Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Notre Dame’s 2009 Commencement

Anybody who watched the Notre Dame graduation on Sunday (May 17th) had to come away with the impression that President Obama was the winner. He is good- really good. He is smooth, charismatic and was a man among boys when he gave his Commencement speech. He relinquished nothing- he didn’t have to-and received thunderous applause when he in essence said that he had his pro-abortion position and the pro-life people had their position and let’s just get together and discuss it. It is as if the killing of the unborn is the moral equivalent of trying to save their lives.
On the supposed other side was Father Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, who was beside himself fawning over the President. When it comes to the pro-life issue, Father Jenkins is an empty cassock. He blithely and figuratively thumbed his nose at the pro-life people and agreed with Mr. Obama that discussion was the way to go- as if Notre Dame has gone anywhere and done anything to advance the pro-life cause. If you have not done anything, it is easy to denigrate those in the trenches who have been fighting the good fight to protect the unborn for the past 36+ years. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my people . . .” What have you done for the unborn Notre Dame? How many lives of preborn children did you save by honoring President Obama who not only favors abortion but also favors partial birth abortion. How many lives of the preborn did you endanger by giving validation to Mr. Obama and implying that pro-life people are all extremists and not to be listened to. Notre Dame, I ask again how many preborn lives did you save on Sunday?
John T. Noonan was worthless. To enumerate a list of “wrongs” and not include abortion among them just about says it all for Mr. Noonan. Although he did list the obligatory and politically correct “torture” as one of his wrongs and in return he did receive the expected applause. What a pathetic presentation.
There are those in the media who already classify Notre Dame not as a catholic university but as a secular university. Based on Notre Dame’s treatment of the pro-life movement and the pro-life people at the 2009 Commencement, it would appear those media people are correct. The president of Notre Dame is running the University as if it were a secular university. Pro-life people, in particular, need not apply.
I would be remiss if I did not say something about the ND Response people. These are primarily graduating seniors who are pro-life and who sacrificed their attendance at their 2009 graduation because they value principle over expediency. To their credit, they organized an agenda of events that pro-life people could go to in good conscience. Hurray for them.
I attended the 11:15 A.M. ND Response planned Mass on the south quad of the University and I was pleased to see 2,000 or so students, families, old and young present to join together to give witness to the pro-life cause. Here were the true protestors. Here were the true pro-life people. Here was the true spirit of Notre Dame. Thank you students for caring enough for the pre born to do what you did. For the rest of your life you will carry with you the knowledge that by your actions you did more to advance the pro-life cause and the protection of the pre born than anyone else at Notre Dame. YOU are ND.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins, CSC.

How has Father Jenkins handled the pro-life v. pro-abortion Obama controversy he created for the 2009 Commencement?
To quote the knight in the Indiana Jones movie regarding the search for the Holy Grail, “He chose poorly.” Subsequently, in answer to the mounting criticism of his choice of President Obama as the 2009 Commencement speaker, his response was anything but wise and enlightened.
I know the ghost of Father Hesburgh still haunts the office of the Notre Dame president just like the ghost of John Wooden still haunts the basketball gym at UCLA, but unless Father Jenkins shakes himself free and becomes his own man, he’ll be just another minor footnote in the history of Notre Dame.
His reply to the U.S. Bishops regarding the invitation to President Obama was along the lines of, “It’s OK to invite him, he’s Protestant.” An argument that was transparent both for being overly simplistic as well as being pure sophistry.
Then Father Jenkins ran for refuge to the black student groups on campus. Any honest and thoughtful person knows that this situation is not a black/white problem. Shame on Father Jenkins for trying to play that card.
He also sought to use the proposed Laetare Medal nominee as some type of counter measure to Mr. Obama’s presence on the dais. To the everlasting glory of Mary Ann Glendon, she refused to be “used” in such a manner and not only declined the medal but in her refusal letter gave Father Jenkins and Notre Dame a, “what were you thinking” rebuke.
Father Jenkins’ most recent attempt to deal with the problem is his letter to the “Members of Notre Dame Graduating Class of 2009” which is merely a rehash of some of his prior talking points-part “us against them” and part “Notre Dame always knows better than those who disagree with it”. There was nothing humble nor instructional about it- at least not from the Catholic nor from the pro- life point of view. Hence it was an illustration of exactly what Notre Dame is being criticized for in this debacle- too little principle/too much equivocating.
Doesn’t anyone at Notre Dame know how to say “I was wrong.” What kind of advice is Father Jenkins being given? Does he just have yes men around him?
Instead of using this situation as an existential moment and a time for true and humble introspection, Father Jenkins and his cohort have marched on feebly in their usual close-minded manner when it comes to the pro-life issue. Notre Dame of course, knows better than those pro-life “mindless zealots”.
Because Notre Dame is a complex place, there still remains a fair amount of good to be harvested there but Father Jenkins, by his defiance in defending something that, for Catholics, is indefensable, has shown that at Notre Dame, the right thing to do is always whatever Notre Dame says it is. Thus, if that is Notre Dame’s guiding rule of conduct, then anything good about Notre Dame is in potential jeopardy.
To be honest, I have my doubts about Father Jenkins. It appears that he might very well be in over his head. I sincerely hope that God gives him the wisdom, the humility and the moral courage to be a true leader of a “Catholic” University- but frankly I’m not sure.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Notre Dame

