Leading by example starts at Notre Dame

My brothers disagree with many of my life choices yet we get along and show genuine love and respect for each other’s passions and accomplishments.  Isn’t it time that we transcend the call to judgement that tells us to be offended by what’s going to happen in South Bend this weekend?  Let’s find the courage to respect and honor this one leader of this one movement in spite of our disagreements with him.

If we can’t as a people of conservative values find it in our hearts to welcome President Obama onto the Notre Dame commencement stage, won’t we be forced to accept as inevitable the confrontations we saw in the Middle East this week when a leader of Palestine interrupted the Pope mid-sentence?    When we the Catholic people condemn the President this way,  don’t we lose the moral footing that might allow us to pass judgement on that one short-sighted man who disrespected the Pope during an international dialogue?  Where does this hostility come from?  No one is asking us to become pro-choice.   Let’s ask  ourselves why we believe our condemnation of the President’s views on abortion entitles us to keep him off the podium of one of the greatest institutions of higher learning on the planet. 

We fancy ourselves peacemakers of the Middle East yet we can’t nod graciously to the freely elected leader of our country who has accepted the invitation of speaking at the Notre Dame commencement ceremony?  If we can’t let President Obama speak in peace at Notre Dame, aren’t we saying phooey to respectable international dialogue within our lifetimes?   Chill out America.  It is time to agree to respectfully disagree.  Militant Catholicism is not effective.

Welcome to South Bend Mr. President

Welcome, Sir, welcome!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

 

ND prepares for Obama commencement address