Well, first the Catholic Church does NOT have a doctrinal position against the death penalty. Pope John Paul II had an opinion that the death penalty was not morally beneficial in the Western world (i.e., Europe and North America), given the stability of democracy and conformity of the rule of law. However, consider:
* John Paul was speaking only as to OPINION on matters of PRUDENTIAL judgement. He emphatically rejected the notion that he was establishing doctrine, and harshly condemned any attempts to morally equivocate abortion to the death penalty, not only on the basis that abortion is tens of thousands of times more common in the West, but on the basis that abortion is certainly a grave evil, whereas the death penalty is not.
* John Paul’s statements were stated very precisely, and are thus doctrinally sound, but the more casual interpretation of them is, in fact, heresy: The Catechism of the Council of Trent, published with the authority of the ecumenical council of Trent, and written by Saint Charles Borromeo, one of only 33 Doctors of the Church, stated that the death penalty was in fact morally obligatory to rescue the souls of the aggrieved from the temptation to retribution or despairing against divine justice.
* John Paul’s statements were based on the assertion that Western democracies’ rule of law was unchallenged by criminal activity, an assertion appeared true in the 1990s when John Paul asserted it, but seems less true today.
However,... I believe Ronald Reagan was given an honorary degree. In any case, the degree Obama is being given is a law degree. This can only be taken as an endorsement of Obama’s legal notions, which are an absolute abomination to not only Christ and humanity but rational thought, itself. His law exams were literally exercises in creating rationalizations to subvert democracy and morality. (and I mean “literally” literally!) For instance, a typical question notes that the prevailing interpretation of a state constitution supports an at-face reading. A ballot initiative reaffirmed the constitution by an overwhelming majority. (meaning the majority of the constituents, the courts, the legislature, and the at-face text of the constitution all support a law.) The students’ task was to create a legal ruling to subvert the law. And no, this wasn’t like Spock’s unwinnable academy exam; they were expected to nullify democracy if they wanted to pass.
A law school giving Obama an honorary law degree is like a Tibetan monk ordaining the Chinese dictators.
Fr. Jenkins is showing his true colors.