Notre Dame’s choice of President Obama as commencement speaker has saddened me. When our own local St. Peter’s College invited him to speak last year I was angry for months (and am still not over it!) but now I feel saddened by loss, alienation, and betrayal.
When my daughter graduated from ND, I was thrilled to be associated with such a great institution: so much positive energy, intelligence and confidence extending into all areas of culture and study! Such a marriage of what is best in the Church and in the USA!
This blow culminates month after month of Catholic deference to the culture of death: the election, the “Catholic” cabinet and congress, the disunity and impotence of our bishops, the immediate implementation of abortion and clone-and-kill policies. It all heightens the awareness of so many family and friends who support or tolerate these policies.
How do I handle the sadness? I renounce resentment and judgmentalism; I bring it to prayer; I intensify my commitment to Catholic values and practice; and I strengthen my communion with those who share my faith and convictions. However, the sadness and loss remain: it is not a difference of opinion; it is a profound moral and spiritual gulf that has come to separate us from those we love.
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