QUO VADIS NOTRE DAME

Now it’s official. The Notre Dame Faculty Senate has voted- with only one courageous member voting “no” – to support Fr. Jenkins’ invitation to President Obama to be the 2009 Commencement Speaker and to receive an honorary degree. Apparently, at least 53 Notre Dame professors also signed a statement from the Indiana chapter of the American Association of University Professors giving similar support to Father Jenkins.
These professors may believe that they struck a blow for academic freedom, but in reality they merely struck a blow against Notre Dame’s Catholicity.
When Father Jenkins was first named president of Notre Dame he issued an invitation to Notre Dame’s students, faculty, alumni and friends to write him with an answer to the following (paraphrased) question. Can an educational institution be Catholic and a University at the same time? Well Father Jenkins and the faculty have now answered that question with a resounding “NO”. Academic freedom must win out over Catholicity.
Does it not give Father Jenkins pause, that those supporting his position are primarily pro- abortion or anti-Catholic or part of the secular movement or have no appreciation of what the real issue is in play here; and that those in opposition are merely just Catholics? Isn’t it ironic that the University that prides itself in being the leading American Catholic University is at odds on this issue, with so many “Catholic” leaders and faithful and instead, is in lock step with many of the Catholic Church’s enemies?
Academic freedom is not the issue here. Discussion is one thing; honoring an anti-life, pro- abortion politician is quite another. By issuing the invitation to such a politician, Notre Dame brought this controversy on itself. Notre Dame has not as yet given a good reason why it issued the invitation except that it gives Notre Dame “bragging rights” and approval from the secular society. However, when Notre Dame chose to issue said invitation and award, it is at that point that Notre Dame chose not to be Catholic but to merely be just another university. For if Notre Dame wants to be considered Catholic, then it must stand for more than merely being a university. Notre Dame would then have a responsibility to teach- not only its students but those external to the university (including other universities) – what exactly is the truth of its position.
To be Catholic Notre Dame must stand unfalteringly for Catholic principles and values – not just call itself Catholic. To be Catholic, Notre Dame must make it clear within the certain knowledge of everyone concerned that Catholic principles and values come first – especially above worldly recognition. To be Catholic, Notre Dame must teach other universities the truth that certain issues are not debatable: such as abortion and slavery to name a few.