Editor’s Note: This letter was first published in Notre Dame’s daily student newspaper, The Observer, on March 18. At the time, it had been signed by 89 Notre Dame students. The letter is republished here with the permission of the author, adding students who signed after March 18. The letter has now been signed by 346 Notre Dame undergraduate and graduate students.
We are deeply disappointed and discouraged by Notre Dame’s announcement that Vice President Joe Biden and former Speaker of the House John Boehner will receive the Laetare Medal at this year’s commencement. The Laetare Medal is presented annually to an American Catholic “in recognition of outstanding service to the Church and society. It is considered the oldest and most prestigious award for American Catholics.”
Fr. Jenkins explained the University’s basis for its decision: “One of our great challenges today is people who disagree often will vilify, attack, demean the opposition and then they cannot work with the opposition. One of the great Catholic concepts is the common good. What is the common good? You and I may disagree, or Boehner and Biden may disagree, but we have to recognize that whatever we think, we have to act for the common good.
“One thing I hope we do at the University is we try to bring our students to understand they can disagree but they need to talk to one another, reason with one another, and despite differences, they should always respect the other person and not demean.
“Unless we do that, we cannot work together, we cannot serve the common good. We are just in this gridlock of antagonism that is all too common today.”
Most would agree that the tone of our politics could be improved, but Fr. Jenkins’ call for civility is a mistaken basis upon which to decide who is worthy of the Laetare Medal. By awarding the Laetare Medal to Biden and Boehner, the University discredits the award, which ought to honor an American Catholic for service to the Church and society rather than make a point about the character of political dialogue.
The University has made a mistake, one that devalues the Laetare Medal and reflects poorly on the judgment of the University’s leaders. Unfortunately, this unacceptable decision is exacerbated by the fact that Notre Dame has once again scandalized faithful Catholics across the country, as it did when it honored President Barack Obama with an honorary degree at commencement in 2009.
Joe Biden is a Catholic who served as one of Delaware’s two Senators for 36 years before becoming vice president in 2009. During his years in the Senate, he was undoubtedly one of the most rabidly partisan Senators. He did more than anyone in Washington to turn the confirmation process for Supreme Court nominees into a political bloodbath. He has repeatedly applauded the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade. For some of his years in the Senate, he received a zero rating from pro-life groups. It was not always so. Early in his career Biden opposed abortion. By the mid-1980s, however, he had evolved out of what he called a youthful reliance upon his Catholic faith, a reliance he now repudiates.
Biden supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, and voted against a ban on human cloning. He embraces same-sex marriage and the HHS mandate, which requires religious institutions such as Notre Dame to facilitate coverage of contraceptives and abortifacients under its healthcare plans—Notre Dame itself is suing the federal government for relief from this mandate. Biden’s positions on all these issues are directly contrary to Church teaching. His public service has not been “to the Church,” but largely against the Church.
The United States bishops write, “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
We object to Notre Dame’s decision to honor Vice President Biden with the Laetare Medal. Giving the award to Speaker Boehner at the same time does not alleviate the scandal committed by the University’s blatant disregard for the injunction of the Catholic bishops.
As students of this University, some of whom will graduate in May, we are disappointed that Notre Dame has failed in this instance to live up to its Catholic mission. We deserve to see the Laetare Medal given to an American Catholic who merits it by having served as an outstanding example for Catholics and having performed real service to the Church in this country.
