He is one of a number who have been arrested. As the Catholic Online story puts it:
This week probably marks the first time in the history of the University when individuals have been arrested on campus for exercising their Catholic convictions and praying a prayer that has been recited in their chapel millions of times since its founding in 1842.Pity the Police. If they had the laws we have in the UK, they could have arrested people for taking the photos.
36 comments:
"Catholics" persecuting Catholics has such a thing ever happened before in the whole history of the church?
I couldn't watch to the end. Couldn't see through tears. God bless him.
What a wonderful priest, Just like you Father Tim, you are both in our prayers.
Incredible! And frightening.
Jesus said to the Father, "I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world."
Thank God for our priests who stand up against this pagan, God hating world.
Thank you Father.
Shame on these people for arresting an innocent priest for defending innocent babies lives...treating him like a criminal just because of the sanctity of human life. i was thrilled when they sang Immaculate Mary...Sancta Maria, ORA PRO NOBIS!!!!
SPEECHLESS!!!!!!
America what is happening to you??? Why do you stand idly by and let the 'culture of death' steamroller over your great Nation.
WAKE UP from this spiritual and moral slumber, before it's too late!!!
Is your only line of defence in the hands of an 80-year old Catholic Priest and others like him? Where are your vibrant young men and women who love God, value LIFE and the inalienable right to that LIFE and FREEDOM above all else!!!!? Surely they're not all out at lunch, taking in the movies, or playing video games???!
And all this at Notre Dame. Our Blessed Lady must be weeping many tears of sorrow to see such a Holy Priest being miss-treated in this sickening way on supposedly Catholic ground?.
I pray that the good Father has been given a clear bill of health by the medics and released without charge with the most massive letter of apology from Notre Dame University. Shame on your Principal and Board, for surely it would have been them that alerted the police. 'Catholics' who have sold out to the enemy! You have much to answer for.
I also pray that the younger generation see such heroic action as a call to action, to fight the good fight for the unborn, for family life, for the sanctity of marriage and for the Truth the Way and the Life, Jesus Christ - Our Saviour and Our Lord.
God Bless America (and put her back on the rails!)
This priest will be a saint someday! Why is no one covering this specific incident more closely?
This is perhaps one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. I feel as though I'm watching Christ Himself ascend Calvary. When Fr. Weslin broke out into a frail "Immaculate Mary," I wept.
Fr. Jenkins ought to be ashamed. May God give us more priests like Frs. Weslin, Finigan, and Zuhlsdorf!
God bless this good and brave priest. We are living in sad times, but also a time to love more, to be saints. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
It is utterly dismaying that an elderly Catholic priest carrying a cross in defence of the life of pre-born human beings be arrested at the behest of a priest who is a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross, who supports abortion and who supports the production of an obscene play at the University of Our Lady of which he is president.
President John I. Jenkins CSC of the University of Notre Dame cannot deny that he supports abortion by gratuitously honoring a man whose record is radically pro-abortion and who opposes the rights of medical personnel to follow their conscience. John I. Jenkins CSC has taken a vow of obedience and yet has shown the 'two fingers' to his own bishop in order to support abortion.
It must be said that the police were respectful to Father Weslin, as they were to Alan Keyes and the others whom they arrested for praying the Rosary on the campus of Our Lady's university. Yes, the people praying were, technically, trespassers.
I wonder why the University of Notre Dame needs three separate police forces. I saw police in three different uniforms, dark blue, light blue and brown.
I wonder too what the budget of the university and of the Congregation of Holy Cross is for handcuffs for trespassers praying the Rosary and carrying a cross.
The great Fr Patrick Peyton, a genuine priest, was a noble member of this same Congregation of Holy Cross. I'm sure he's praying for the conversion of his confreres who have so flagrantly betrayed the Gospel, insulted the Holy Cross they claim to honour and dragged our Blessed Mother, whom they also claim to honour, through the mud in support of the killing of pre-born babies. The vast majority of the 1,400 members of the Congregation of Holy Cross have said nothing in public. Ten wrote a letter dissociating themselves from the university's decision. I am sure that others have made their views known within the congregation but the overall silence is deafening.
Bishop Donald Walter Trautman of Erie, Pennsylvania, not a friend of everyone who reads this blog, at least in the area of liturgyand certainly not of everyone who reads Father Z's blog, has issued a strong statement in which he says that the Golden Globe of Notre Dame will be 'disgraced and dishonored' today: http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33582
Poor world...
Lord, have Mercy on us.
This is very disturbing!. If I were the Bishop I would first remove the culprit in all this Fr Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, from his post immediately. Send him to Rome to face the Pope himself to answer for his actions.
The hubris of Jenkins and his minions is what is really shocking. He doesn't even have enough sense to know or care it looks bad to have a nearly 80 year old Alter Christus arrested.
