Notre Dame's Watershed Moment
It needs to return to the basics of what it means to be Catholic and what it means to be a Catholic university.
PrintSOUTH BEND, Indiana (Zenit) - While the debate over Notre Dame's Catholic identity is nothing new, the recent controversy surrounding its decision to honor President Barack Obama may be a watershed moment for the university.
Father John Jenkins, the university's president, put the issue front and center when he invited Obama, a staunch defender of abortion rights, to give the May 17 commencement address. The university also bestowed on him an honorary law degree.
The gesture drew national and international media attention as some 80 bishops and more than 367,000 Catholics voiced disagreement with Father Jenkins, saying he was compromising the school's Catholic identity. They said he disregarded the 2004 guidelines from the U.S. bishops that state: "Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" with "awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."
The university's leadership didn't budge, and Obama was greeted on campus with a standing ovation at commencement. Hecklers were shouted down while students chanted, "Yes, we can." Forty seniors -- out of a graduating class of more than 2,900 -- boycotted the ceremony.
Such a reaction might seem to indicate there is only a small remnant of faith left on campus.
But according to senior Mary Daly, president of the Notre Dame Right to Life group and chief editor of the Irish Rover, a campus newspaper, that's not exactly the case.
Daly told ZENIT that the admissions office reports that 80%-85% of every incoming class is Catholic.She also noted a "strong subculture within the student body of earnest Catholics: people who are making sincere efforts to grow in their faith and to discern and live out God's will in their lives."
She described Notre Dame as a place that has "adoration five days a week on campus, Mass in all the dormitory chapels at least four times a week, and priests in every dorm."
Faith
Thus, Daly said, "if you are serious about your Catholic faith and want to grow in your personal relationship with Christ, this is an excellent place to do so," though, she acknowledged, you have to be willing to "challenge yourself."
Christina Holmstrom, a 2008 graduate and a campus ministry intern, affirmed to ZENIT that "faith is not only a commonality for much of Notre Dame's population, but it is also a source of challenge and strength."
She reported a "number of students taking part in regular service opportunities through the Center for Social Concerns, student-led faith-based groups, Bible studies and liturgies."
Holmstrom also noted the "hundreds" of graduates who "take their Notre Dame education and apply it to domestic and international volunteer programs, ministry work, teaching, medicine, their careers and their families," as the "greatest testament to the influence of faith on this campus."
At Notre Dame, she said, faith "finds its source and summit in the Eucharist and active participation in the Church and is lived out in a life of service to others."
Paolo Carozza, a law professor at Notre Dame and the faculty advisor to the Communion and Liberation student organization, affirmed: "If faith at Notre Dame remains for us a matter of words, of discourse, of ethics, or of projects, then the university will never correspond to the immensity of what our hearts desire from it. "Faith has to become an experience, a life."
Identity
The professor added that this happens on campus "all the time." This lived faith is something to "nourish for the life of the Church and for the world," he said, "because it is the only thing, ultimately, capable of generating and sustaining a Catholic university." Without it, Carozza stated, nothing can keep Notre Dame from "being just like any other institution."
Notre Dame's identity in relation to other institutions, however, is part of the dilemma. The Cardinal Newman Society, in its 2007 publication of "The Newman Guide to Catholic Colleges," wrote the epilogue on Notre Dame, which it describes as being in a "complex" situation.
The guide analyzed a wide spectrum of Catholic colleges: those that "have fallen victim to secularization and have chosen to minimize their Catholic identity," others that are "struggling to determine their direction," and the institutions that live their Catholic mission in "exemplary" ways.
In the spectrum, Notre Dame falls into a category all its own, with a strong academic reputation and overall renown, as well as a "vibrant spiritual life that comes at a time when most large Catholic universities have become increasingly more secularized."
Despite these positive aspects, the Newman society notes issues that "prevent us from recommending Notre Dame." The guide particularly notes the ...
Father John Jenkins, the university's president, put the issue front and center when he invited Obama, a staunch defender of abortion rights, to give the May 17 commencement address. The university also bestowed on him an honorary law degree.
The gesture drew national and international media attention as some 80 bishops and more than 367,000 Catholics voiced disagreement with Father Jenkins, saying he was compromising the school's Catholic identity. They said he disregarded the 2004 guidelines from the U.S. bishops that state: "Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" with "awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."
The university's leadership didn't budge, and Obama was greeted on campus with a standing ovation at commencement. Hecklers were shouted down while students chanted, "Yes, we can." Forty seniors -- out of a graduating class of more than 2,900 -- boycotted the ceremony.
Such a reaction might seem to indicate there is only a small remnant of faith left on campus.
But according to senior Mary Daly, president of the Notre Dame Right to Life group and chief editor of the Irish Rover, a campus newspaper, that's not exactly the case.
Daly told ZENIT that the admissions office reports that 80%-85% of every incoming class is Catholic.She also noted a "strong subculture within the student body of earnest Catholics: people who are making sincere efforts to grow in their faith and to discern and live out God's will in their lives."
She described Notre Dame as a place that has "adoration five days a week on campus, Mass in all the dormitory chapels at least four times a week, and priests in every dorm."
Faith
Thus, Daly said, "if you are serious about your Catholic faith and want to grow in your personal relationship with Christ, this is an excellent place to do so," though, she acknowledged, you have to be willing to "challenge yourself."
Christina Holmstrom, a 2008 graduate and a campus ministry intern, affirmed to ZENIT that "faith is not only a commonality for much of Notre Dame's population, but it is also a source of challenge and strength."
