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(This bulletin consists of an account by Bill Dempsey of the events sponsored by the student group ND Response on Graduation Day. Bill and his wife Mary were joined at Notre Dame by Arina Grossu ('05) of the Sycamore Board and a number of Sycamore supporters. In our next bulletin ...   more »

As all know, Notre Dame's imminent honoring of President Obama has triggered a storm of protest. We have received countless messages and copies of letters to the University that are suffused with anger, sorrow, and indignation. Alumni are turning diplomas to the wall, putting class rings in drawers, ceasing contributions, changing wills, and resolving not to send children to Notre Dame.   more »

As you know, Notre Dame's prospective honoring of President Obama has unleashed a storm of protest. So far thirty-four bishops, including two Cardinals, have joined Bishop D'Arcy in condemning this action. The fissure between University and ...   more »

In this post, we return to the subject of a prior report: an organization of prominent women faculty, ND Watch, whose website contains materials flagrantly hostile to the Catholic character of the University and is linked to the University in several significant ways.   more »

In a recent essay in The Observer, Law School Professor Emeritus Charles Rice examines several troublesome by-products of the University's drive to be recognized as a top tier research institution. All of them - for example, a "diminished emphasis on undergrad teaching" - are of interest. In terms of Catholic identity, the truly alarming consequence is the "decrease of Catholic faculty" already experienced and to be anticipated.   more »

In a recent issue (vol. vi #5), the independent student publication The Irish Rover featured four articles respecting Catholic identity that cover too many subjects for us to discuss in a single newsletter. Accordingly, we will postpone for now consideration of the story describing the "Fund to Support Human Life," ...   more »

In the cover article of the August/September issue of The Catholic World Report, Dr. Thomas S. Hibbs, Dean of the Honors College of Baylor University, provides an exceptionally insightful discussion of The Vagina Monologues episode. He brings to this subject impressive credentials.   more »

In a recent column appearing in the Internet publication, The Catholic Thing, one of the most honored Notre Dame scholars, Dr. Ralph McInterny, discusses the University's Catholic identity and the role of The Sycamore Trust. The article, Alma Mater, requires no elaboration by us.   more »

In our letter of July 10, 2008, to Father Jenkins, we pointed out how this year's student production of The Vagina Monologues failed to meet his requirement that the students in the audience receive an explanation from panelists of relevant Catholic moral doctrine, and we urged that accordingly he should not approve such performances in the future....   more »

On April 17, 2008, the Pope, in his address to Catholic educators, described a Catholic university in terms of the fullness of its Catholic identity. The day before, the Notre Dame Faculty Senate urged that the University's "academic aspirations" take precedence over its Catholic identity.

This startling disjuncture evidences both the degree to which secularization has already taken hold at Notre Dame and also the grave risk that this process will continue until the University's claim to Catholic identity has been entirely undermined.   more »

In a Wall Street Journal feature opinion essay titled "The Weekend Interview: Rev. John I. Jenkins, Catholicism, Inc., deputy editor Naomi Schaefer Riley provides an illuminating description of her interview with Father Jenkins in anticipation of the Pope's address to college and university presidents.

It should be noted ...   more »

NOTRE DAME, IN - Bishop D'Arcy Denounces Father Jenkins's Decision

It is with profound regret that we report that Father Jenkins, having authorized multiple student performances of The Vagina Monologues, has also permitted those performances to take place during Easter Week. They are to be held on each of three ...   more »

NOTRE DAME, IN - Father Jenkins Disappoints Again

The Vagina Monologues will, after all, be performed on campus later this month. We recently reported that some 50 bishops had moved their conference off campus because the play might be produced. Father Jenkins has now decided it will be. He says ...   more »

In this bulletin we reproduce the letter we have sent to Father Jenkins respecting The Vagina Monologues, and we also provide additional information respecting both the current state of affairs and the recent episode involving the bishops that was the subject of our last bulletin.

Since that bulletin, we ...   more »