Many applauded what was released of Bishop D'Arcy's letter to Jenkins. [I refuse to call him "Father" as he is NOT *my* "Father in faith."] I sincerely hope the promise to pull faculties was in that letter, if zero speaks. Something along the lines of "you have no more preaching/saying Mass abilities in this diocese. Ever. Matter of fact, you and your whole order can pack up and get out of my diocese."
Otherwise no matter how "stern" the letter, without real consequences and follow up, it's nothing more than a handslap.
The rubicon has been crossed for far too long -- it's time to push the barbarians back across the river Styx. The bishop needs to "go nuclear" on these perpetrators of evil - and evil it is to give zero a platform, much less an honorary degree. Shooting a popgun doesn't cut it. And it's instructive which bishops have not complained. AFAIK the majority haven't said ZIP -- and them not backing canon law or their own USCCB guidelines doesn't speak well of them and underscores what a mess the state of Catholicism in the US is. It's time to start pruning the bushes. Let's start with South Bend.
One always wondered who the concentration kapos would be - I suggest Jenkins and crew are likely candidates.
I had a feeling of disgust when I watched this video. Did the university ask for the protestors to be removed? Surely something must be done about the university, for it seems it ceased being Catholic long ago.
I am deeply ashamed and saddened by this video. Unfortunately the dissent in the Church has lead to the silencing of those faithful to the Gospel - and this I have seen in our own country and within our Catholic Schools! What an outstanding example of priesthood. I have shown my 11 year old son and he cannot understand why? Notre Dame University is no longer Catholic its rector Fr. Jenkins should go as should all its board of trustees. Alternatively they could rebrand as the Cabrini University and remain opposed to Catholic teaching and collect funds from catholics with the support of Catholic Bishops.
Father,
thank you for posting this.
I sat and wept to see this good priest being arrested for witnessing to the pro-life cause as his conscience dictates.
May God richly bless him, and Our Lady surround him with her loving intercession.
The world is going mad........
To me, this seems even more shameful than the invitation and honouring, of President pro-abortion Obama.
The Society of Pius X removed as rector of a seminary a priest (Richard Williamson) who downplayed the Nazi atocities against the Jews.
A similarly robust approach could surely be taken against Fr John Jenkins who has decided to hour this supporter of abortion and genocide?
Have just realised that there are three Elizabeths (at least) commenting here - will try to find out how to make a distinction.
Genuinely disturbing to watch.
Watching Obama's address and Fr Jenkins' introduction was nauseating from start to finish. I thought that the rapturous applause for the president on several occasions was chilling.
Greetings to all.
Have you seen the BBC report of Obama's address?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8054650.stm
It states that there are 60 million Catholics in the US and that 49% think abortion should be legal in most or all cases and 42% who think it should be illegal.
That's a differnt question to "is abortion immoral" but "doing the math" as they say, that means there are actually 25.2 million Catholics in the US.
I couldn't see for tears by the end either Elizabeth.
I am still so utterly shocked. God will surely bless him for such courage.
Since when was it illegal to protest??
I couldn't finish watching that. Why did they feel that it was necessary to handcuff a frail old man? I was an ambulance medic for years ~ I know how frail the elderly can be! I was told that Father's arms ended up being broken!
I've been watching as persecution against Catholics continues to rise. This is getting scary.
Volpius Leonius, you're right to put it as "Catholics" persecuting Catholics!!
How unutterably reprehensible it is to lay an elderly Catholic priest, a protector of the unborn and a defender of the lives of the unborn, be cuffed laid flat on the ground to be carried away.
Thanks be to God for priests who stand up for the rights and dignity of the human person.
He literally follows in Christ's footsteps and lays down his life for his friends.
May God continue to bless us with such good and holy priests as he.
Had he not trespassed and instead conducted a lawful protest off campus there would have been no arrest.
More Americans now describe themselves as pro-life than as pro-choice, for the first time since the question started to be asked by pollsters. Watch out for the dropping of that question, so that the answer cannot be given. But for now, savour this moment.
Savour this moment. And savour its context: the beginning of at least the forty-year dominance of the historic party of Catholics, white Evangelicals and the black church, to which the first two are returning in droves, having seen through the party that courted them by pretending to oppose abortion but which did absolutely nothing about it while oppressing the poor and waging wars that pointlessly harvested the young men of the Catholic, the white Evangelical and the black churches.
These are the people thanks to whom Barack Obama is President Obama. The people who reaffirmed traditional marriage in California and Florida, and who declined to liberalise gambling in Ohio or Missouri, on the same day that they voted for him, in all but California’s case decisively.
There is no realistic doubt that he won Missouri. And he certainly cannot win in 2012 unless he carries there, Ohio, Florida, and indeed California, centre of moral and social conservatism that it clearly is, as Arnold “Yes We Cannabis” Schwarzenegger should bear in mind. The Freedom of Choice Act is “not a high priority”. The Employee Free Choice Act is. The Pregnant Women Support Act, a Democratic initiative as such things always are, should be. And President Obama’s Commencement Address at Notre Dame has as good as said that it will be.
