Commencement Controversy

A voice cries out across the campus of Boston College. Well maybe Fr. Kenneth Himes would feel the comparison to John the Baptist of the New Testament a little extreme, but there may be some correlation. John the Baptist, during the first century, called people out of their assumptions and toward new ways of living. Likewise Fr. Himes, chairperson of the Theology Department and other faculty members of Boston College asked the college administration to re-think a recent decision.

At the commencement ceremony on May 22nd, Boston College awarded Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleezza Rice an honorary degree of Law, one of the college's highest honors. Following the announcement that Boston College would award this honor to Dr. Rice, 200 members of the 1000-person faculty signed a letter to the president and board of trustees at BC objecting to their decision. Fr. Himes and others felt that Dr. Rice's vocal support of the war in Iraq was contrary to the values of the college, and giving her an honorary doctorate subverted the college's tradition. The letter states,

"On the levels of both moral principle and practical moral judgment, Secretary Rice's approach to international affairs is in fundamental conflict with Boston College's commitment to the values of the Catholic and Jesuit traditions and is inconsistent with the humanistic values that inspire the university's work."

The Jesuits founded Boston College in 1863, and the school remains highly faithful to its Catholic roots. BC has an existing policy against honoring public officials who are "pro-choice" on the issue of abortion. Those objecting to Dr. Rice's honorary degree appealed to the church's teaching on the consistent ethic of life which claims that all life must be protected and nurtured--from the unborn fetus to the elderly and everyone in between. Because of Dr. Rice's advocacy for the war in Iraq, a war opposed by Pope John Paul II and the US Catholic Bishops, opponents at Boston College made the claim that honoring her in this way undermines the Church's teaching on the consistent ethic of life.

Each year as commencement speakers are selected and honored, Catholic colleges and universities enter this debate. Who should be chosen? Who should not be chosen? How do those choices reflect Catholic identity and Catholic Church teaching? These were the questions raised at Boston College. In essence, Fr. Himes and 200 member of the faculty asked, shouldn't public officials be judged not just for their stance on abortion for their stance on the protection of all life?

Catholic Connection:

"[The consistent ethic of life] is based on the belief that life is a precious gift from God which must be protected and nurtured from the moment of conception until natural death. This is why the direct taking of innocent human life - whether of an unborn child through abortion, an aged person through euthanasia, or noncombatants in war - is always grievously sinful...The consistent ethic of life, I am convinced, gives us unique perspectives on such matters as international justice and peace...The consistent ethic provides both the vision and the norms needed to guide and direct individual and communal behavior in a multitude of contexts." "The Challenges we Face Together"
-- Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, 1986.

Reflection Questions

Who would you choose to honor at your graduation ceremony? Why?

Join us in our Forum to discuss these questions!