. Republican lawmakers who graduated from Notre Dame have also criticized Obama's appearance.

Notre Dame President the Rev. John Jenkins said that while the University disagrees with some of Obama's positions, it sees the commencement address as "a basis for further positive engagement." A school spokesman further supported Obama's appearance, telling the AP that he did not see any circumstances under which the school would rescind the invitation.

Cardinal George did not call on Notre Dame to disinvite Obama, but he urged Catholics "to do what you are supposed to be doing: to call, to email, to write letters, to express what's in your heart about this: the embarrassment, the difficulties."

Comments

[ladycubsfan]

You know what's embarrassing? Catholic priests who molest children!!! THAT'S embarrassing! Keep talking, Catholics. You're really showing your true colors. How pathetic and disgusting!

[Newsmonger]

I did not hear or read about this type of outrage from the Cardinal when Catholic Priests were molesting teenagers, so are those Priests the epitome of Catholic virtues?

[Fergie1]

I think Cardinal George needs to revise his thinking on SO many levels. I was born Catholic and educated in the best Catholic schools in England and the U.S., and I cheer Notre Dame for the invitation to President Barack Obama. I am certainly not embarrassed by it and Cardinal George would be hard-pressed to find a majority of Catholics who are EXTREMELY embarrassed by the invitation.

There isn't enough space or time to write what I am EXTREMELY embarrassed by in relation to the past and current actions and conduct of the Vatican and those who have behaved in an abhorrent manner. Help the poor Cardinal George and give people hope! That's what President Obama is trying to do.

[talkingwolfwoman]

Raised a Catholic but have so out grown there tired Dogama! I am actually and have been 'free' to be since the 60's, They need to clean up their own door stoop before they call out others.
More American Catholics id themselves with Obama then the Vatican would like!
When bishops and the Pope speak as they are today more Catholics leave the church.
When they say they are pro-life but don't speak out against the death penelty,torture war and discrimination then they are what they are Hypocrits!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!

[nunzia]

I, too, left that silly church many years ago.
the reason it's embarrassing for them to host Obama is that the contrast between his brilliance, thoughtfulness, introspection and conscience and their lack of same sheds more light on the corruption, vast wealth, greed and sleaze that is now the catholic church.

[tamparob]

The next organized religion to leave the 14th century will be the first one.

[dutchman]

Great line. I hope you don't mind if I use it.

[Jason Abdon]

The Respect Life office of the catholic church? Is the same catholic respect for life that murdered the Moors in in France? Or the inquisition, the dark ages, the witch burnings, or the crusades?

I would hate to be disrespected by this group and their nurtured jihadists.

[Judyisacutie]

I don't think Notre Dame could embarrass Catholics any more than certain cardinals and bishops already have, especially when one remembers how incredibly lax some of them are these days. Consider that fact that many of them welcomed Pres. George W. Bush with open arms knowing his stance on the death penalty and his prolific use of it as Governor of Texas.

Cardinal George, if you supported Bush but you can't support Obama, that makes you a hypocrite and you know what the Bible says about hypocrites.

[JZ735]

that makes you a hypocrite and you know what the Bible says about hypocrites.

Unfortunately, most of what passes for Catholic dogma is rooted in hypocrisy.­..hence why MArtin Luther did what he did...

[Jerry Pecks]

One more reason that I'm glad I'm no longer catholic. They won't support an intellectual who stands for unity and peace, but they have no problem supporting war-mongering, corrupt Presidents (Bush/GOP) who are responsible for waging war on 3rd world countries and killing hundreds of thousands in the process. Makes a lot of sense. The Catholic Church must think God is stupid.

[Nosmanic]

I'm not suprised by this, I'm not suprised that the Cardinal didn't think that torture wasn't important enought issue during the election to speak out about. But they again the current Pope was the head of the Inquisition so I guess we all know where the Vatican is on that position. Yes Pope Benedict XVI was head of the Inquisition, the Inquisition in the 21th century why does the Vatican still has the Inquisition and would promote the leader to the head of the entire church is scary.

[Jedi007]

Most Catholics live with cognitive dissonance. They obviously ignore church teachings. How many Catholic families do you know with 12 kids? American Catholics need to say enough already. It is time for a New Catholic Church. I won't go back until they do.

[Nosmanic]

I like to see a movement of mass leaving if demands aren't meet I'd leave.

[cobobs]

I left already. It took me years of struggle, but my turbulent sea of guilt has become a clear and peaceful lake. Occasionally I step into my old home for a wedding or to attend a kids baptism.

The Cardinal lives in a bubble. He needs to talk to people like me, humbly. Obama knows about being humble. His Eminence could learn something.

[mountaingal]

My extremely religious friends do not question their faith and I wonder--if you cannot question your faith how do you know your faith is real and true? How can anyone know for certain what happens to us when we die? We build temples and cathedrals to try to convince ourselves we are immortal--that we continue on after death. There is no empirical evidence. There is no one who has come back from being entirely, irrevocably, dead with any real information. My theory of the afterlife is as valid as the Pope's, the head of the Baptists, and the Morman President combined. Why would anyone join an organized religion? Why would anyone care what this Cardinal says?

[SensibleJoe]

Inviting Obama to give a commencement address at Notre Dame isn't an "extreme embarrassment" to Roman Catholics -- the fact that the Roman Catholic establishment hid and enabled child-molesting clergy for decades is. If anything, that's what Roman Catholics in the pews and the hierarchy need to get riled up about. It's much more of a slap in the face to the ethics and values taught by Jesus Christ than anything Obama has done in public service to date. But where's the outcry?

[noelalumit]

Hate to say it, but this whole thing smells. Having been raised Catholic, the Church hates change. A black man speaking at an influential Catholic college scares people. Before you think this is cheap race baiting, the Catholic Church didn't mind presidents who killed in war or through the death penalty. Even Reagan committed a horrible Catholic sin--he divorced his first wife! (In Catholic theory, Reagan was living in sin with Nancy in the White House.)

The church had the choice of Asians, Blacks and Latinos to choose for Pope. Who did they get? A European guy with a nazi background. Way to go, guys!

[Lochmon]

To all the Catholics of sincere faith who disagree with the policies from Rome, I can only suggest one single word: schism.

It's worked quite successfully in the past, i.e. Church of England / Episcopalians, as a single example.

(DISCLAIMER: I am a militant agnostic who believes atheists speak from a position of faith they cannot rationally defend.)

[cobobs]

I think being militant agnostic is difficult. It is a thing that religions, including atheists do.

[tapeatsbill]

Ah politics AND religion - fire AND oxygen - cesium AND plutonium.

A life long Catholic am I who left the church and went to new age and then have become a fundamentalist christian.

Yes, gentle Huff Post readers. I'm admitting here that I am a real, true, bonifide FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN. This REAL fundamentalism can be summed up in three words of Jesus himself...­.....

love one another.