Rejoice with Professor Glendon…in her refusal to participate in Notre Dame fiasco!
It was announced today by Mary Ann Glendon, the former United States ambassador to the Vatican has chosen to decline the Laetare Medal offered by Notre Dame University.
In her declination of the medal, Ambassador Glendon is the latest of prominent Catholics that have joined the uproar against Notre Dames decision to honor President Obama with an honorary doctorate degree in May. Since the infamous Notre Dame announcement over forty American Catholic bishops have decried the university’s choice in awarding a degree to the Chief Executive.
Seemingly, association with the event is something that Professor Glendon clearly does not want. Her choice in declining the medal is commendable, not only because of the strong message her non-acceptance sends to Notre Dame’s hierarchy, but also because her refusal illustrates her strong ProLife position and concurrence to Catholic teachings.
Mary Anne Glendon is indeed representative of the sentiments and beliefs of millions of American Catholic that have been ignored by liberal and pseudo Catholic universities and their policies. While the Lataere Medal is indeed a great honor to receive, Glendon appropriately honors Catholic teachings on the sanctity of human life in her refusal of the award. Most importantly, her refusal of the award illustrates very strongly and clearly that there is a larger problem of secular infiltration into our Catholic educational facilities. Mary Ann Glendon should receive a papal honor from Benedict XVI for her strong upholding of Catholic moral and ethical principles. Additionally, the declination of this award by Ambassador Glendon should also send a message to all members of the Catholic educational establishment, namely: We Catholics are no longer going to tolerate secular interpretations of our most sacred Catholic principles any longer. Either you are Catholic in your beliefs, or you are not. There can be no middle ground.
The American Bishops should also applaud Mrs. Glendon’s refusal of the Laetare Medal. Perhaps her courageous initiative in refusing this award will inspire our mute American bishops into a Catholic response to the Obama indignation at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame…return to the fold. Rescind the offer of an honorary degree to the President and respect Catholic teachings and principles. The bestowal on an honorary degree on any individual that so blatantly disregards our respect for human life through his political, personal and government policies has no right to any honorific degree from Notre Dame or any other Catholic educational facility.
Finally, American Catholics with leadership of the American bishops should loudly demand the resignation of Father Jenkins from his position. Only after such resignation, can we as Catholics begin the process of correcting the incorrect policies of Notre Dame and American Catholicism.
American Catholicism and its proper interpretation deserves more attention from not only the American Bishops, but all of the Catholic faithful as well. The sooner we, as American Catholics, recognize the intrinsic dangers of secular humanism on our Catholic Church, can we endeavor to properly teach Catholic moral, social and ethical principles that are properly reflective of the Gospel message.
Hugh J.McNichol is a Catholic author and journalist that writes on uniquely Catholic topics and issues. He attended Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, where he studied both philosophy and theology. He writes frequently at http://verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com & http://nothing-left-unsaid.blogspot.com . Hugh writes about his Irish Catholic upbringing and educational experiences at http://graysferrygrapevine.blogspot.com . He has contributed works to Catholic News Agency, Catholic Online, The Irish Catholic, Dublin, the British Broadcasting Company, London and the Philadelphia Bulletin, Pewsitter.com, Blogger News Network & The Catholic Business Journal.
8 users commented in " Notre Dame…the continuing fiasco! "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackLike the dead enders who find nothing right with America since January 20 – including most of the tea baggers – Ambassador Glendon is likely offended by the color of our President’s skin. Nothing he has done has increased abortions any more than in the Administration this woman served in. In fact it is likely that an Administration that denied millions of people around the world access to condoms caused more abortions, as well as HIV cases, to occur. Let the Catholic hierarchy and its high profile supporters live in denial of their own moral bankruptcy. Hey, lady you know Ronald Reagan just played a football palyer form Notre Dame in the movie, just like he played all of you conservatives with his talk talk. You all have been used politically and you love it.
I for one respect the fact that we are a Democratic party and that the President, byt getting the most votes, and in fact the most votes ever cast, is due some respect.
I believe you will find Mary Ann Glendon’s commitment to civil rights to be long-term, sacrificial, and honorable. Look it up.
The presumption that those who oppose any of the policies of the new president are racists is despicable.
The U.S. Catholic bishops (not exactly a Republican crowd, but largely ethnic Democrats)have asked Catholic universities not to honor those who publicly support abortion as a right. Pro-abortion speakers can be brought in, but honorary degrees are discouraged.
Read Ms. Glendon’s letter.
Jake-
Please explain your logic in saying that Obama deserves respect because he won by a large number of votes. How does this confer on him the right to respect? If you use some of those remaining brain cells of yours, you will find that it does not.
Also, playing the race card is simply the lamest and, frankly, stupid insinuation possible. Again, you fail to educate yourself on the REAL REASON why Glendon took a strong stance. Obama’s stance is a.) not in line with any Catholic teachings on abortion and b.) DIFFERENT from that of previous presidents.
Now if you don’t have a problem with killing unborn children, then we can end the discussion now. Some things can’t be taught.
They should also demad George W. Bush’s honorary degree back. The vatican disapproved of invading Iraq, disapproves of wasted uranium weaponry, disapproves of war, disapproves of mass incarceration as we do in this country, disagrees with torture, with Gitmo and Bagram and Abu Gahrib, diagrees with so many of the former president’s policies, that to single out one is pretty lame and arbitrary.
Besides, isn’t it about time that we left the immaturity of such petty myths and fantasies. Can’t you have morality without a higher authority supposedly telling you how to think?
The vatican seems to be vying for irrelevancy to challenge the republican Party’s irrelavancy. Good luck sucking thumbs with each other.
I applaud Mary Anne Glendon, it’s a shame there are not more like her. She shown strength, where many men don’t. I feel sorry for many that were ill raised believe that it is okay to kill unborn children that are in the womb at such an advanced stage. It’s sad that apparently these people had little or not parental supervision or spiritual direction in life, and some day will have to meet their Maker and explain their view point. They are either ignorant, or evil in my opinion. I truly feel sorry for them. I am not by nature a very religious person, but i do believe i9n right and wrong. The universities that are bowing to this president will also meet their Maker will most likely pay a higher price than those that are ignorant and uneducated.
Jake,
give us a break. OK the man got elected but that does not mean that Catholics have to embrace him and give him honorary degrees. The man does not represent any of my Catholic
beliefs and should not be honored by a Catholic institution which as a graduate I am saddened and dismayed.
Will Notre Dame hide the name of Jesus in shame like Georgetown did when Obama spoke there? Ms. Glendon took a stand for her beliefs and principles. Georgetown clearly did not. I’m just wondering if Notre Dame will hide their religious symbols when Obama visits there.
Jake-
Please explain your logic in saying that Obama deserves respect because he won by a large number of votes. How does this confer on him the right to respect? If you use some of those remaining brain cells of yours, you will find that it does not.”
But your party says that those with with no brain cells are worth more than you or me, who have working brains.
It’s okay with “prolifers” to drop bombs on innocents in Iraq of course. Even if they are pregnant women. Thanks to the illegal war on IRaq, that happened because of massive lies, with the help of “Prolifers” 100’s of thousands of Iraqis are dead, including most of the Christians that SAddam protected.
No wonder the “prolife” torturing, war-mongering Republican party is so brain dead. No wonder they say it’s okay to dump toxic waste all over the environment. They win more when Americans aren’t able to think.
To priests, women are just machines to make more baby boys they can later force to have sex with them.
Their excuse that none of Jesus’ apostles were men to avoid having to have any women priests sure did encourage their sexual crimes against boys.
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