College and University Blog
Obama to Speak at Notre Dame's Commencement Ceremony: A Discredit to Its Catholic Identity? YOU DECIDE
The controversy surrounding President Obama’s scheduled appearance as Notre Dame’s 2009 commencement speaker has people reeling in debate, especially among various Catholic sects. Undoubtedly, two staunch, opposing viewpoints melded together would create such a debacle, but the question I have found to be recurrently raised is where should the moral and ethical line be drawn with regard to Notre Dame’s Catholic context? Does Obama’s participation at the ceremony dictate hypocrisy on the part of Notre Dame for knowingly inviting a policy-proving pro-choicer as speaker though abortion is a binding Catholic issue or is this an extension of “positive engagement,” as expressed by the school’s president, Rev. John Jenkins?
With the reversal of the Bush Administration’s ban on abortion funding policy, his position on embryonic stem cell research and late-term abortions, President Obama has made his position on abortion very clear. For Catholics, laity and clergymen alike, abortion is an insufferable exploitation of humanity.
“Those who defend the right to life of the weakest among us must be equally visible in support of the quality of life of the powerless among us. Such a quality of life posture translates into specific political and economic positions on tax policy, employment generation, welfare policy, nutrition and feeding programs, and health care. Consistency means we cannot have it both ways. We cannot urge a compassionate society and vigorous public policy to protect the rights of the unborn and then argue that compassion and significant public programs on behalf of the needy undermine the moral fibre of the society or are beyond the proper scope of governmental responsibility.” —Cardinal Bernardin
Catholic groups have spoken out harshly against the school’s decision to extend Obama the invitation, calling it an “outrage” and “scandal” and “directly contradicting the Roman Catholic teachings.” (FOXNews.com, Miller)
The university’s leadership has their own reasoning for such a disputed gesture. In a statement Jenkins wrote regarding the matter:
_"We will honor Mr. Obama as an inspiring leader who faces many challenges