Thousands petition against ND

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Thursday night, the American Life League presented the Bishop with thousands of petitions signed by people from all over the country. If the petitions work, Notre Dame will no longer be considered a Catholic University.

"We're here because a Catholic institution has renounced a basic Catholic principle that all human beings deserve basic human rights," said Michael Barnett from the American Life League.

The American Life League is the largest pro-life Catholic organization in the U.S. It's also the driving force behind the effort to remove the most recognizable Catholic university from the Official Catholic Directory.

"We think that with this Bishop D'Arcy will push even further to recognize that what's going on at Notre Dame is an attack upon the church," said Barnett.

From California to New York, Minnesota to Texas, thousands went online and signed the petition.

"I think he should look at them and act on them and I really think that what they are asking him to do is really right," said pro-life supporter Max Zimmerman.

This wouldn't be the first time a Catholic University had the Catholic taken out of it's name. Four others have been removed from the list.

"Most of them for lesser offenses than this, for inviting Hilary Clinton, or a state legislator," said Barnett.

The American Life League said this is the last straw for Notre Dame. Leaders believe Notre Dame has been part of a timeline of dissent dating all the back to a statement made by the University in 1967.

"They declared there could be no authority from the Catholic Church essentially, that there could be no truth from the Catholic Church, and finally that there would be no normative, moral, or ethical boundaries against the university," said Barnett.

The American Life League does not yet know if Bishop D'Arcy will take action. But he does have the authority. The Bishop will not be at the commencement this weekend. NewsChannel 15 will have complete coverage throughout the weekend.