By Kathleen Gilbert
NOTRE DAME, Indiana, April 17, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Notre Dame’s own Bishop John D’Arcy has expressed a desire to attend “prayerful and dignified” demonstrations led by Notre Dame students against the school’s honoring of President Obama on May 17, according to reports.
Bishop D’Arcy’s latest statement on his support for peaceful demonstrations clarifies once again an April 10 statement in which the bishop urged protesters “to stay away from unseemly and unhelpful demonstrations against our nation’s president or Notre Dame or Father John I. Jenkins.”
While construed by several media outlets as a condemnation of all protests, the diocese’s communications director told LifeSiteNews.com Tuesday that the bishop is only opposed to “demonstrations that attack the President, Fr. Jenkins or Notre Dame,” and said that, “A peaceful, prayerful demonstration is okay.” (https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041404.html)
The American Papist blog posted correspondence yesterday from Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop John D’Arcy’s secretary indicating that the Bishop had spoken to Notre Dame Response leader Mary Daly to affirm his support for the group’s efforts against the invitation.
“I am supportive of all efforts by NDResponse or any other prayerful and dignified demonstrations by Notre Dame students; and if my schedule allows, I will attend and also meet with students if they would find this helpful,” said the Bishop.
To view the American Papist post: https://www.americanpapist.com/2009/04/exclusive-bishop-darcy-clarifies-his.html