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![Father John Jenkins at the March for Life [Photo by Ann Scheidler]](http://prolifeaction.org/pix/2010/jenkins.jpg)
Father John Jenkins at the March for Life [Photo by Ann Scheidler]
Besides being probably the largest Pro-Life March in Washington to commemorate the January 22, 1973 U. S. Supreme Court’s unconstitutional rulings that legalized child-killing in America, this year’s 37th annual March for Life afforded many opportunities to advance our cause.
There were meetings, seminars, planning sessions, talks, discussions, and even the scheduling of numerable new programs to be launched in 2010.
It wasn’t only the regularly scheduled programs that produced much positive input; but literally hundreds of discussions over the tables engendered ideas for successful activities in the coming year.
One opportunity I had fall in my lap was a chance to talk to the infamous Fr. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, who just happened to be standing near some Notre Dame students and one of the huge signs that said, “Fr. Jenkins, Free the N. D. 88,” referring to the eighty-eight pro-lifers where were arrested at Notre Dame last spring while protesting the invitation of pro-abortion Barack Obama to receive a law degree and speak at the graduation exercises.
We have tried to reach him through registered mail and numerous phone calls, but suddenly there he was standing just a few feet away!
Banner urging Fr. Jenkins to drop the charges against the ND 88 [Photo by Matt Yonke]
So I went up to him and told him I was speaking on behalf of many friends and fellow Domers, and that he should pardon forthwith the Notre Dame 88. He was polite but absolutely noncommittal, saying something like, “Well, you’ve told me.”
I also told him I was a former student of Notre Dame and that I had taught at the University. So that he wouldn’t forget who I was, I gave him my Pro-Life Action League business card, which he put in his pocket. I hope he remembers that it is there.
Later in the day, after holding one of the huge yellow and black signs, Ann and I talked to some of the four-hundred Notre Dame students who had come to the March. We let them know that—despite the notion being passed around that Fr. Jenkins cannot have the charges dropped because they are now in the hands of the court—with his power and reputation he would have no trouble at all getting these charges of trespass dropped. After all, he is the one who instigated them in the first place.
We believe the charges will be nullified, if not by Fr. Jenkins, which seems unlikely, then by the court itself.
In any event, keep that issue in your prayers and pray for the conversion of Fr. Jenkins, who is going to be around Notre Dame for a long time, and—with his recent attitude—is not going to be what we had hoped for.
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So he actually had the nerve to show up! I watched almost the entire march on EWTN. Apparently their camera crew never caught Fr. Jenkins, which is too bad.Also Monica Migliorino MIller was interviewed and said she hadn’t seen him. I only wish Fr. Weslin, Alan Keyes and Norma McCorvey were given an opportunity to speak from the platform. Congratulations to Joe for handling the encounter in the professonal way he did.
d-sr
Posted January 25, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Joe: I think running into Father “Fraud” Jenkins was put in your lap by God! Was his appearance at March for Life an image-polishing stunt, when he hasn’t asked for the charges to be dropped? DUH! Undoubtedly! Some people simply have no shame. What a tragedy that a priest of God pulls such a shameless publicity stunt, while true, faithful Catholics are in danger of prison for standing up for the Gospel!!
I continue to pray to Notre Dame-Our Lady–for the Notre Dame 88! She won’t let her children down!
P.S. My grandfather, Dr. Thomas Robert Kennedy, was a Notre Dame graduate, who played football under Knute Rockne, & neither of them would recognize this once beautifully Catholic university!
God bless you, Joe!
Your friend,
Linda Ill (Des Moines)
Posted January 25, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Joe,
There are no coincidences, just God staying unanimous. The real question is why was Fr. John Jenkins at the march? Way to go sign holders! Two thumbs way up Joe.
