Starting on the National Day of Prayer, May 7, 2009, Rev. John Corapi, S.O.L.T. and The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) are leading a national prayer campaign for Catholic higher education and an end to the scandal caused by the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor pro-abortion President Barack Obama at commencement on May 17, 2009.

“The Cardinal Newman Society’s work to renew Catholic higher education has been ongoing for 16 years,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of CNS. “We encourage prayers from Catholics across the nation that the energy of protest will be directed to the larger task of reform and renewal of Catholic higher education.”

Fr. Corapi is sending his video message calling for prayer around the Internet. It is available online HERE.

Fr. John Corapi thanks the signers to the petition NotreDameScandal.com, who now number nearly 355,000. Fr. Corapi also urges Catholics to continue the fight for the renewal of Catholic campuses across the country.

In the video, Fr. Corapi says: “Authentic Catholic identity needs to be restored in our Catholic universities and other institutions of learning. If it is restored our nation will be restored. If it is not restored, we will have much to answer for in the moral unraveling of a great nation.”

“The Catholic Church and its educational institutions must return to a position of strong and uncompromising moral leadership, integrity and credibility. If we stand for nothing, we begin to fall for everything.”

“If we chose prestige over principles and popularity over morality then we become part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

“Pray for the University of Notre Dame, its president, its board of directors, and its students.”