The Catholic tradition at Notre Dame has been eroding since the 1960’s. At one time it was truly Catholic and had a distinct family atmosphere, but now it is not the same. What happened?
First of all, there are few Holy Cross priests teaching there any more. A significant number of Holy Cross priests with PhD’s have not been hired by Notre Dame or have not been granted tenure or have chosen to go elsewhere – usually the University of Portland which is also run by the Holy Cross Fathers. The absence of the influence of the Holy Cross Fathers has had an impact on the very core of Notre Dame’s Catholic and Family tradition. Whether by design, or by circumstances or by fewer numbers or by a combination of all of the above the priestly presence at Notre Dame is no longer what it once was.
Secondly, Notre Dame has changed philosophically. No longer content with being a/the leading Catholic University in the Country, Father Hesburgh chose to have Notre Dame break free from what he considered to be the bonds of ecclesiastical authority. Hence the oft quoted statement from the Land O’ Lakes Conference which was hosted by Father Hesburgh in 1967 at Notre Dame’s property in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin: “the Catholic University must have true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself.”
Subsequently Notre Dame consciously took a step away from its Catholic roots and has been doing so ever since. The vision I am sure was that Notre Dame would, hopefully, take its place among the elite Universities – not just the Catholic Universities. Not necessarily an ignoble image but as time wore on it would appear that this vision would be nurtured at the expense of Notre Dame’s Catholicity.
One need not go any further than Notre Dame’s treatment of the pro-life movement to confirm Notre Dame’s transition away from its Catholic heritage. As chronicled by previous entries on this blog Notre Dame has at best been ambivalent towards the pro-life position and at worst a willing avenue for the pro-life enemies to state and foster their positions – unopposed.
Thirdly, Notre Dame is now permeated with professors and staff who have no idea – and possibly don’t care – what the true Notre Dame spirit and tradition is. These people come from other universities and have contributed to the concept that Notre Dame is and should be perceived as any other university. Given the fact that the faculty is just barely 50% Catholic, we can understand why the Catholic values are eroding.
Finally, Notre Dame is now more politically correct than it is Catholic. The majority of students who care are more concerned with politically correct issues- such as homosexuality or the vagina monologues- than they are with Catholic issues. If their politically correct issues coincide with Catholic thought – all the better, and if their politically correct issues conflict with Catholic values, then the Catholic values must be cast aside for being oppressive, out of touch and for countless other reasons. Better to be politically correct than to be Catholic. It’s modern, it’s easier; and it brings ready acceptance. Thus because being pro-life is not politically correct, it is easy to cast it aside as being irrelevant to “my graduation.” The politically correct police will leave you alone because they don’t really care.
I have no doubt that Father Jenkins and President Obama will each receive a standing ovation at the commencement on May 17th. This will be from students and faculty from a different Notre Dame – not the one that once was and the one some of us once knew.