Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk of the Cincinnati Archdiocese, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of the Orlando Diocese, Bishop Robert W. Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, Bishop Joseph Latino of the Jackson Diocese, Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Diocese, and Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger of the Evansville Diocese have opposed the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Obama at commencement, bringing the total number of bishops rebuking the university to 39.

“It is clear now that Notre Dame’s actions have created a wound in the Catholic community, but fortunately the university still has time to end the scandal,” said Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), whose petition at NotreDameScandal.com has now passed 323,000 signers.

Bishop Robert W. Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese delivered a keynote speech entitled “Warriors for the Victory of Life” at the Gospel of Life Convention last Saturday, April 18. In his speech Bishop Finn characterized Notre Dame’s decision to honor Obama as wrong, scandalous, discouraging and “confusing to many Catholics.”

During his speech, Bishop Finn said, “I suspect that, since Notre Dame will need a scapegoat for this debacle, and Fr. Jenkins will probably lose his job, at this point perhaps he ought to determine to lose it for doing something right instead of something wrong. He ought to disinvite the President, who I believe would graciously accept the decision. Notre Dame, instead, ought to give the honorary degree to Bishop John D’Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, who has supported and tried to guide the University, despite their too frequent waywardness, faithfully for 25 years.”

Bishop Thomas G. Wenski’s Orlando Diocese has announced a Mass of Reparation for “the many shortcomings and transgressions committed against the dignity and sacredness of human life in our world,” specifically for Notre Dame’s decision to honor pro-abortion President Obama at commencement. The Mass is taking place at the Cathedral of St. James on May 3, 2009.

In a column on the Orlando Diocese website, Bishop Wenski writes, “Notre-Dame (at least in its Administration and Board) has forgotten what it means to be Catholic.”

“Last year, in Washington, D.C., Pope Benedict XVI addressed Catholic educators, including university presidents. He said ‘to justify positions that contradict the faith and teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission.’ Father Jenkins, Notre-Dame’s president, must have nodded off during the Pope’s speech,” Bishop Wenski concluded.

Archdiocese of Cincinnati spokesman Dan Andriacco has confirmed to CNS that Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk “supports the strong comments of Bishop D’Arcy of South Bend, in whose diocese Notre Dame is located.” Archbishop D’Arcy, who is boycotting Notre Dame’s commencement, said that Notre Dame must ask itself whether by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth.

Mr. Andriacco also said the Archbishop stands by the editorial ‘Prestige over Truth’, appearing in The Catholic Telegraph, on April 3, which is critical of Notre Dame’s decision to honor Obama.

Bishop Joseph Latino of the Jackson Diocese, in a preview of his letter to Fr. Jenkins given to the Daily Journal, wrote that he feels the university has sacrificed the church’s teaching concerning the sacredness of life for the distinction of having the nation’s first African-American president speak at its commencement.

Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Diocese, in a statement posted on the diocese website, wrote, “President Obama is our elected President, and we should give him all the honor and respect due to his office. We should also pray for him, especially for a change of mind and heart on his part, away from abortion to protection of unborn human life. An invitation to speak and an honorary doctorate from a Catholic University go beyond the bounds of respect, and can only be a source of dismay.”