Dialogue. It’s a popular word right now. I think it’s partly popular because as long as dialogue continues, nobody has to actually take a stand or make a decision. We can avoid all those messy labels of right and wrong as long as there’s dialogue going on.

In fact, dialogue is often seen as a good in and of itself.

It was announced recently that Fr. John Jenkins of Notre Dame is going to the March for Life. Great news. And although it feels like a public relations decision I have no doubt that Fr. Jenkins is pro-life and would like to see every baby accepted into the world with love.

We all know Fr. Jenkins invited Barack Obama to be honored on the campus of Notre Dame in the name of almighty dialogue.

He said:

We must also engage in a dialogue that appeals to reason that all can accept.

He wrote:

I hope that we can overcome divisions to foster constructive dialogue and work together for a cause that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s mission.”

In fact, Fr. Jenkins said the word “dialogue” eight times during his Commencement speech. (Mental note: Get Fr. Jenkins a thesaurus for Christmas.)

Obama obviously liked it because he really chatted up the dialogue angle as well.

Well OK. We’re all about the dialogue. So I ask Fr. Jenkins, since you honored Obama on a Catholic campus and allowed him to speak there when does his listening part take effect. Isn’t dialogue speaking and listening? Fr. Jenkins, if Obama were actually interested in dialogue why isn’t he attending the March for Life with you to listen. Y’know in the name of dialogue and all.

But that’s not going to happen.

Wait! I know. Maybe if we honored Obama at the March for Life he would show up. We could honor him, give him some kind of medal, and let him speak. But that would be crazy right? Right? And then I’d ask why would it be crazier to honor Obama at a March for Life rally than the campus of a Catholic university?