Lucas D. Sayre

Catholicism in Contemporary America

Professor Yamane

Fall, 2004

 

 

 

Notre Dame: Our Lady’s University?

 

 

The question “Is Notre Dame a Catholic university?” is one that concerns members of the Notre Dame community, Catholics across the United States, and members of the Church hierarchy all the way up to the Vatican. All parties seem to regard the modifier ‘Catholic’ as more than just a mere label, but rather as a description of the university’s identity. In other words, a Catholic university has an obligation to live up to that title. The larger question therefore is, “What makes a university Catholic?”

In the dialog between the American Catholic university presidents, the American Bishops, and the Vatican, a conflicting set of answers has arisen. This essay will strive to stake out reasonable middle ground and create criteria for higher education catholicity. These criteria will then be applied to Notre Dame’s case, answering the original question in the affirmative. The University of Notre Dame is indeed a Catholic university, and its example, while leaving room for improvement, highlights the strength of current Catholic higher education.

For a university to be Catholic it must meet criteria in its multiple aspects: its stated mission, its leadership, its academics, its community life, and finally its student body. No single aspect is sufficient by itself to make a university Catholic, and criteria from these multiple aspects acting in conjunction form the institutional Catholic synergy. A Catholic university is far more than an institution of classroom learning; it is also a community of peers, a forum for free intellectual discourse, and a critical lens on the Church and society at-large.

The Mission Statement. Colleges and universities define their institutional identity and declare their future aspirations in their mission statements. These statements are and should be more than just rhetorical eye-candy, but rather serve as a constant reminder to the institution’s controlling governors, its faculty and departmental personnel, and its constituent students, of that institution’s place in society as well their respective role in maintaining that place. Ultimately, an institution of higher learning is not the buildings on campus, the educational supplies, or any other material items, but rather consists of people. These people determine the current and future identity of said institution and a mission statement, therefore, provides a foundation to which these individuals can set their expectations and commitment to the ideal identity. Notre Dame’s Mission Statement reads:

…As a Catholic university one of its distinctive goals is to provide a forum where through free inquiry and open discussion the various lines of Catholic thought may intersect with all the forms of knowledge found in the arts, sciences, professions, and every other area of human scholarship and creativity… There is, however, a special obligation and opportunity, specifically as a Catholic university, to pursue the religious dimensions of all human learning. Only thus can Catholic intellectual life in all disciplines be animated and fostered and a proper community of scholarly religious discourse be established. (ND Faculty Handbook)

 

Clearly Notre Dame is stating their intention to exist as a Catholic university and recognizing the fact that such a claim requires certain obligations to be met.

            Leadership. Most modern private universities are run by boards of trustees. These boards, like high school boards, make the highest-level decisions about the institution’s course and its identity. In 1967, Notre Dame switched its leadership to this type of set-up and away from the direct auspices of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (Malloy, 190). This switch was made with two new paradigms in mind. First, Supreme Court jurisprudence had taken on a stronger anti-establishment character, and greater scrutiny was being given religious educational institutions. Catholic universities across America, Notre Dame included, saw it necessary to partially secularize their leadership to avoid losing federal aid in certain sectors. This rationale alone would seem like a Faustian deal, if it meant that Notre Dame and other Catholic colleges would have to abandon their Catholic identity to continue receiving federal monies. Thankfully, such was not the case. The second paradigm lay with the increased role of the laity in the Catholic Church post-Vatican II. The Church recognized that lay people could and should have an important role in numerous church functions (Burtchaell, 15). Hence, the decision to remove direct control from the Congregation of Holy Cross was compatible with the new spirit ushered in by Vatican II.

            Notre Dame chose to split their leadership into two boards rather than just one. Handling the primary important operation of the university is the Board of Trustees and handling the overall issue of Notre Dame’s institutional identity is the Board of Fellows. In accord with the university’s bi-laws, this board is split evenly with six Indiana province Holy Cross priests and six lay persons (Malloy, 191). As such, Notre Dame’s Catholic identity is in the hands of diverse board, which will always have at least equal weight of Catholic clergy. In reality, the board is fully committed to ND’s catholicity, because the lay members themselves have remained committed as energetically as the clergy. Also worthy of note is the composition of Notre Dame’s administration. Its President always has been in the reins of an ordained priest and currently is held by Father Malloy. He has publicly written that he feels that a priest should always occupy the Presidency (Malloy, 194). But there are no guarantees that such would have to remain the case. Perhaps this would be one place for improvement, an amendment to ND’s bi-laws that would require a clergy Presidency.

            Academic. This aspect’s importance at a university is obviously tremendous. Notre Dame, as are other Catholic colleges and universities, is required to be accredited to be able to grant degrees and receive governmental aid. Its central function must be the furtherance of students’ education and intellectual pursuits. Catholic universities are not seminaries, but they are not mere think tanks or public colleges either (Land O’ Lakes, 1). While their primary purpose is to teach, these teachings can and must inform the student on a level and with a scope not present at public institutions. Catholicism has much to offer the university student in fields of theology, justice, philosophy, ethics, law, etc., etc., etc. The academic aspect of a university is primarily shaped by two components: faculty and curriculum.

