Published: April 24, 2009 01:33 pm      

Notre Dame student groups support Obama

SOUTH BEND — University of Notre Dame students representing 23 student groups presented the school president a letter Thursday supporting his decision to invite President Barack Obama to be the commencement speaker.

“We are proud to welcome President Obama to speak at commencement just as we have welcomed six sitting presidents before him,” the students wrote. “We thank our University’s administration for this opportunity.”

The decision to invite the president to speak at the May 17 commencement has been a source of debate, with dozens of bishops criticizing the university president, the Rev. John Jenkins, and the school because of Obama’s stands on abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

Michael Angulo, a member of the Progressive Student Alliance, said he helped organize the letter in response to the widespread criticism Jenkins has received. Angulo said although many of the groups, including his own, have disagreed with Jenkins on some issues, they believe he was right in inviting Obama.

“We wanted to show him that this is what Notre Dame should be about, about opening dialogue and trying to find common ground. So we were just thrilled that Father Jenkins had extended the invitation and that President Obama had accepted it,” he said.

—The Associated Press