"I am supportive of all efforts by NDResponse or any other prayerful and dignified demonstrations by Notre Dame students." - Bishop J. M. D'Arcy
ND Response Holds Rally for Thousands on Notre Dame Campus
Notre Dame, IN - Approximately 3000 people gathered on the South Quad of the University of Notre Dame's campus this past Sunday for a Mass, rally, and prayer vigil hosted by the student coalition ND Response. These events, which were planned in reaction to Notre Dame's conferring of an honorary law degree to President Barack Obama at its Commencement Exercises, were intended to witness to the Catholic identity of the University and its foundationally pro-life mission.
Rally Photos
Click here for photos from the ND Response events of commencement weekend.
Rally Transcripts and Videos
Transcripts and videos of talks by the speakers at Sunday's rally:
- Transcript | Video – Father Wilson Miscamble, CSC, ND '77 (M.A.), '80 (Ph.D.), '87 (M.Div.), Professor of History at University of Notre Dame
- Video – Bishop John D'Arcy, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
- Transcript | Video – Chris Godfrey, ND Law '93; Life Athletes (Founder and President), starting offensive guard for Super Bowl XXI Champion New York Giants
- Transcript | Video – Liz Borger, ND '78, Former Chairman of the Board of the Women's Care Center
- Transcript | Video – Lacy Dodd, ND '99; Room at the Inn, Board of Directors, Charlotte, NC
- Transcript | Video – Father John Raphael, SSJ, ND '89, Principal of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, LA
- Transcript | Video – David Solomon, Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Notre Dame; W.P. and H.B. White Director of the Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture; Chair of the steering committee for the Notre Dame Fund to Protect Human Life
- Transcript – [Homily] Father Kevin Russeau, CSC
- Video – [Grotto Ceremony] Father Frank Pavone
More videos are available on our Video page.
Coming Soon
We would like to offer our sincere thanks to the thousands of people who made this demonstration a success!
Check back in the near future for
- T-Shirt and mortarboard sales
- Further action items
Students Refuse to Attend Graduation, Opt for Prayer in University's Grotto
Million Rosaries Campaign
- Join us in praying one million Rosaries for President Obama
- We were informed of more than 110,000 Rosaries prayed for these intentions by the end of commencement weekend!
- We continue to pray for these intentions and invite you to do so as well. Feel free to continue informing us of your prayers.
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William McGurn: A Notre Dame Witness for Life
Bishop D'Arcy Publicly Corrects Interpretation of USCCB Statement
Notre Dame Student Groups Denounce University's Choice for Commencement Speech
Learn How You Can Get Involved
We are planning a number of actions to respond to the university's decision. If you are interested in supporting our efforts, we would like to keep you informed as our plans develop. You may subscribe to receive updates via email or RSS feed at our updates page.
About Us
In defense of the unborn, we wish to express our deepest opposition to Reverend John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.’s invitation of President Barack Obama to be the University of Notre Dame’s principal commencement speaker and the recipient of an honorary degree. Our objection is not a matter of political partisanship, but of President Obama’s hostility to the Catholic Church’s teachings on the sanctity of human life at its earliest stages. Further, the University’s decision runs counter to the policy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops against honoring pro-choice politicians. We cannot sit by idly while the University honors someone who believes that an entire class of human beings is undeserving of the most basic of all legal rights, the right to live.
Additionally, Fr. Jenkins has put some of his students into a position of moral dilemma as to whether they should attend their own graduation. Many pro-life seniors, along with their families, now feel personally conflicted about participating in the commencement. The lack of concern for these devoted sons and daughters of Notre Dame, who love this University and the Catholic principles on which it was built, is shameful.
An ad hoc committee sponsored by a coalition of University-sponsored student groups has been organized to lead student responses. These groups include:
- Notre Dame Right to Life
- Notre Dame Knights of Columbus Council 1477
- Jus Vitae (Notre Dame Law School Right to Life)
- The Irish Rover independent student newspaper
- Notre Dame College Republicans
- The University of Notre Dame Anscombe Society
- The Identity Project of Notre Dame
- Notre Dame Militia Immaculata
- Notre Dame Children of Mary
- The Orestes Brownson Council
- Notre Dame Law St. Thomas More Society