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.