The Heart of the Matter

Oh, that Notre Dame flap!

The University of Notre Dame has waded

into a very sticky thicket.  When the university decided to invite President Obama to be the main speaker at this year’s graduation, it was also decided to give the president an honorary doctorate of law degree.  This decision came a few months after the university had decided to give their highest honor, the Laetare Medal, to former Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon. This morning she announced in an open letter to the university president that she is declining her award. Her reasons are detailed in her letter, below. Mary Ann Glendon, a pro-life feminist, is a Harvard Law Professor, former US. Ambassador to the Holy See, and teaches and writes on such topics as bioethics, comparative constitutional law and human rights in international law. Here’s the text of her open letter:

April 27, 2009
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C

President
University of Notre Dame

Dear 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

Thank you, Lord!

A great friend of mine and of our parish, Father Alan Hartway, is now recovering after today's successful heart by-pass surgery.  We have been praying for him at our Masses ever since we heard he'd be undergoing this surgery.  It is now accomplished successfully and Father Alan wants us all to know how grateful he is for the very many people who have voiced their love and concern and prayer for him.  "It's a privilege to be a part of the community of Sacred Heart of Jesus," he told me tonight about 20 minutes after he had the breathing tube removed.

Father Alan is member of the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood and has been a professor at Naropa University here in Boulder, since 1999.  He is bilingual (English and Spanish) and has celebrated Mass in our parish for 7 years whenever I have had need of a priest to help with our many Masses, Quinceaneras, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, and Confessions.  He is a man of great depth, profound insight, and a joy to be around.  Let's pray him into full recovery and good health.

A model of adaptability

In watching Pope Benedict XVI move through his American visit, we are witnessing an extraordinary example of leadership.  An excellent leader is one who can read the needs of those he or she is leading and adapt to those needs.  This scholar and former professor was given the responsibility, for more than 20 years under Pope John Paul II, to be the doctrinal watchdog for the Catholic Church.  Being Pope is an entirely new reality and different from responsibly reining in wrong messages about the doctrine of the Church.  He has adapted remarkably well to his new reality as shepherd of the Church.  Isn't it breathtaking to watch an 81 year old man adapt to the needs of the Church at this time by switching gears so as to be a healer and a gentle messenger of hope?  It strikes me that his forthrightly and persistently addressing the shame of the clergy scandal is a balm on the most serious wound of our American ecclesial history. 

Most people I know who have incest within a family run from it and deny it.  It takes a Herculean act of bravery on the part of the one who was a victim of incest to speak up because the tendency of almost everyone, including the victim, is to deny it or even blame the victim.  As shameful as this chapter of our ecclesial life has been, my hope is that our wrenching over the harm done to innocents might help make all of us aware not only of our need recognize the signs that something awful may be happening, but also our need to jump into action to protect children.

A modern day Christopher, "Christ-Bearer"

Speaking about St. Christopher as I did in yesterday's posting, let me tell you about a present day version, a man also named Chris.  Chris is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.  He works at the local shelter for the homeless during the week; and on Sundays he takes Holy Communion to the people at the Boulder County Jail. 

If you want to meet someone who lives St. Ignatius' 3rd degree of humility, then get to know Chris.  He's street savvy.  He'd have to be to work at the shelter and be able to relate as well as he does with people who have no home.  Frequently enough Chris meets some of the same people when he goes to the jail on Sundays.  Occasionally someone from the shelter or from the jail dies; and Chris is the one they ask to lead a service for the deceased. 

Today was "Smokey's" turn to be laid to rest.  How pleased I was that they had the service at our chapel in our parish center.  It was a gathering of people whose lives have not been easy.  Each of their faces tell a story that one can not even imagine; but pain and suffering are written into the lines of their faces. But they know that Chris cares for them and brings Christ to them.  Chris led the service, a "Service of the Word."   And by the end of it, Chris had them all praying the Lord's Prayer together.  He's truly a "Christ-Bearer."

One of the richest people I have ever met - rich in what matters

Peggy Fitzgerald Smith died today.  She used to come to the daily 12:10 Mass - for how many years, I don’t know, but for many, many years. She was someone who had a rare zest for life, the likes of which must be celebrated. Peggy would occasionally interrupt my daily Mass homily to ask for clarification or for more detail. 

   

Her whole body would enter into her prayer.  During the prayers of the faithful she would gyrate as she prayed for one relative or another and would frequently thank God with hands raised for prayers answered.  For those of you who have attended the daily 12:10 Mass, Peggy was the one who at the end of Mass would always invite everyone to join in singing a hymn.  Years ago she was known to climb over the pews to reach others to give them the sign of peace.  She lived in a trailer park, did not drive, and would hitchhike to church if she missed the bus.  One time a policeman stopped to tell her that an 80 year old woman should not be hitchhiking.  Instead, he drove her to the noon Mass.

   

Peggy was a woman of profoundly deep faith.  She was a woman who exuded vitality.  Peggy was the type of person whose very presence made people smile.  In fact, when I gave her the Last Rites she was still so full of life, even in the last stages of pneumonia, that I told her that when she got to meet the Lord she would “sparkle.”  That’s my favorite word to describe Peggy Fitzgerald Smith: she sparkled.

Peggy was not a wealthy person in terms of material wealth, but she was one of the richest people I have ever met, in terms of what ultimately matters.