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Back when Anita Hill testified against Clarence Thomas at his confirmation hearing, she was supported by the Dean of the University of Oklahoma law school. He allowed her to do a press conference at the school, etc. Donations to the school dried up to the point that he wrote a pleading and apologetic letter to the school alumni begging for funds. He ultimately resigned and then the funds started flowing again. This can be a powerful strategy.

I’ve been there, many times, and on the surface, at least, it is a profoundly Catholic place. Crucifixes everywhere, Holy Cross priests living in all of the dorms, and chapels in every single dorm.

Universities, by default, are liberal places, and Notre Dame is no exception. It was never as bad as the Jesuit schools, by hey- that’s a pretty low standard. I think Fr. Hesburgh is the guy who pushed the flaming liberalism of today to the school. His main interests were (are) social and economic justice, to the exclusion of many other aspects of Christianity. Too focused on the trees and missing sight of the entire forest.

This Obama invitation had Hesburgh’s mark all over it, IMO. He and Jenkins sat down and did it, IMO, without input from any one else.

I have said in the past, to many folks, that Notre Dame is a profoundly Catholic place. I did not go there, but did send my daughter there. That’s why this decision hurt so many people- because more was expected of Notre Dame than a Jesuit school, like Georgetown, for instance.

I think now I’d use the line I’ve seen others use- “it’s a school in the Catholic tradition.” Meaning not quite all the way Catholic.

Ave Maria, Franciscan, St. Thomas Aquinas. Orthodox Catholic schools, all.