Dear Fr. Jenkins…

The letters are pouring in from all parts of the country. 

The Wyoming Catholic College president has just sent Notre Dame’s president a letter. Haven’t found it posted on the internet yet, but thanks to WCC’s Mark Randall for passing it on.

It begins cordinally…

Dear Fr. Jenkins,

As President of Wyoming Catholic College, I share and understand the burden of leading an institution of Catholic higher education. These are difficult times in our culture, both morally and spiritually. Mother Church is counting on us to provide authentic Catholic formation to the young men and women who have chosen to entrust their education to our hands.

While I do not doubt your concern for the spiritual and academic welfare of your students, I must say that I am deeply disappointed by your decision to honor President Obama, and by your response both to the criticism of the American Catholic community and to that of your own Bishop.

Fr. Robert Cook sharpens the focus on the issue at hand here.

Your decision to provide President Obama with a national platform — worse yet, to honor him with an honorary doctorate of law degree — is truly tragic, and will have disastrous, long-lasting consequences. As Bishop D’Arcy wrote in his statement, you are providing scandal to your students, your alumni, and to all those who look to Notre Dame as the model for Catholic higher education in the United States.

While President Obama may have “spoken eloquently and powerfully about race” and “has taken leadership of the country facing many challenges” with “intelligence, courage and honesty,” his pro-abortion agenda trumps it all. No authentically Catholic organization can rightly honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles, nor should they be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions until they align themselves with the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

The bishops made that clear in their 2004 statement.

So…

The Wyoming Catholic College Board of Directors and I implore you to reconsider your position, no matter how awkward that action may be.

It’s awkward enough to cause this ongoing tension between bishops, scholars, academics, lay faithful, students…..and the Notre Dame administration. But it’s sure generating a whopping debate that’s focusing national attention on Church teachings and its commitment to moral clarity.