The President and Notre Dame

I wonder about the controversy about the President's Commencement Address to Notre Dame. Indeed, the President has disagreements in his public policy positions with Catholic theology. The last president did too (remember that the church is against the death penalty).

It is a distinct honor to have the President speak at a graduation. He is, after all, the President. The two key issues which protestors are raising about this president's political positions are key in Catholic thinking, relating to the sanctity of life.

But it is absurd to think that any commencement speaker is fully in concert with every doctrine at a university. In 2000 I had the honor to speak at one of the events in the Vatican around the Jubileum. Pope John Paul II said the role of a university is first about a search for truth. Fr. Jenkins in his welcome could certainly raise issues of disagreement while welcoming the President who clearly has fidelity with other Catholic values. The acceptance of a variety of ideas should be central to any university's central role.