Catholic Campus Controversy Continues

Dan (AKA Milwaukee Dan #3) over at Slapinions commented on my entry yesterday about President Obama speaking at Notre Dame's commencement, Bishop D'Arcy's refusal to attend, and Rev. Jenkins' defense of the invitation:

ND is a Catholic University and while of course it's open to anyone it should still stand on its principles. That it doesn't is no real shock and serves as another signal that it is moving to the left (and risking many of its traditionally conservative alumni $ in the process)

Quite aside from religous issues, I wish the yahoo in charge of ND would just be honest. He thought it'd be nifty to have Obama speak, get a little face time for ND that doesn't involve the failure of the football TV ratings, yada yada.

"we see his visit as a basis for further positive engagement." Yeah. It's ALLLLL about the chance to open a dialouge with him about abortion and stell cell research. Please.

Dan, you know I like ya, man, but...Jiminy Christmas, dude. First off, was it really necessary to call Father Jenkins a "yahoo," and to get a dig in against the football team?

Actually, I think Father Jenkins realizes that while Notre Dame was founded as a Catholic university, it is an institute of higher learning, not a church. (Although they have a lovely one on campus, the Basilica.) A while back, there was another controversy when there was to be a production of "The Vagina Monologues" on campus, and some protested. (I guess the V-word is a no-no for some.) Father Jenkins stuck by that, too, and defended the students' rights to put on that production. I supported him in that, and I support him in his decision about the commencement and wrote to him to tell him so. I think Father Jenkins is progressive, and trying to bring the university into at least the 20th century. Maybe he can shoot for the 21st century, and really rile up the powers-that-be!

So this is nothing new for Rev. Jenkins.

The Vatican also opposes birth control, as they recently confirmed when telling the Catholics in AIDS-riddled Africa that using condoms still was not kosher (so to speak). I'm sure that plenty of those good Catholic kids attending Notre Dame kind of ignore that rule. Unless, of course, as good Catholic kids, they know that it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage. [snort] I don't care if it was founded on Catholic principles, it's a college campus. Sex is happening there, people, and I haven't noticed a higher-than-average rate of unplanned pregnancies or births in South Bend.

Bishop D'Arcy's statement said that while the President has promised to separate politics and science, what he has really done is separate science and ethics. You know, I really don't think the Vatican wants to get into a discussion about "ethics." The vast majority of Catholics that I know are very kind and wonderful (and ethical) people, but the Vatican has done some pretty iffy things, in my opinion, over the years. And since when are they the sole arbiters of ethics? Personally, I think it's unethical to let a person infect even one other person with AIDS on their way to their own death, because they feel they'll go to hell if they use a condom.

Finally, Rev. Jenkins thought it would be nifty to have Obama speak? Well, sheah. The President is one of the most powerful leaders on the planet, arguably the most powerful. He’s also an excellent speaker. Of course, it's a coup to have our sitting President speak at the commencement, and several--of all parties and philosophies--have done so over the years.

I doubt if I'll be able to actually go to the commencement, but I look forward to watching the address. It's an honor for South Bend, and it's an honor for Notre Dame.