Democratic America still needs a proper Republican Party, not least to make the case for a strong defence capability used sparingly because used strictly for its proper, defensive purpose. But there is no sign of the re-emergence of any such party, partly because the old broadly or very conservative lay base of the old mainline Protestant churches is in such decline. So registered Republicans are down to a mere fifth of the electorate.
And America, which never had an avowedly pro-life majority under the Republicans, now has an avowedly pro-life majority under the Democrats.
Absolutely astonishing. I too cried to see it. I hope the incident gets maximum publicity both here and in the States and that the dreadful Fr Jenkins is removed from office forthwith. I do hope it will be posible to find out if charges were then laid against him.
In this country, not only would no pictures have been taken, but the good Fr Weslin would be on a DNA database.
One of the saddest things I have ever seen. So much for the private property of that institution being a space for open debate.
Why did no one stand up to the bullies?
"Fair Catch Corby" (William Corby, a name any Domer will recognize) was my great-grandmother's great friend, so I follow Notre Dame's history with interest. I am sorry ND is so beglamoured by power that they invited Obama to receive an honour only a few months after he got the Big Power. However, as a Lamb of Christ, the priest arrested here must be well used to being arrested. Being arrested, and total non-compliance with law enforcement (including, of course, "going limp" upon arrest and not even walking to the paddy wagon, is the raison d'etre of the Lambs. So don't cry too hard. Great theatre, though. Hey, I was arrested in a similar fashion myself, so I know whereof I speak.
How can it be that a Catholic Priest, who stands on Catholic property of a "Catholic" university is considered trespassing? How is it that Notre Dame invites death to speak and to be honored (and applauded at that!) and Fr. Weslin comes to defend lives and he is arrested? There are none so blind as those who will NOT see. Isn't there something wrong with this picture? It looks more and more like Nazi Germany...
Seraphic Single - why should Fr Weslin be 'well used to being arrested', is this some sort of regular occurrence for Catholic Priests in the US of A?
Also, it would not be unusual for an 80-year old to 'go limp' not because they know the ropes of how to resist arrest, but genuinely from stress and anxiety, you know, the little 'ticker' at that age doesn't work so well.
Let's not be so cynical, although if the media wanted 'theatre' then by goodness Fr Weslin was the man of the moment! God Bless him and all who stand up to the Godless and heartless butchery of the abortionists to whom Notre Dame and Mr Obama have clearly pinned their colours.
Well, the priest did found the "Lambs of Christ". It is a human rights group that protests (and hopefully prevents) abortions by blocking access to abortion clinics by afixing themselves to the premises with bicycle locks, etc. When they are arrested, they do not resist or co-operate in any way. They hope thereby to use up the time and energy of law enforcement. You can find their site online.
"Lambs" go across the USA being arrested again and again and again. Once they are let out of prison, they end up back in prison. I had a pro-life buddy who became a Lamb; she was rumoured to have had a nervous breakdown. I hope she didn't, but I wouldn't be surprised. It is very stressful being arrested at the best of times, and I watched non-Lamb (but nevertheless committed pro-life) friends being dragged down clinic stairs, bumpity bumpity bump.
Singlng hymns was always a feature of getting-arrested pro-life activism in my time. It was probably one of the things that most made bystanders uncomfortable. Thus Father Weslin's bursting out into a Marian hymn did not seem very spontaneous to me, especially as it was broken up by his speech for the cameras about "oooh how can they arrest a priest?" Sadly, all too many priests get arrested for real crimes (no need to mention what they are, we know) these days: that priests-are-sacred-beings-who-should-not-be-touched doesn't really work in our sad contemporary world.
After years in the pro-life movement, and reflecting on the pro-life movement, one way to survive mentally is a cheerful cynicism about other pro-lifers and all of our half-baked attempts to wake up the world to the fact that unborn babies are really babies. The world doesn't want to know, and we haven't figured out how to make them want to know. So we trot out methods so time-worn they'd be funny if they weren't so sad.
Thank you for putting me straight on this issue Seraphic Single. God Bless you in your pro-life work.
Thanks for the information about the Lambs of Christ. More can be found here: http://lambsofchrist.all-catholic.net/
I have to say that having read the profile of Fr Weslin's life I have even more admiration for this Priest and agree that this battle with satan must be fought with much prayer especially in front of abortuaries where it must directly affect those carrying out this senseless butchery in our so-called 'oh so civilised societies'.
How can we kill babies by tearing them apart limb from limb while still in their mother's wombs and call ourselves civilised????
The devil of course still thinks that the second coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ will involve a baby, like the first time round, and so he continues to wage this merciless war against the unborn, against children and against the family! The 'slaughter of the innocents' continues to this day and there are many, many more 'Herods' around today to encourage this, than 2000 years ago!
God Help us all.
Hypocrisy is a shameful quality! How can the US pride themselves with the right to freedom of speech if they are restrained, shoved onto a stretcher and carted off when they express any form of difference to their so-called leader!
I am also extremely reluctant to believe an 80 year old priest would pose a threat worthy of the restraint imposed on him by the police.
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