The latest in the Notre Dame Saga is that Mary Ann Glendon has now refused the to accept ND’s Laetare Award at the May 17th commencement.
Glendon Rejects Prestigious Award
She observed that, although she has been working on her speech for months and was very excited to receive the honor, Notre Dame’s blatant disregard of the USCCB’s statement cannot be overlooked. She also disliked ND’s reliance upon her speech as “balance” for the event.
“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.”
The response from the White House is what you might expect:
President Obama is disappointed by former Ambassador Mary Glendon’s decision, but he looks forward to delivering an inclusive and respectful speech at the Notre Dame graduation, a school with a rich history of fostering the exchange of ideas. While he is honored to have the support of millions of people of all faiths, he does not govern with the expectation that everyone sees eye to eye with him on every position, and the spirit of debate and healthy disagreement on important issues is part of what he loves about this country.
Can you imagine having to write or read that wishy-washy stuff? No thank you!
$8.2 Million To Be Withheld By ND Alums
Are you a former Notre Dame alumni-donor? Are you planning to withhold your funds from them in the future? The website ReplaceJenkins.com wants to know. They are reporting that more than 8 million dollars will be withheld from Notre Dame as a result of Obama’s visit. Most of this money comes as donors are changing their wills to exclude the university.
Save The Date
May 17th we’ll be in South Bend to protest in style. On Friday I should be able to provide you with all of the details about busing to the protest and the protest itself. Right now we’re just trying to make sure all the t’s are crossed and the proper permits are obtained.
