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.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
IS NOTRE DAME REALLY CATHOLIC?
The South Bend Tribune headline was as glaring as a neon sign. It read “Obama tickets hot among Notre Dame faculty”.
It appears that there is a record demand by the Notre Dame faculty for tickets to the 2009 Commencement which features President Obama as the Commencement Speaker, Apparently there are not enough tickets available to meet the faculty demand.
On the other hand, only a handful of faculty members have spoken out about the sanctity of life, the protection of the unborn and the contradiction of those positions that President Obama represents. Only 10 Holy Cross priests have expressed the courage of their convictions in opposition to having President Obama as Notre Dame’s Commencement Speaker and recipient of an honorary doctorate degree.
Is it apathy, fear or pro abortion sentiment that triggers the discrepancy between the record number of faculty seeking tickets and those few faculty members who have voiced their dissent? Regardless, is it any wonder that the majority of students agrees with the majority of faculty regarding Notre Dame honoring President Obama.
There is an old adage that goes “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” When it comes to Catholic principles, Notre Dame doesn’t even lead the horse to water. Actions say a lot about a person and equally as much about an educational institution. What exactly are Notre Dame’s core values? What are the actions of the majority of the faculty and students saying about Notre Dame?
Here is an opportunity for Notre Dame, as an institution, as a faculty, and as a student body to speak loud and clear about its position on the sanctity of life. Instead it chooses to act like any other university. Thus I have to ask. Is Notre Dame really special? Is it really Catholic?
It appears that there is a record demand by the Notre Dame faculty for tickets to the 2009 Commencement which features President Obama as the Commencement Speaker, Apparently there are not enough tickets available to meet the faculty demand.
On the other hand, only a handful of faculty members have spoken out about the sanctity of life, the protection of the unborn and the contradiction of those positions that President Obama represents. Only 10 Holy Cross priests have expressed the courage of their convictions in opposition to having President Obama as Notre Dame’s Commencement Speaker and recipient of an honorary doctorate degree.
Is it apathy, fear or pro abortion sentiment that triggers the discrepancy between the record number of faculty seeking tickets and those few faculty members who have voiced their dissent? Regardless, is it any wonder that the majority of students agrees with the majority of faculty regarding Notre Dame honoring President Obama.
There is an old adage that goes “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” When it comes to Catholic principles, Notre Dame doesn’t even lead the horse to water. Actions say a lot about a person and equally as much about an educational institution. What exactly are Notre Dame’s core values? What are the actions of the majority of the faculty and students saying about Notre Dame?
Here is an opportunity for Notre Dame, as an institution, as a faculty, and as a student body to speak loud and clear about its position on the sanctity of life. Instead it chooses to act like any other university. Thus I have to ask. Is Notre Dame really special? Is it really Catholic?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Notre Dame and President Obama- A match made in heaven
Father Jenkins, president of Notre Dame University, recently issued his response to the U.S. Bishops regarding Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama to be its 2009 Commencement Speaker and to receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree. Father Jenkins’ position is that because President Obama is a protestant, the Bishops’ admonition about honoring anti-life dignitaries does not apply. In Fr. Jenkins’ view this admonition only applies to honoring pro abortion/anti-life Catholics. Such sophistry! If we take that position to the extreme, then Notre Dame could, if it chose to, honor Hitler as long as he was a non-Catholic at the time.
Of course, in the pro-life context, Notre Dame seems to be an avenue for sophistry. In 1984, (then) Governor Cuomo gave a speech at Notre Dame that became the foundation for politicians (both Catholic and non-Catholic alike) to sidestep the abortion issue by stating “I am personally opposed to abortion but I must follow the law of the land when it comes to abortion.” Of course, Notre Dame never rebutted this argument, which it could have, by simply saying, “If you are so opposed to abortion, what are you doing to change the law of the land in that regard?” There is nothing wrong for someone in this country to seek to change the law of the land or even to seek to amend the constitution. In Cuomo’s view only pro-life politicians are required to check their private convictions at the door of Congress or the statehouse.
Of course, through the years, the Notre Dame administration has not been a friend to the pro-life movement. For several years in the early 1970’s Notre Dame served, each summer, as the site for a regional Planned Parenthood convention. It did not cease doing so until the local pro-life organization came out and picketed.
