Mary Ann Glendon has refused the invitation to be honored at Notre Dame. This is huge. Read her letter.
Now that’s what I call dialogue! It seems to me that she was dissapointed that Notre Dame was using her presence there as coverage. This does two things. It keeps the story alive just as it seemed to be dying and it puts the focus back on Father Jenkins who made the terrible decision to invite Obama.
The fact that she took so long to make this decision indicates that this was not an easy decision for her and it was not a reactionary response but a calm and deliberate one.
How sad that the former Ambassador to the Vatican doesn’t feel that she can attend the country’s most well known Catholic University. That alone says so much. Glendon went from “profoundly moved” at the thought of receiving an honor from Notre Dame to “great sadness.” I think we can all understand why.
By Mary Ann Glendon
Monday, April 27, 2009, 9:32 AM
April 27, 2009
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre DameDear Father Jenkins,
When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame’s most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.
First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions “should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles” and that such persons “should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.
Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:
• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”
• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”
A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.
Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops’ guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame’s example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.
It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.
In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.
Yours Very Truly,
Mary Ann Glendon
HT First Things
Update: Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick J. Reilly issued the following statement:
“Mary Ann Glendon is one of the most accomplished Catholic and pro-life leaders of our time. In heroic fashion, she has willingly sacrificed an award that she richly deserves, as a casualty of Notre Dame’s choice to betray its Catholic mission. We urge Catholics nationwide to continue to pray that Notre Dame will end this scandal.”
Update II: Canon lawyer Ed Peters has more:
The evil that ND President Jenkins and his Board of Trustees committed has, Deus laudetur, occasioned one of the most striking displays of episcopal fortitude I can remember, mobilized hundreds of thousands of American Catholics against another quiet surrender to the Culture of Death, and effected notice to several once great Catholic institutions that it’s time, finally, to decide where they stand…
Update III: Father Raymond J. de Souza writes in the National Catholic Register: Father John Jenkins likely thought himself very clever. Professor Mary Ann Glendon just took him to school.
In declining to receive the Laetare Medal alongside President Barack Obama’s honorary doctorate of laws at next month’s commencement, Glendon has refused to participate in the shabby manipulation Father Jenkins attempted to engineer. It is a rare personage who could ennoble an award by refusing to receive it, but Professor Glendon has done just that. The Laetare Medal will now be known best for the year in which it was declined. Glendon chose, to use the apt words of Bishop John D’Arcy in this regard, truth over prestige…
Continue reading his excellent article here.
Update XVIVLVPVI: David Freddoso of The Corner reports that Notre Dame intends to give the award to someone else. But who else would take it now? David has an idea here.
April 28, 2009 at 3:10 pm
There are two issues: is she comprising herself by her presence there and being used to “equalize?” The other is the impact that she would have if she was present. However the bottom line is that she is a prayerful woman, and undoubedly has been led by the Spirit to decline — and who can argue with Christ’s decision within her?
April 28, 2009 at 3:22 pm
This entire exercise was meant to accomplish one thing and one thing only: divide Catholics into two camps. The first step of this highly calculated process occurred back in November when millions of Catholics voted for the abortionist candidate. Phase II began back in February when the White House (Axelrod, Emmanuel, et al) went trolling for an invitation to a high profile Catholic university. Like a calculating hunter they captured their quarry and it’s been bloodshed ever since. Evil permeates this entire situation. Divided we will fall…and Mary Ann Glendon is a person of tremendous faith, intellect and courage who saw through this veiled attempt of serving as someone’s shill. DHS — Columbus, Ohio
April 28, 2009 at 3:40 pm
At the risk of flogging a dead horse:
Young graduate from 2008: I do not think that any of the comments made, save yours (and perhaps this one) were or are smug.
I graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1982 (I know, I am old enough to be dismissed as irrelevant). All that you said about your graduation was true of my graduation. I was so proud to be a graduate of ND. And it made my parents and grandparents proud as well. What a brilliant day it was. And to top it off, I was fortunate enough to be able to share the day with my wife, who graduated along with me. And you are right, that is how every commencement is supposed to be.
You say shame on all of us for celebrating Mary Ann Glendon’s decision. I agree with you here. To the extent that anyone is actually celebrating her decision, they should not be. It is tragic. Only those of us who are close to both the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic Church can begin to imagine the agony she must have felt while discerning this decision. She must be devastated to be awarded the Laetare Medal, a formerly great honor now reduced to the status of just any award from any university.
You say commencement isn’t a time for politics. I agree with you, but then why invite a career politician? Those responding to Father Jenkins’ decision are not the ones who politicized this commencement. Father Jenkins politicized the commencement. In a naked effort to grab secular prestige and power, Father Jenkins went against the USCCB. Then Father Jenkins obtained the services of shaky canon lawyers to attempt to redefine words to cloud the meaning of the USCCB guidelines. For Father Jenkins, the president of the pre-eminent Catholic University in the US, not to have a good and working understanding of the USCCB guidelines is an embarrassment. That he would hide behind the robes of his lawyers who are arguing what he knows not to be true is truly shocking.
You ask: “Who better to inspire [those in the graduating class] to greatness than the leader of the free world?” Well, there is a whole lot that can be said in response to this question. I will limit my comments to one question in return: How is it that the leader of the free world does not recognize the freedom of all of the people in his own country? For the freedom to live one’s life is the first and foremost freedom anyone can have. And, by his policies, President Obama is denying that very freedom to countless children every day.
You say that Mary Ann Glendon is missing her moment to provide even more inspiration. I suggest that she has not missed her moment, but rather that she has taken her moment in glorious fashion. There is likely not a student on campus who is unaware of the controversy surrounding the upcoming commencement and the role Ambassador Glendon has taken therein. Her teaching moment is ongoing and will forever be planted in the hearts of the 2009 class. There are those in the class who agree with her and applaud her; there are those in the class who currently disagree with her. Of the latter, many, as they grow up and reflect later in life on Professor Glendon’s decision, will come to understand why she did what she did and even applaud the decision.
You say shame on Mary Ann Glendon. I say, shame on Father Jenkins and, by extension, shame on Father Hesburgh, who I am sure is behind all of this and who is most likely providing political direction and immoral support to Father Jenkins in his stand against the Catholic Church.
You call down shame upon Professor Glendon and upon all of us. I say, there is no shame in standing up for the downtrodden. And who is more downtrodden in this age than those who are not even allowed to be born?
Finally, in light of the news that Father Jenkins is currently looking for someone else to receive the Laetare Medal, and since it is unlikely that anyone who is anti-abortion would accept the award after this, I have a suggestion for Father Jenkins. Give the award post mortem to Margaret Sanger. The secular media would absolutely love it. President Obama would gush. And you can thereby close the circle.
April 28, 2009 at 9:56 pm
CMR: Any truth to the Washington rumor that Mrs. Obama is being vetted for the Laetare stand-in spot?
April 29, 2009 at 1:09 am
First of all, I vehemently despise it when folks post under “anonymous.’ Come on, can’t you think of a clever, witty name to call yourself if you don’t want to use your “real name?” Geesh! Please do me the honor of having something to refer to you by other than “anonymous.” Very boring. Very uninspirational.
Secondly, two thumbs up plus my two big toes for the Professor (and all other digits as well). This woman is setting an example for ALL of us. May God grant each of us the courage to follow in her footsteps and be bold and courageous in not just our faith but our committment to defending life, especially at its most vulnerable stage – in utero.
Now, please, come up with a more clever name than “anonymous.” Thank you. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.