Tim Bradley, Senior
Alexandra DeSanctis, Senior
Christina Gotcher, Senior
Sophia Buono, Sophomore
Hailey Vrdolyak, Senior
John Kill, Sophomore
Madeleine Cook, Junior
Eileen Madigan, Sophomore
Henry Dickman, Junior
Michael Moss, Junior
Joshua Gluch, Junior
C. James Herrick IV, Senior
William Harris, Senior
Garrett Fisher, Sophomore
Clare Scantling, Sophomore
Francesca Patti, Freshman
Molly Weiner, Sophomore
Sofia Carozza, Freshman
Emmett Wilmes, Junior
Theresa Gallagher, Freshman
Jeanne Farnan, Sophomore
Anna Bradley, Sophomore
Kevin McCarthy, Sophomore
Carolyn Ebner, Sophomore
Kathryn Dennee, Senior
Michael Singleton, Sophomore
Ryan Kerr, Junior
Michael Bradley, Graduate Student
Anna Schaffer, Junior
Grace Enright, Freshman
Nathan Miller, Sophomore
Kerrianne Conroy, Sophomore
Patrick Gallagher, Senior
Alex Hadley, Sophomore
Ryan Sweeney, Junior
Nicholas James Gerstbauer, Sophomore
Natalia Yépez-Frias, Freshman
Teresa Kaza, Freshman
Kevin Dougherty, Freshman
Grace Agolia, Junior
Lincoln Tyler Robinson, Senior
Gavin Ennis, Freshman
Brian Buechler, Junior
David Carmack, Freshman
Matthew Connell, Freshman
Sadie Facile, Freshman
Ann Gallagher, Junior
Ricardo A. Dira, Senior
Joseph Cook, Freshman
Isabella Penola, Freshman
Margaret Cross, Junior
Matthew Souza, Senior
Alexander Roth, Graduate Student
Jack Connors, Junior
Benjamin Swanson, Junior
Sarah Ortiz, Freshman
Maria Kunath, Sophomore
Giuliana Carozza, Senior
Frank Cipollone, Senior
Mackenzie Kraker, Freshman
Liam Stewart, Freshman
John Ryan, Freshman
Kylie Minor, Freshman
Rebecca Devine, Senior
Stephanie Reuter, Sophomore
Nicole O’Leary, Sophomore
Andrea Desilets, Freshman
Emily Fischer, Freshman
Jessica Harris, Sophomore
Timothy Primes, Freshman
Alexander Robinson, Senior
Emily Burns, Junior
Steven Trottier, Senior
John Kessler, Sophomore
John Gillen, Senior
Redmond Tuttle, Freshman
Patrick Koehr, Sophomore
William Cheely, Senior
Alex White, Senior
Tierney Vrdolyak, Sophomore
Tim Sherman, Sophomore
Mary Mangan, Law Student
Maya Lewis, Junior
Daniel Sweeney, Freshman
Colin McCarthy, Freshman
Brian Florin, Senior
William McDonald, Freshman
Therese Benz, Freshman
John VanBerkum, Senior
Peter Rymsza, Freshman
Brian Stoyell-Mulholland, Graduate Student
Phillip Jedlovec, Graduate Student
Laura Wells, Freshman
Bridgid Smith, Junior
Alexander Slavsky, Junior
Shaun Evans, Sophomore
Emily Scire, Junior
Isaiah Lee, Junior
Jack Raque, Freshman
Laura Wolk, Law Student
Eric Dean Hageman, Law Student
Olivia May, Sophomore
Josef Hageman, Sophomore
Antonio Marchi, Senior
Sophia Lillis, Sophomore
Gabrielle Mercurio, Senior
Ryan Boccabella, Senior
Sydney Schneider, Freshman
Michael Mercurio, Law Student
Mia DiCara, Freshman
Luke Palmer, Sophomore
Jenny Poth, Senior
Emily Reeve, Sophomore
Matt Peters, Sophomore
Janelle Wanzek, Senior
Matt Rice, Freshman
Justin Grocock, Freshman
Will Harris, Freshman
Margaret Arriola Junior
Robert Black, Junior
