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You are right about this being solved quickly 500 years ago or even 50. When a Catholic University or Catholic health system for that matter sets up its reserve powers, they do not afford one person such as Cleary the power to remove people, since it gives one person too much power. Instead, they give control to a group of religious, such as the fellows at Notre Dame. Now I'm sure the bishop under normal circumstances could ask Fr. Jenkins to resign, but again, the bishop doesn't control the University. The bishop for that area is another matter altogether. He has attended all the graduations for the last 10 or so years, delivers the same dumb speech (I've been to two graduations in the last 4 years) and is kind of losing his fast ball. Nevertheless, he is right on target with his opposition to Obama speaking. J

enkins put himself in a pickle here and it is just like the political folks in the CSC to let him squirm and then perhaps call for his ouster behind the scenes when his 6 year term is up. There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. The university is trying desperately to make this look like Obama was a fool to ask to come to Notre Dame to speak, that the university was gracious in granting his request and now will have the Laetare Medal speaker give a pro life speech immediately preceeding Obama's speech. They are foolishly hoping this will embarrass Obama. Meanwhile, the students don't mind Obama coming (70% approx in favor) and the alums do (70% against). This is a mess of Jenkins doing and I can see the political CSCs plotting his demise.