I know Bishop Rhoades has made preserving the Catholic identity of Notre Dame one of his top priorities since the day of his installation as our bishop. His homily at that mass was about his episcopal motto, Truth with Charity, and preached strongly against moral relativism, as did the man who ordained him, Saint John Paul, II.
The very next day after his installlation he travelled to Notre Dame with his predecessor Bishop John D’Arcy to try to mend the strained relationship that had existed between the diocese and the university. That strain existed even before the university defied its bishop by giving an unopposed platform and honors to the foremost advocate of abortion to ever be president of our country.
Bishop Rhoades has been outspoken and consistent in preaching that the truth about the right to life and the nature of marriage are known to be true from both reason and Divine Revelation. The last two times I heard that message from him were at the Red Mass for lawyers and public servants, and at the White Mass for health care professionals, both within the last month.
In my opinion we have reached the point where being faithful to Christ will require us to engage in some civil disobedience. We are obliged to disobey unjust laws, and Catholic universities should be leaders in that movement, just as Notre Dame did publicly oppose the KuKluxKlan in the 1920’s and supported the civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 1960’s.