Prof Mary Ann Glendon declines Notre Dame Laetare Medal

April 27, 2009

Fr Weslin/Fr Jenkins/Notre Dame posts
Gibbs non-answer re: Professor Glendon

Another barry Notre Dame casualty. This time it’s pro-life Harvard Law School Professor, Mary Ann Glendon, who will be unable to accept her Laetare Medal because, in addition to delivering the Commencement Speech, barry is being awarded an honorary degree, which is in direct opposition to US Bishops’ policy. And for it to be Notre Dame – the most prestigious Catholic University in the nation – it is an even bigger disappointment. Professor Glendon served as Bush’s Ambassador to the Holy See. Notre Dame should have known she would be unable to compromise. And she shouldn’t have had to. She was invited in December 2008. barry March 2009. That is not only wrong, it is rude.

barry could decline the honorary degree but his ego will never allow that since he was already stiffed by ASU. See links below letters.

Thanks to MICHAEL PAULSON at Boston.com for providing the following letters – posted as is.

From Professor Glendon to Notre Dame President Fr John I. Jenkins. His impersonal statement follows.

“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 US 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

And here is statement from Fr Jenkins:

“We are, of course, disappointed that Professor Glendon has made this decision. It is our intention to award the Laetare Medal to another deserving recipient, and we will make that announcement as soon as possible.”

Her letter was beautiful – his was insulting. Wait till they find out they awarded an honorary degree to someone who is not eligible to be president. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa…

4-30-09 Fr Jenkins changes his mind – no medal to be awarded.

=====================

ASU: barry can speak, no honorary degree
ASU caves: The President Barack Obama Scholars Program
CNN’s Preston: barry’s degree enough for ASU honorary degree

Tags: abortion, barry, barry soetoro, catholic church, citizens against proobama media bias, father john jenkins, father norman weslin, fr weslin, laetare medal, Mary Ann Glendon, notre dame commencement, nOTRE DAME PROTEST, notre dame university, obamahoax, president obama, pro-life, proobamedia, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops