Notre Dame head stands by Obama invitation

SOUTH BEND, Ind., March 24 (UPI) -- The president of the University of Notre Dame is rejecting criticism by Catholics of an invitation to U.S. President Barack Obama to give a commencement speech.

The school and the White House announced Friday Obama would deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame's graduation ceremony May 17, and would receive an honorary degree.

Some students and alumni reacted during the weekend with letters to the campus newspaper, The Observer, and a conservative Catholic organization set up a Web site to coordinate opposition to the president being honored at the university in South Bend, Ind.

In an interview with The Observer, university President Father John Jenkins said the school doesn't "foresee circumstances" that would lead it to withdraw the invitation.

Jenkins noted that presidents from both major parties have spoken to Notre Dame graduating classes.

"They've given important addresses on international affairs, human rights, service, and we're delighted that President Obama is continuing that tradition," he said.

Obama will be the sixth U.S. president to deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame and the ninth to receive an honorary degree, the newspaper said.

Critics -- including the Cardinal Newman Society, which set up the Web site NotreDameScandal.com -- object to Obama's positions on issues including abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Jenkins said the invitation to address graduates "should in no way be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of life."

The Web site features an online petition calling the decision to honor Obama "an outrage and a scandal" and urging Jenkins to rescind the invitation. The petition had almost 50,000 signatures by Monday night.