Seth M. Bostrom Law Student
Monica Gorman, Senior
Samantha Scheuler, Law Student
Erin McDonagh, Senior
Tyler Lovelace, Freshman
Ernesto Aveledo, Senior
Gabriela Weigel, Junior
Megan Ferowich, Senior
Charles Ducey, Senior
Trevor Sprouse, Senior
Richard Bloomfield, Senior
Fernando Garcia, Senior
Antonis Anastopoulos, Graduate Student
Isabel Olivas, Senior
Dale Lobo, Senior
Logan Wishart, Freshman
Erin Daugherty, Law Student
James Kemnitz, Law Student
Rachel Kubasak, Senior
Isaac Althoff, Sophomore
Patrick Button, Law Student
Brian Bredemann, Senior
Steven Ramos, Sophomore
Max Giacomazzi, Sophomore
Kate Hardiman, Junior
Patrick DeJong, Junior
Dominic Barceleau, Law Student
Audrey A. Beck, Law Student
MaKenna Siebenaler, Junior
Mariele Courtois, Graduate Student
Michael Infantine, Senior
Vivian Crumlish, Freshman
Rachel Grinbergs, Junior
Julia Pearl Murray, Junior
Emily Cummins, Senior
Michael McRoskey, Sophomore
Kateri Chabot, Freshman
Olivia Bratton, Senior
Emma Shannon, Senior
Joseph Pinto, Freshman
Joe Everett, Freshman
Caleb Parikh, Freshman
Jacob Elser, Freshman
Peter James Davies Mark, Sophomore
Rebeckah Wellen, Junior
Christopher Leitten, Junior
Andy Woodruff, Junior
Kevin Conway, Freshman
Joseph Hickman, Freshman
Ken Elkin, Sophomore
Andy Nelson, Freshman
Michael Smith, Freshman
Caroline Palmer, Sophomore
Colleen Halpin, Sophomore
CJ Klein, Freshman
Lydia Piendel, Sophomore
Meg Spesia, Freshman
Mary Margaret Dever, Freshman
Nick Bufalino, Freshman
Steve Perry, Graduate Student
Ian Bucy, Law Student
Juliana Pellino, Sophomore
Tobias Hoonhout, Freshman
Hadyn Pettersen, Sophomore
Sarah Glover, Sophomore
Scott Campbell, Law Student
Maggie Holohan, Sophomore
Mariana Stanson, Senior
Emma Tackman, Sophomore
Madeleine Klem, Graduate Student
Mackenzi Marinovich, Freshman
Joseph Riehm, Freshman
Ryan Stackhouse, Freshman
John Bodien. Freshman
Shane Ryan, Sophomore
Andrew Meisenbacher, Sophomore
Zachary Thomas, Graduate Student
Deandra Lieberman, Graduate Student
Jacob D Miller, Sophomore
Joseph Kelley, Freshman
Grace McCormick, Freshman
Andrew Lessard, Freshman
Maureen Butler, Freshman
Blaine O’Neill-Perez, Senior
Martin A. Beers, Graduate Student
Quinn Dolan, Freshman
Mathew Hoffmann, Law Student
Vincent Sellner, Sophomore
Richard Benson, Law Student
Joseph Schudt, Junior
Clare Tennant, Sophomore
Andrew Schmitz, Freshman
Siena Mantooth, Freshman
Daniel Padilla, Freshman
Kristen Martin, Law Student
Daniel Le, Senior
Kristen Sullivan, Senior
Kevin Wilkins, Junior
Thomas Karam, Junior
Luke Donahue, Junior
Bennett Grefenstette, Freshman
Jacob Lindle, Junior
Annie Duffey, Sophomore
Sean Gaouette, Freshman
Louisa Diggins, Junior
Samantha E Burr, Senior
Allison Doermann, Junior
Dylan Greene, Sophomore
Madeline Coole, Freshman
Eduardo Oronia, Senior
Erica Evans, Freshman
Luke McVeigh, Junior
Joseph Rudolph, Junior
Maura Vrabel, Sophomore
Kayla Matthews, Junior
Nicholas Azar, Freshman
Daniel Jasek, Sophomore
