It's good to hear from another Dallas voice raised in dismay over what has been happening to and at Notre Dame. The key to a recapture of full Catholic identity, as we at Sycamore have repeatedly stressed, is a restoration of the solid majority of committed Catholic faculty that the Mission Statement requires. Deplorable incidents such as The Vagina Monologues, the Queer Film Festival, and the Obama glorification are simply symptoms. Even if they had never occurred, the malady -- the secularization of education -- would remain. Accordingly the essential reform is a turnabout in hiring policy, and that requires decisive action by those in governance -- the Administration, the Fellows, and the Board. The focus of alumni and other concerned Catholics should be upon this issue, publicly highlighting the deterioration in all possible quarters -- those is governance should be deeply concerned about any depreciation of ND's trademark, its reputation as a robustly Catholic university -- and making the case on the merits to those in governance. They should recognize that they are bound by their fiduciary responsibilities to maintain ND as Catholic and accordingly to insure a predominantly and truly Catholic faculty. We should not assume that they would willingly act in disregard of this obligation once they understand clearly the nature of the problem and reflect on their responsibilities. The secular world has given us countless examples of how trustees and others not in day-to-day contact with an institution are all too often largely uninformed about what's really happening. Sycamore is designed to draw together all concerned ND alumni and other concerned Catholics to exert as much of an impact as possible. So one important contribution this blooger and all others can make is to spread the word and recruit for Sycamore, tocontribute so that it can be established on a permanent basis with resources adequate to the task, and to participate in its efforts as they are proposed. In Dallas and other centers, if there is sufficient interest and if Sycamore has the resources, I will do my best to visit to lead a discussion and show video highlights of f faculty and student presentations at the panel discussions I have moderated. I am doing that for the Memphis ND Club at the end of the month. It would be a real achievement if ND clubs would be willing, if not to hold such a discussion -- invite an opposing voice for a debate if desired -- in any event to permit use of its mailing list and to publicize a meeting sponsored by individual members. We are about to launch a major drive, so stay tuned. Bill Dempsey