Serious Catholics are once again voicing outrage that the president will be given a venue at Xavier University to address the nation in New Orleans on the fifth anniversary of Katrina. Really, this whole "Obama (or some other high-profile, pro-abortion politico) to speak at Catholic university" routine is getting old. I understand the disappointment, but is anyone really surprised that yet another "Catholic" institution of higher learning is selling its soul for the sake of garnering national attention?
At least the local bishop will not attend the speech in New Orleans. Still, why is this spectacle being tolerated by the bishop? It goes without saying that he should not attend, but what about further ramifications for Xavier's betrayal of its Catholic identity? It could be that, as a Jesuit university, Xavier reserves a particular degree of autonomy from the direct jurisdiction of the local bishop. Who knows. But all too often, bishops in this nation feel that if they just avoid the awkward moments, the flames of anger will die off and we can all return to the status quo ante. But the status quo regarding so many of our so-called Catholic schools is a terrible mess.
No comments:
Post a Comment