Posted January 25, 2010 at 10:50 pm
As a double-DOMER, THANK YOU so much Joe for speaking on my behalf and other fellow domers. Perhaps, Fr. Jenkins should also be asked to take to prayer and medidate as to whether he feels that Our Lady of the Dome would be pleased with his silence and inaction regarding the ND 88 and would Our Lady want her spiritual warriors to be charged by the courts in such a way which could further hinder the work of her children that she had planned for them. It is also Our Dear Lady of Notre Dame that he offends by his inaction…the very institution that he seems to have grown to love and support and lead.
Posted January 25, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Thank you Joe for speaking out.It is a shame that he will not drop the charges which should have never been made in the first place. I guess we need to pray really hard for him as he appears to be a stubborn and proud, and most definitely misguided man.
Posted January 26, 2010 at 7:49 am
Over 19,500 Catholic students and parents have signed a petition asking Fr. Jenkins to have mercy on the 88 peaceful pro-lifers facing jail time for praying on Notre Dame’s campus. So far, no mercy has been shown publicly.
http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/get-involved/online-petitions/notre-dame-pro-life-petition-jenkins-drop-charges.html
Posted January 26, 2010 at 11:55 am
\
JMJ
Joe, we love you and your family!
The problem with Jenkins is very simple: He is a hypocrite, or at least very confused. No more complicated than that. This elitist, product of all of the ND rejection of genuine, legitimate, orthodox Catholicism, is a stubborn mule. He made the bad judgment that HE could dialog, if not convince, Obama into changing his ideas about abortion. HAH! How could he do that if he and his ND thinking doesn’t believe it in the first place.
Luis
Racketeer for Life
Posted January 26, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Hello Eric,
If Fr. Jenkins doesn’t free the 88 prolife persons; then, the Bishop of Rome should take action. If they don’t do anything about the current situation; shame on Rome!
Are degrees from Notre Dame University still valid? Do they just give them away to anyone and everyone? Maybe they will send me a degree in the mail. Did they give you one for free without ever attending school there? That’s what has been going through my mind.
Fr. Robert Berry+
Posted January 26, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Eric,
My mistake on the last entry, I noticed in the article that you attended school at Notre Dame. So, did they give you a degree for free? Wonder if they will send me one in the mail? I never attended there.
Fr. Robert
Posted January 26, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Fr. Robert — Just FYI, it was Joe Scheidler, not Eric, who wrote the article and attended Notre Dame, though that was some years ago before they started in on their current course.
Matt
Posted January 26, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Matt,
Ok, I got that wrong.
I just wish the Pope, Bishop of Rome, would take action on this. He is supposed to be a leader of the church. This shows very poor leadership abilities. I’m not Roman Catholic. I’m Old Catholic; but, unlike some, I’m Prolife and very conservative in my viewpoints. I have friends that are Roman Catholic that are as upset about all that happened with Notre Dame University. The Pope should listen to them and take action.
Fr. Robert
Posted January 26, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Interesting …. the way Fr. Jenkins is dressed no one would know he is a Priest; unless, they knew him personally. Wonder if there is a reason for that? Was he there because he is prolife? If he is, why does he want to degrade Notre Dame University so much? I widh I could have been there to talk to him.
Fr. Robert
Posted January 26, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Please preview our book “Between the Rhetoric and Reality” Lauriat Press;Simpkins&Simpkins,2009. The book discusses the insidious affects of abortion within the Black community. “Between the Rhetoric and Reality” can be previewed on “Amazon.Com& Borders”
Posted February 4, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Thank you for your work at the pro-life front! Our family is praying for Fr. Jenkins conversion and compliance to publicly free the 88 brave! Its priests like Fr. Jenkins that make a mockery of our Catholic Faith.
Posted March 4, 2010 at 4:10 pm
[...] also attended the March for Life. It was Scheidler’s 37th March, Jenkins’ first. Scheidler introduced himself to Fr. Jenkins as a Notre Dame alum, former ND teacher and founder of the Pro-Life Action League. [...]
Posted September 30, 2010 at 9:19 am
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Posted January 17, 2012 at 12:16 pm