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In wake of Obama flap, colleges seek new policy on inviting politicians
by John L Allen Jr on Jun. 17, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionThough the U.S. bishops don’t have the recent flap over Notre Dame and President Barack Obama on their formal agenda this week in San Antonio, the aftermath of that episode is very much in the air. As it happens, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the main umbrella group for Catholic colleges in America, has a suggestion for the bishops: to scrap their current policy and make a clearer distinction between “honoring” a politician who holds views contrary to church teaching and merely providing a platform.
The ACCU made its recommendation during a June 11-12 meeting of its board of directors, held at the University of San Diego.
The following is the summary of their discussion, provided by the summer issue of the ACCU newsletter:
“In response to a request from Bishop Thomas Curry, chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, the Board held a lengthy discussion concerning campus speaker policies. This conversation continued a dialogue started by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who informed bishops in 2006 that their document ‘Catholics in Political Life’ warranted further clarification regarding its application to Catholic higher education.
“ACCU’s directors informally concluded that it would be desirable for the USCCB to withdraw ‘Catholics in Political Life’ since it was written as a stop-gap statement prior to the 2004 national election. A successor document, if any, should distinguish between ‘honors’ and ‘platforms’ and should acknowledge more clearly the differing roles of campus authorities and bishops. In addition, ACCU’s directors suggested that juridical expressions of bishops’ or universities’ responsibilities should be kept to a minimum, lest they inhibit the ‘mutual trust, close and consistent collaboration, and continuing dialogue’ to which Ex corde Ecclesiae calls Church and university authorities.”
Such clarification should end
Such clarification should end the needless and divisive vitriolic attacks surrounding the Notre Dame honoring a President of the United States not giving him a platform from which to air or defend his difference with the Roman Church.
This whole affair was an embarrassment to non-hysterial Roman Church members.
There is only a problem here
There is only a problem here to the extent that the Catholic academe has its own agenda, and advances that agenda, without reference to agenda of the pastors of the Church in this country.
Too often Catholic colleges and universities are "Catholic in name only." They appear to say and appear to do all the right things when the pastors of the Church are around, but when those pastors leave, Catholic colleges and universities roll over for the zeitgiest. Losing all Catholic distinctiveness, Catholic colleges and universities are almost earnest in their emulation of public institutions.
No Catholic college or university can be perfectly Catholic. But its pretty easy to identify those which try to "think with the Church" and those that "think for themselves and call that thinking Catholic." There are schools which have a continuing, public enthusiasm for the teaching of the Church, and those which use the "C" word selectively except when fund-raising is occuring. So, for example, the Franciscan University of Steubenville is a Catholic school. The Catholic University of America and Georgetown may have a few Catholics floating around, but neither are truly Catholic. Why don't they just be honest about it, stop using the "C" word, and join their elite, faithless brethern at Harvard and Brown?
Mark Andrews says Catholic
Mark Andrews says Catholic University is not really Catholic.??? The trustees are sitting bishops and cardinals and has the recognition from the Vatican. Andrews complaint is just another example of the extemist rhetoric on the blogs. Basta basta
Listening to President Obama
Listening to President Obama at Notre Dame confirmed that the brouhaha leading up to his address was misplaced. He did for Notre Dame what universities are expected to do do: call for dialogue to meet political and interfaith differences as a process of education, albeit on absolute or relative issues. Notre Dame remained Catholic through the whole scenario.
Oh Yes, bo gave a concilatory
Oh Yes, bo gave a concilatory talk calling for everyone to dialogue to reconcile differences. But you didn't hear one thng he said, (paraphrased)his and the Church's beliefs regarding abortion are irreconcilable.
Oh and where is that conscience clause? Considering how fast he struck down the Mexico City policy, what's happening here. Oh yeah, he wants to make sure the wording is "just right".
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