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