Natalie Boone, Sophomore
Brianna Bahe, Junior
Jared Diesslin, Freshman
Andie Tong, Freshman
Katie Edler, Freshman
Sarah Cullen, Junior
Joseph Crowley, Feshman
Megan Irving, Fershman
Jackson Howell, Sophomore
Sarah Drumm, Sophomore
Ashley Huffman, Freshman
Domenic Misiti, Freshman
Maureen Schweninger, Freshman
Dominic Lanari, Senior
Alex Altobelli, Sophomore
Conor Bradley, Junior
Thomas Roesler, Freshman
Amanda Ball, Sophomore
Tess Rawlins, Junior
Michelle Williams, Junior
Amy Mulvey, Senior
Lucie Ly, Freshman
Samuel Bishop, Freshman
Aurelia Vaiana, Freshman
Cliff Djajapranata, Fershman
Joseph Snyder, Sophomore
James Rahner, Freshman
Michael Finan, Sophomore
Brooke Gensler, Junior
Cara Molulon Sophomore
Daniel Pape, Junior
Louis Bertolotti, Junior
Hannah Arcentales, Freshman
Bridget Mooney, Senior
Rebecca Hammock, Junior
Sean Sontz, Sophomore
Michael Black, Sophomore
Margaret Platt, Freshman
Jordan Schilling, Freshman
Bridget Moroney, Freshman
Michael Junker, Sophomore
Matthew Heeder, Freshman
Michael Krebs, Sophomore
David Wilhelmsen, Law Student
Claire Nauman, Sophomore
David Shank, Sophomore
Gregory Conti, Sophomore
Katie Slisz, Junior
Raphael Yang, Senior
Brendan Besh, Sophomore
Andres Fernandez del Castillo, Freshman
Juliana Mestre, Sophomore
Carolyn Bergdolt, Sophomore
Marea Hurson, Freshman
Jens Verhey, Sophomore
Ryan Hart, Senior
Joseph Tang, Sophomore
Katie Schermerhorn, Sophomore
Grace Garvey, Freshman
Mary Kate O’Leary, Freshman
Gemma Stanton, Freshman
Mike Higgins, Sophomore
Josiah Ponnudurai, Sophomore
Brenda Rice, Sophomore
Lucia Enright, Junior
Ryan Green, Sophomore
Nicole White, Freshman
Aman Mital, Freshman
Daniel Lipka, Senior
Henry Mulholland, Freshman
Noreen Fischer, Senior
Natalie Moulton, Freshman
Thomas Dieckman, Junior
Chris Lembo. Freshman
Katie Sisk, Sophomore
Julian Mancini, Freshman
Tom Olohan, Senior
Aleshia Faulstich, Graduate Student
Jacob Morrida, Graduate Student
Karen Ostdiek, Graduate Student
Jordan Edwards, Junior
Matthew Vale, Graduate Student
Andrew Wright, Graduate Student
Mary Catherine Levri, Graduate Student
Nik Kleber, Graduate Student
Steven Marczak, Junior
Elizabeth Peuchen, Sophomore
Paweł Figurski, Graduate Student
Amanda Bambury, Graduate Student
Alanna Kenney, Graduate Student
Allison Reinsvold, Graduate Student
Fr. Raphael Mary Salzillo, OP, Graduate Student
Sean P. Phillips, Graduate Student
Harrison Yates, Graduate Student
Caitlan Rangel, Graduate Student
Ephrem Shaffer, Graduate Student
Austin Mathew Cruz, Graduate Student
Domenic DiGiovanni, Graduate Student
Rachael Purta, Graduate Student
Kathryn Sawyer, Graduate Student
Cody David, Graduate Student
Alan Liddell, Graduate Student
Steve Kobosko, Graduate Student
Eric Krebs, Sophomore
Lily Harig, Senior
Elizabeth Loughran, Graduate Student
Katarina Goitz, Senior
Tiernan Kane, Graduate Student
Michael Logue, Senior
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