Notre Dame's commencement invitation to Barack Obama has drawn sharp criticism from concerned alumni, students, staff, and catholics across the globe. So far, 145,154 people have signed a petition to block Barack from attending at http://notredamescandal.com/. Critics cite incongruity between Notre Dame's moral teachings and the President's political positions.

An opening excerpt from the petition reads:

"It is an outrage and a scandal that "Our Lady's University," one of the premier Catholic universities in the United States, would bestow such an honor on President Obama given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage."

National Review online has held a symposium on the issue, drawing expectedly negative criticism of both the President's positions and Notre Dame's decision to host him.