She reported a "number of students taking part in regular service opportunities through the Center for Social Concerns, student-led faith-based groups, Bible studies and liturgies."
Holmstrom also noted the "hundreds" of graduates who "take their Notre Dame education and apply it to domestic and international volunteer programs, ministry work, teaching, medicine, their careers and their families," as the "greatest testament to the influence of faith on this campus."
At Notre Dame, she said, faith "finds its source and summit in the Eucharist and active participation in the Church and is lived out in a life of service to others."
Paolo Carozza, a law professor at Notre Dame and the faculty advisor to the Communion and Liberation student organization, affirmed: "If faith at Notre Dame remains for us a matter of words, of discourse, of ethics, or of projects, then the university will never correspond to the immensity of what our hearts desire from it. "Faith has to become an experience, a life."
Identity
The professor added that this happens on campus "all the time." This lived faith is something to "nourish for the life of the Church and for the world," he said, "because it is the only thing, ultimately, capable of generating and sustaining a Catholic university." Without it, Carozza stated, nothing can keep Notre Dame from "being just like any other institution."
Notre Dame's identity in relation to other institutions, however, is part of the dilemma. The Cardinal Newman Society, in its 2007 publication of "The Newman Guide to Catholic Colleges," wrote the epilogue on Notre Dame, which it describes as being in a "complex" situation.
The guide analyzed a wide spectrum of Catholic colleges: those that "have fallen victim to secularization and have chosen to minimize their Catholic identity," others that are "struggling to determine their direction," and the institutions that live their Catholic mission in "exemplary" ways.
In the spectrum, Notre Dame falls into a category all its own, with a strong academic reputation and overall renown, as well as a "vibrant spiritual life that comes at a time when most large Catholic universities have become increasingly more secularized."
Despite these positive aspects, the Newman society notes issues that "prevent us from recommending Notre Dame." The guide particularly notes the ...
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Proponents of Presidents Obama speaking at ND stated that this will start a dialogue on life issues: I am waiting to see it happen?!
Janusz Zak
I agree with Cathleen, and will go a step further...All this article did is "prance around" the real issues...It hit the PC things and stays out the real issues ..That is "Jenkins purposely did this behind the Bishops back as a statement of ND's independence.." Now how its handled will determine whether this is a "watershed" or not..Prayer is fine and needed but more direct action is called for...Jenkins should be saying Mass in Outer Mongolia for the remainder of his career, or just thrown out for thumbing his nose at Bishop D'Arcy...
TO: ED BURKE, I do not mean any offense to you...but are you serious??? If I have read your comment correctly, it is as if you see things completely opposite of the truth. This leadership has made it clear that they do not value the lives of the unborn and will do whatever is necessary to promote a culture of death and convenience. Please correct me if I read your comments incorrectly. Otherwise, if you are a Christian who walks with Our Lord...please consider expanding your knowledge base to truly 'see' what is going on.
Notre Dame needs to take responsbility for their action in having president Obama come there and for letting him step foot on their property and that platform. It is against their morals and values and regulations that they have. They went against that and protestors against abortion were arrested on their property. That should have never happened. If they don't wish to be a Catholic University, then they need to change that. They should be ashamed to say they are a Catholic University. The decision to have him there was not the decision of any Catholic I know. Sincerly, Kelly Key
Where is the much lauded eloquence and smarts of our nation's president? Lincoln said exquisitely "a nation divided against itself cannot stand." Today what do we get..."our views are irreconcilable," but I'm president so I win, but I'll toss you a bone, a "sensible" conscience clause(whatever that means). End of discussion, end of the national public square. Suddenly even a nation divided looks pretty good.
Fire the lot, close it down. Turn it in to a school, that teaches, what it means to be Catholic, and belive in "Christ".
Just want to say Thank You Jesus for our New & Better President who is trying to End the Iraq War that Pope John Paul II warned George W. Bush was an Unjust war, before Bush pre-Emptively Invaded and attacked Iraq.
Thank You Lord of Mercy for a New & Better Leader who hears the Cry of the poor and doen't try to dismantel every social support program that some desperate single mother might need after NOT ABORTING her baby.
Thank You Holy Spirit for helping the Voters of America to select a wiser, more compassionate President who has no history as as Governor Death Penalty.
The Father of our Lord & Savior Jesus and indeed of us all, is indeed with us and caring for us as always !
Action speaks louder than word. It will remain to be seen. It may be true the university hired more Catholic professors, but of what quality? Sibelious, Pelozzi, Kerry, Kennedy? Or Giulliani? Also where will these faculties be involve in?
I hope and pray, they are not the Fr. Jenkins type of Catholics and that they be involve in the religious life of the students.
TO: the "Forty seniors -- out of a graduating class of more than 2,900 -- (who)boycotted the ceremony." You are to be congratulated for a job well done by completing your studies. More importantly, you stood up for integrity and allowed yourselves to be counted as faithful Christians. Further, you missed a special event to be held in your honor; your graduation ceremony. While this may seem obvious, I have no doubt that special blessings will come your way for your courageous decision. May God bless each of you abundantly!
If the professor's don't evangelize the student's, then it becomes like any other university, and all it's secular trap's and vice's, the pull for the way's of the world on young impressionable mind's is too strong in many case's, of course it start's at home during there up-bringing, with or without a strong christian base with which to build on, when they leave for college. The bottom line is the buck should stop at Notre Dame, the Pope need's to lead strongly in this regard, I feel.