Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard law professor and former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, had told Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John Jenkins, that she would not accept the award at the May 17 commencement exercises because President Barack Obama, who supports abortion rights and the expansion of embryonic stem-cell research, will give the commencement address and will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree.
Glendon said that she was “dismayed” that the university would disregard the 2004 request of the U.S. Catholic bishops that Catholic institutions not honor those whose actions violate the moral principles of the church.
“That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it,” she wrote to Jenkins.
After initially responding that the university would award the medal to another deserving recipient, Jenkins announced last week that the Laetare Medal, which has been presented annually since 1883 in recognition of outstanding service to both the church and nation, will not be awarded to anyone this year.
Instead, Judge John T. Noonan Jr., the 1984 recipient of the Medal, has accepted an invitation to address the graduates.
“This commencement ceremony, more than anything else, is a celebration of our students and their families,” Jenkins said in a written statement.
“Judge Noonan will join with President Obama and other speakers in that celebration, sending them from our campus and into the world with sound advice and affirmation.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of a dozen student groups received the go-ahead Monday to proceed with plans for a “prayerful and respectful” protest on the South Quad of the campus during the commencement.
In a statement issued late Monday, the coalition extended an invitation “to all those interested in joining us on campus on May 17 as we respectfully give witness to Notre Dame’s Catholic identity and pro-life principles.”