Cardinal: Notre Dame Forgot How to Be Catholic

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago ratcheted up the criticism of Notre Dame for inviting President Obama to give a commencement speech in May, the Tribune reports. The school “didn’t understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation,” said George. Catholic groups have criticized the move because of Obama’s decisions on stem cell research, abortion, and family planning.

The cardinal urged Catholics “to call, to email, to write letters” to the university about the “extreme embarrassment.” He predicted, however, that Notre Dame would not cancel the invitation. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops will work with the school to make clear its duties as a Catholic institution, he said. (More Cardinal Francis George stories.)