Notre Dame Criticized Over Obama Invite - Boston Globe

[WillyT]

Notre Dame criticized over Obama invite
Posted by Michael Paulson March 21, 2009 08:59 AM

<snip>

The White House yesterday announced that President Obama will be the commencement speaker at the University of Notre Dame and, right on cue, a controversy has erupted in Catholic circles over whether it is appropriate for the Catholic university to honor a non-Catholic politician who supports abortion rights.

The university's announcement made no mention of the abortion issue, but noted that Obama will be "the ninth U.S. president to be awarded an honorary degree by the University and the sixth to be the Commencement speaker." The university plans to give Obama an honorary doctor of laws degree at the ceremony on May 17.

The question of how Catholic universities should treat politicians who have policy disagreements with the Catholic church has dogged Catholic higher education for years, but has intensified recently with the rise of prominent Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, now including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice-President Joseph Biden. In 2004, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement on "Catholics in Political Life" that declared, "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." It's not entirely clear to me whether the policy is meant to apply to non-Catholic politicians like Obama, but there have been controversies over such honors before, most prominently when some at Boston College protested an honorary degree for Condoleezza Rice in 2006 because of her role in the Iraq War. Last year, I took a look at the situation in a story for the Globe and found that Catholic colleges were increasingly shying away from controversial speakers.

Of course, the president of the United States raises the stakes considerably -- is a Catholic college really supposed to refuse a platform to the elected leader of the nation if he has a disagreement, however serious, with Catholic teachings? Today, many on the right are arguing that the answer is yes.

The Cardinal Newman Society immediately set up a protest web site, asking people to "Help Stop the Scandal at Our Lady's University." Greg Kandra, over at The Deacon's Bench, blogs, "This falls under the category of "What Were They Thinking?" Thomas Peters, at the American Papist, predicts that Notre Dame will not back down, but says, "What can and will happen, I hope, is a frank discussion in the public spotlight about a) the mission and identity of Catholic universities and b) a greater awareness of the anti-Catholic policies and legislation that Obama is currently pursuing." And over at Via Media, Amy Welborn suggests Catholic universities stop inviting politicians altogether:

"I think it would be easier on everyone, frankly, if Catholic universities cut the cord with politicians completely. I don't care how prestigious you aim to be, how much you want your graduates to contribute to the fabric of American civic life, even a sitting president cannot help but associate you with a political ideology.

I'm not arguing for the ghetto, at all, but we're not talking noble statesmen here. We're talking politicians who are divisive figures and who, Obama's case, are pursuing policies that directly threaten Catholic institutions."

At a minimum, there is sure to be significant protest of Obama's speech that will draw much more attention, and likely broaden the debate, over the question of who should be allowed to speak, and receive an honor, on Catholic campuses. The Rev. Austin Fleming, pastor of Holy Family parish in Concord, observes on his blog:

"I'm a Domer, a Notre Dame graduate (M.A. Theology/Liturgical Studies, '80), and worked in the ND Office of Campus Ministry for three years. That job found me on the commencement platform in 1981 when President Ronald Reagan received an honorary degree. Reagan's presence on campus sparked some controversy but I'll wager that was nothing compared to what we're going to see when Obama steps under the Notre Dame mantle."

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Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2009/03/notre_dame_crit.html

:shrug:

[Demeter]

1. How Little It Counts to Be President of the US Today

Why didn't they invite Sarah Palin, then? She could use another degree, honorary or not.

[Aristus]

3. Wouldn't she just end up going to six universities to get her honorary degree?

Just asking...

[WillyT]

4. LOL... Apparently, Sara Palin Would Be Perfect For Notre Dame These Days...

:banghead:

:wtf:

[AlCzervik]

2. Chris Matthews was protested when he spoke at Holy Cross, he's also pro choice.

[otohara]

5. This Coming From The Church of Sexual Abuse

and hypocrisy on so many levels, it makes me laugh.

[NorthernSpy]

6. And this important, too, because the Kiddy-Diddler Church has soooo much prestige to bestow...

:eyes:

[RagAss]

7. Fuck Notre Dame !

[RB TexLa]

8. There is no such thing as a "Catholic" candidate or politician on life issues

Dennis Kucinich was probably closest when he was anti-choice.

I'm not saying there should be. Whatever my beliefs about what abortion or the death penalty are in regards to sin are mine and not for blind codification into our laws.

[sallyseven]

9. The Catholic church is losing

people every day. They have their heads up their butts. Do they really think anyone is paying attention to them? I mean for real?

[CatholicEdHead]

10. Catholic Newman Society are nuts

Unless they are 100% "pro-life" and "pro-family" Republicans they whine and whine and show faux outrage. They are really pathetic in their faux outrage as they go so over the top as it is 100% the "Orthodox" Catholicism or nothing. :crazy: Their bi-weekly emails are fun to laugh at with the over the top nonsense they whine about.

[Peregrine Took]

11. I just don't understand this new militant, politicized Church of today. It

makes me sick, literally.

I think it must be do to all the super conservative prelates installed by JP II plus a large wave of right wing converts who have been attracted by the new "muscle" Church and its trend of orthodoxy.

I only know 2 practicing Catholics besides myself.

Thank God, in the city, you can still find a "normal" parish that isn't shoving its cultural choices down your gullet every Sunday.

[SoCalDem]

15. I heard a lecture just the other night that kind of explained it

He linked it to past events and their gradual evolution..

restoration, enlightenment, reformation, renaissance and how these have a "rinse & repeat" ebb and flow to them.. I forget the professor's name, but it was on UCTV "Conversations on History" program.. His implication was that as we got more and more connected worldwide, the changes now come in 30 year cycles...and we are ripe for a renaissance, which makes the "reformation-types" very edgy..

[CatholicEdHead]

17. Many of the converts are Southern Baptist Convention types

that schismed and see the RCC as a place they can go even more conservative. The neo-retro movement is hurting for followers as most people are moderate to liberal, these are the types they bring in to grow their movement. If you follow the ultra-conservative Catholic media (Catholic Answers, Ave Maria Radio/Univ, (ir)Relevant Radio, etc...) you find a mix of 90% fundie talking points slightly adapted to the Catholic faith.

As post #15 mentions, this is a cycle and now that the Religious Right is out of power domestically they will soon fall out of power in the RCC but it takes a while for the established movement to grow old and give way to the next generation. The current movement's focus is in the church building proper and not the wide world which is usually avoided and irrationally feared. This point will be the downfall of the current movement as the next generation will focus on the outside world again.

[spanone]

12. chuck the furch

[opihimoimoi]

13. Fuck it...President Obama should go bowling instead....let them find another dude.

[BlooInBloo]

14. It's funny watching religious people fight SOOOO hard to be as irrelevant as possible.

[Larkspur]

16. I'm a Notre Dame alumna, class of 1983, and I support my alma mater's decision

to invite Obama as commencement speaker. Father Thomas Hesburgh was President of Notre Dame when I attended and he was a champion of civil rights. Obama speaking at ND's commencement is a symbolic victory for Father Hesburgh's efforts in civil rights. As some may recall, Hesburgh was removed from the Civil Rights Commission by President Ronald Reagan.

If Obama was only going to talk about abortion, then maybe I could agree with the critics, but he's not. President Bush spoke at Notre Dame's commencement in his first term and Bush sinned a hell of a lot more than Bill Clinton did.

I'm glad that my alma mater invited President Obama to speak. The 2008 class is very lucky to hear him speak.