Mary Ann Glendon is my heroine!!

Wow. What a woman of guts!

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. ...
Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. ... [Translation: I had prepared to say quite a few good things about NDU, but this news just contradicted all of them.]
First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. [Translation: I'm not blinded by prestige.] This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops' express request of 2004 that Catholic insitutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it. ...
[NDU statements] implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event... [Translation: Using me as evidence that it's okay to make exceptions for persons in positions of prestige is not okay, and I won't be made complicit in this decision.] [Commencement] is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle for engagment... to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church's position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice. [Translation: Bad idea, Pres. Jenkins]

Took the words right out of my heart. Wow. This made me cry. When reading this letter, I can actually feel her sentiments of hurt and sadness over the entire fiasco. Are Catholics really going to stand behind the principles they are called to observe? Oh wait, we are living in an age where authority is free to teach until it's purple in the face, and the flock is free to ignore it.

After reading this letter, it seems possible that Jenkins won't be ND's President next year.