Fr Weslin/Fr Jenkins/Notre Dame posts
April 30, 2009
Laetare Medal: “Magna est veritas et praevalebit” (Truth is mighty and will prevail)
Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal is considered the oldest and most prestigious award for American Catholics and is awarded to men and women “whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the Church, and enriched the heritage of humanity.”
It was to be awarded to former Bush administration Ambassador to the Vatican and Harvard Law School Professor Mary Ann Glendon, who was forced to decline because ND is awarding an honorary degree to pro-abortionist barry and because they were using her invitation as a justification for his.
Prof Glendon in her letter to Fr Jenkins:
Award[ing] the president and honorary degree [is] 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.
She had been notified of the prestigious honor in December 2008 and sent a thank you letter to Fr Jenkins. Unbeknownst to her, Fr Jenkins, in March, extended an invitation to the President, who of course accepted. Besides being wrong – it was rude.
Fr Jenkins had said in his initial statement that another recipient would be found. But in a later statement changed his mind:
We have decided, upon reflection, to not award the medal this year.
Judge John T. Noonan Jr., the 1984 recipient of the Laetare Medal, will reflect on the spirit of the Laetare during the May 17 University Commencement Ceremony.
Previous recipients include: John F Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, Tip O’Neill, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Dave Brubeck and Martin Sheen (last year).
So, for the first time in its 126 years, the Laetare Medal will not be awarded solely to accommodate barry. Had barry agreed to give a commencement address and not accept the honorary doctor of laws degree.degree – Professor Glendon would have been able to receive her honor. He chose his own ego over someone who was invited 4 months before him.
An award that ASU – a non-Catholic university – said he was non-deserving of was given to him by a Catholic University when his stand is as extreme as one can get on abortion and he has vowed never to let it become illegal. He was chosen for the main reason that it is the anniversary of Brown vs the Board of Education to go with the other anniversaries and recreations he has done.
