RIGHT TO LIFE MARCH, FR. JENKINS AND THE ND 88

George Offerman

It seems that Fr. Jenkins is going to go through with his ‘schizophrenic’ plan to simultaneously show his ‘pro life’ side by showing up at the Right to Life march, and continue to press charges against the ND 88 for the crime of… praying the Rosary on a Catholic campus. Here are some plans of people who happen to agree that Fr. Jenkins is demonstrating some cognitive dissonance in his rather interesting behaviors.

First, Lifesitenews.com (not to be confused with life news and Steven Ertelt) has co-sponsored a petition to free the ND 88 along with Human Life International (HLI) and the Thomas More Society, which is helping to fund the defense lead by Mr. Thomas Dixon. Press release follows:







January 13, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Wednesday, a petition to "Free the Notre Dame 88" was launched. The petition is co-sponsored by Human Life International (HLI), the Thomas More Society and LifeSiteNews.com. It is addressed to University of Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins, and urges him publicly to ask that the charges against the 88 pro-lifers who were arrested on the Notre Dame campus in May of last year be dropped.

"During the Obama scandal controversy, Fr. Jenkins repeatedly assured us that he and Notre Dame are 100% pro-life. Yet, now he is refusing even this tiniest of olive branches to these 88 pro-lifers," said HLI President and Notre Dame Alumnus Fr. Thomas Euteneuer. "Asking that the charges be dropped will cost Fr. Jenkins absolutely nothing, but it could save the ND88 from a protracted trial process, and possible jail time. As long as this situation persists with Notre Dame’s cooperation, how can Fr. Jenkins possibly expect us to take him seriously?"

Members of the ND88 traveled to South Bend in May to protest the university's honoring of Obama (whom pro-lifers have called "the most pro-abortion President in U.S. history") at its commencement. In many cases their "protest" took the form of walking onto campus and praying and/or carrying pro-life signs. For this "crime" they were handcuffed, arrested, and thrown in prison.

At the same time, witnesses report that pro-Obama demonstrators were allowed to roam free throughout the campus.

Now the ND88 are facing charges of trespassing, with a maximum sentence of up to a year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.

"Notre Dame seriously tarnished its image as a pro-life institution when it honored President Obama earlier this year," said Tom Brejcha, Chief Counsel for the Thomas More Society, which is representing the ND88. "However, it is not too late for the university to restore its pro-life reputation. The first step in that direction would be to stop the persecution of these pro-life heroes by asking that the charges be dropped."

While Fr. Jenkins has responded to concerned pro-lifers by claiming that Notre Dame does not have the power to ask that the charges be dropped, Brejcha called such claims "flatly wrong."

"They always have the power to ask," he said, adding that Notre Dame's asking, "would have great weight with the prosecutor."

Brejcha said, however, that despite repeated requests Fr. Jenkins has continued to refuse to do so.

"It is important for pro-lifers to let Fr. Jenkins know that we have not forgotten what happened on his campus last May," said Brejcha. "We have not forgotten, and we will not forget as long as the ND88 are being forced to pay such a steep price simply for being pro-life."

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jan/10011304.html



Dr Monica Miller, one of the ND 88, has sent out a request for those who would like to show visual support for the ND 88 when Fr. Jenkins shows up. She also gives an update on the situation of the judge who had conflicts of interest in this case, in which the judge recused herself. Good news.


From Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D. Director of CPLS
www.prolifesociety.com

A Strategy and a Victory

FIRST THE STRATEGY: Free the ND 88!
Signs and Banners in support of the ND 88
Need to be visible at the March for Life!

Let's not forget that 88 pro-lifers, including your CPLS director, Norma McCorvey, Alan Keyes, Randall Terry, Jack Ames, Fr. Norm Weslin, Joan Andrews Bell and Sister Lois Marie-- with dozens of other wonderful, beautiful committed pro-lifers and lovers of God's truth were arrested on the campus of the University of Notre Dame last year, protesting the abomination of pro-abortion President Obama's commencement speech at a Catholic University.

Fr. Jenkins, President of ND-- WHO ALLOWED THIS SCANDAL TO OCCUR-- WILL BE AT THIS YEAR'S MARCH FOR LIFE!

PLEASE CARRY A SIGN, CARRY A BANNER THAT SAYS: "FREE THE ND 88"

WE INTEND TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL SIGNS MADE AND DISTRIBUTED AT THE MARCH-- BUT YOU COULD JUST AS EASILY MAKE A SIGN OF YOUR OWN! MARCH NEAR THE NOTRE DAME CONTINGENT AND LET THEM SEE IT!

Will you carry such a sign and show your solidarity with those who very well may go to trial in 2010 and even go to jail for their witness to the truth? Please pass this memo on to other groups. Pass this memo on to other pro-lifers. LET'S MAKE THIS A SERIOUS SHOW OF SUPPORT!

AND NOW THE VICTORY:
On December 3, 2009, attorneys for the ND 88, Tom Dixon and Tom Brejcha, of the Thomas More Law Society, had hearings before Judge Manier. Many weeks ago our attorneys asked this judge, assigned to our case, to recuse herself, and she repeatedly refused to do so.

The pro-life attorneys were permitted to take their pleadings to the Appellate Court. We wanted this judge removed from our case because her rulings from an earlier case in St. Joseph County, that dealt with free speech rights at the abortuary in South Bend, were so afoul of the appropriate legal standards as to create evidence of her bias in the current cases. Also Judge Manier has ties to Notre Dame-- as her husband is on staff at the university-- which certainly should be seen as a conflict of interest.

On January 6th-- Feast of the Epiphany-- Judge Manier finally and unilaterally--without the Appellate Court having to force her--decided to recuse herself! So she's off the ND 88 case.

This is a great victory for the ND 88! We've started out the New Year with a great blessing. Much thanks goes to the hard-working and dedicated attorneys who have taken up the cause of the ND 88!

Now we must pray very hard that the case will go to a judge who will understand what we did, make fair rulings and DISMISS the charges against us.

SEE YOU AT THE MARCH!


Show support for the ND 88 by going to the lifesitenews site and signing the petition to free the ND 88. Also contact Dr. Miller for further instructions, and getting signs protesting Fr. Jenkin’s appearance at the march.