I don’t believe that for one moment! They may have, pardon the expression, the trappings of Catholicism but at the core they have gone secular. It started in the mid-sixties when the Holy Cross congregation gave up control to a LAY BOARD, continued through Land O’ Lakes, and has gradually evolved away from its original mission and communion with the Holy See. In many ways, the University’s development parallels that of our country. ( I won’t even get into materialism and money!) The faculty, as I understand it, is now 50% non-Catholic and growing. And, for years they have aspired to be the Harvard of the Midwest. The last time I checked, Harvard wasn’t Catholic.
I don’t doubt that there are many devout students and faculty at Notre Dame. And, I don’t question the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and in the many chapels that are there on the campus. But, by these measures, one could argue that Illinois, Texas A&M, Southern Cal, Ohio State, etc., etc., etc. are Catholic!
This Obama thing is so intrinsically and fundamently wrong, NO Catholic educator with any sense of responsibility (to the unborn, to the Vatican, to the bishops, to the devout Catholic) would countenance even the suggestion of such an honor!