At an abortion conference held at Notre Dame in 1980, Father Theodore Hesburgh, then president of Notre Dame, made his infamous reference to pro life activists as “Mindless Zealots” and to pro-life politicians as those who “agreed with the Catholic Church on abortion but were opposed to Catholic values on every other important moral issue.” Of course when confronted to name said politicians, Father Hesburgh could not. This is the same Father Hesburgh who sat on the stage next to Father McBrien of the Notre Dame theology department while Governor Cuomo gave his 1984 speech at Notre Dame. Father Hesburgh said nothing then nor anything since to counter Governor Cuomo’s position.
Thus it is with no small amount of irony that the Notre Dame student newspaper The Observer in its March 27, 2009 Staff Editorial quoted a statement by Father Hesburgh regarding Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama as follows: “No speaker who has ever come to Notre Dame has changed the University. We are who we are. But, quite often, the very fact of being here has changed the speaker.”
Now it is perhaps understandable that 90+% of the 2009 graduating class is in favor of President Obama speaking at their commencement. They are young and perhaps not as yet deeply committed to Catholic principles and values. But one wonders whether they would be so enthusiastic if their commencement speaker were anti-homosexual or even anti-Muslim. One further wonders exactly what values were emphasized and taught during their matriculation at Notre Dame.
It is clear that on the issue of abortion, Notre Dame’s administration has a problem with the Catholic viewpoint. Whether it stems from their seemingly innate feeling of inferiority that Notre Dame cannot be Catholic and a University at the same time or from some other source is not quite evident. However, the administration’s failure to take a stand in this instance regarding a staunchly pro abortion, anti life politician is more than an embarrassment especially in view of the fact that Arizona State University, which is also having President Obama as its commencement speaker, refused, for secular reasons, to grant him an honorary degree.
Of course, in the pro-life context, Notre Dame seems to be an avenue for sophistry. In 1984, (then) Governor Cuomo gave a speech at Notre Dame that became the foundation for politicians (both Catholic and non-Catholic alike) to sidestep the abortion issue by stating “I am personally opposed to abortion but I must follow the law of the land when it comes to abortion.” Of course, Notre Dame never rebutted this argument, which it could have, by simply saying, “If you are so opposed to abortion, what are you doing to change the law of the land in that regard?” There is nothing wrong for someone in this country to seek to change the law of the land or even to seek to amend the constitution. In Cuomo’s view only pro-life politicians are required to check their private convictions at the door of Congress or the statehouse.
Of course, through the years, the Notre Dame administration has not been a friend to the pro-life movement. For several years in the early 1970’s Notre Dame served, each summer, as the site for a regional Planned Parenthood convention. It did not cease doing so until the local pro-life organization came out and picketed.
At an abortion conference held at Notre Dame in 1980, Father Theodore Hesburgh, then president of Notre Dame, made his infamous reference to pro life activists as “Mindless Zealots” and to pro-life politicians as those who “agreed with the Catholic Church on abortion but were opposed to Catholic values on every other important moral issue.” Of course when confronted to name said politicians, Father Hesburgh could not. This is the same Father Hesburgh who sat on the stage next to Father McBrien of the Notre Dame theology department while Governor Cuomo gave his 1984 speech at Notre Dame. Father Hesburgh said nothing then nor anything since to counter Governor Cuomo’s position.
Thus it is with no small amount of irony that the Notre Dame student newspaper The Observer in its March 27, 2009 Staff Editorial quoted a statement by Father Hesburgh regarding Notre Dame’s invitation to President Obama as follows: “No speaker who has ever come to Notre Dame has changed the University. We are who we are. But, quite often, the very fact of being here has changed the speaker.”
Now it is perhaps understandable that 90+% of the 2009 graduating class is in favor of President Obama speaking at their commencement. They are young and perhaps not as yet deeply committed to Catholic principles and values. But one wonders whether they would be so enthusiastic if their commencement speaker were anti-homosexual or even anti-Muslim. One further wonders exactly what values were emphasized and taught during their matriculation at Notre Dame.
It is clear that on the issue of abortion, Notre Dame’s administration has a problem with the Catholic viewpoint. Whether it stems from their seemingly innate feeling of inferiority that Notre Dame cannot be Catholic and a University at the same time or from some other source is not quite evident. However, the administration’s failure to take a stand in this instance regarding a staunchly pro abortion, anti life politician is more than an embarrassment especially in view of the fact that Arizona State University, which is also having President Obama as its commencement speaker, refused, for secular reasons, to grant him an honorary degree.
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