            When discussing Catholic identity in regards to faculty, the question always comes up as to how many faculty members must be Catholics and in what fields. Declaring an exact percentage is a difficult endeavor, because different fields may require a different number of Catholic faculty members to sufficiently engender a Catholic sense to that field. Further compounding this mathematical juggling act is the challenge of ascertaining a given faculty applicant’s true religious nature. A prospective professor may check a “Catholic” box, but does that really mean he or she is a proponent of Catholic thought? Likewise, a prospective might be a protestant, a non-Christian, or even an atheist and still be able to exert Catholic thought. Furthermore, human beings are not static creatures. Once a professor attains tenure, he or she may change faiths, depending on worldly events in their lives, or just a change in philosophy. Father Malloy uses this fact in support of a subjective faculty composition. He backtracked from an objective sense of a “predominance” which would entail 50 percent or higher to the subjective sense of a sufficient number. He then refers to how Notre Dame is currently handling this issue. The Provost, Nathan Hatch, has implemented a “one third” policy where 1/3 of all a department’s professors must come from certain groups: Catholics, women, historic minorities, etc (Malloy, 194). This way, the university can ensure diversity as well as a strong Catholic presence in its departments, thus aiding the overall academic pursuit in a Catholic sense.

            The second component of the academic aspect is curriculum. This includes the courses, seminars, forums, workshops, conferences, and all other collective intellectual pursuits that a university’s colleges and departments undertake. A Catholic institution of higher learning has room especially to distinguish itself from its public non-sectarian counterparts in curriculum. Catholic theologians, priests, monks, sisters, etc. have a truly massive tradition of intellectual pursuit in the fields of theology, philosophy, ethics, and others. Notre Dame has numerous theology courses with Catholic doctrine at their heart and has a philosophy of religion program widely considered one of the world’s best. This is no accident. Notre Dame’s strength in this area stems from its commitment to its Catholic identity. Another area where a Catholic university can shine is in interdepartmental relations. For instance, at Notre Dame different conferences and panel discussion are organized by multiple departments and are interdisciplinary in nature. Furthermore, Catholic teaching pervades some classes and programs in areas that would seem completely non-religious in nature. Notre Dame again yields an example of this requirement being fulfilled. It requires all of its business undergraduate students to attend a business ethics “boot camp” their sophomore year. Classes in political science may involve Catholic social teaching, Catholic just-war theory, or even Catholic views on foreign relations. Again, Notre Dame is not perfect in this aspect. More courses in the humanities could involve ethics and philosophical components, rather than just relegating these fields to certain courses in those departments that a student could choose not to take.

            Community life and student body. A university is more than just its professors and the courses they teach. Its student body, and their given composition and backgrounds, greatly mold the identity of any university. At public and private institutions, ethnic, social, and geographical diversity brings varying voices to the classrooms and dorms. The students interact with one another in the dorms and along with their faculty in the classrooms. One would subscribe to the utmost folly to think for one moment that these informal interactions do not carry great weight in shaping a student’s intellectual growth over his or her four years as an undergrad. In a Catholic college, religious background is another important element. A predominantly Catholic student body helps foster Catholic thought throughout the campus, and therefore is a necessary requirement of a Catholic university or college. Religious diversity, of course, is also a strengthening quality. Non-Catholics bring a different perspective and perhaps a critical eye to the table. Ultimately, dissenting voices and constructive criticism strengthen, not weaken, the holistic Catholic thought on campus. Notre Dame’s student body is overwhelmingly Catholic.

            A Catholic university must also foster the Catholic spirituality of its Catholic students, and provide ecumenical outreach to its non-Catholic students. Notre Dame provides numerous opportunities for spiritual activity within its community and residence life. Almost every residence hall has as its rector a priest or nun. These rectors are not mere disciplinarians or logistical chairs, but they are also spiritual leaders to their residents. They say mass in the residence hall chapels, provide time for confession, lead Bible studies, and in general maintain a healthy Christian atmosphere in the residence halls through their implementation of rules and activities. The university provides other spiritual resources as well, including Campus, Ministry, which organizes spiritual retreats, liturgies in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and service outreach projects. Finally, the student body itself takes an active role in its own spiritual endeavors. Dillon Hall residents, for instance, have organized “fireside” spiritual studies once every week. They also have taken a leading role in community service projects. Every dorm on campus has such activity.

            From its leadership to its faculty to its community life, Notre Dame is thoroughly a Catholic university. As such it proves that an institution of higher learning can commit itself to academic freedom, institutional independence, and a Catholic character. Furthermore, Notre Dame remains in this nation’s top tier of universities, showing that a Catholic identity is not only possible but also beneficial. Challenges certainly loom on the horizon. The movement towards secularization has not run its course fully yet in America, and its tides pressure Notre Dame externally and internally. Many students and faculty would like to see Notre Dame be “less Catholic” and many, of course, want it to stay its course. The human commitment to uphold Notre Dame’s Catholic identity must remain strong and dedicated. If Notre Dame continues to be successful, it will serve as a shining beacon of Catholic higher education’s rightful place in American society.

Sources Cited:

 

Burtchaell C.S.C., James Tunstead. “Everything You Need to Know About Ex Corde Ecclesiae.” Crisis. July/August 1999

 

McCl,uskey, Neil G. “Land O’ Lakes Statement on the Nature of the Contemporary Catholic University (1967).” The Catholic University. 1970

 

Malloy C.S.C, Edward A. Monk’s Reflections: a View from the Dome. Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City. 1999

 

“Mission Statement of the University of Notre Dame.” University of Notre Dame Faculty Handbook. available: http://www.nd.edu/~provost/handbook/pages/und_gen/mission.shtml. retrieved 10/15/03