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Georgetown University Covers Catholic Identity During Obama Speech
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| President Barack Obama is greeted by Georgetown University President John J. DeGioa as he arrives to speak in Gaston Hall Tuesday. A piece of black-painted plywood covers the IHS monogram in the pediment of the podium. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press) |
Covering The Cross
By ERIN MAGUIRE, The Bulletin
In compliance with a White House request, Georgetown University covered all signs and symbols — including the initials of Jesus — before President Barack Obama spoke there on Tuesday. Georgetown offered no apologies for shrouding its Catholic identity during the speech.
The Cardinal Newman Society, a national Catholic education organization, expressed disappointment in the school.
During Mr. Obama’s speech, the IHS monogram, which symbolizes the name of Jesus, was covered with black-painted plywood. The monogram adorns the stage at Gaston Hall where Mr. Obama spoke about the economy.
“The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they’ve done for other policy speeches,” Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at Georgetown, told CNSNews.com.
“Frankly, the pipe and drape wasn’t high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross above the GU seal and it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context.”
Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society, was not impressed with this explanation.
“It is such a sad commentary that Catholic universities are willingly hiding the most visible signs of their Catholic identity when hosting secular leaders,” he said. “What’s next? Will Notre Dame cover images of Jesus and Mary and ban rosaries when they honor President Obama next month?”
This is not the first interaction The Cardinal Newman Society has had with Georgetown this year. A prominent statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the university was desecrated twice in one month earlier this year, and a student group held a 24-hour vigil in response. The students complained to The Cardinal Newman Society that the school administration’s response was lukewarm.
While the White House restricted the symbol for Jesus during Mr. Obama’s talk, Scripture was not off limits. Mr. Obama referenced Christ’s Sermon on the Mount during his Georgetown address.
“There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells a story of two men…‘the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house…it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock,’” Mr. Obama said.
“We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand,” he added. “We must build our house upon a rock.”
Erin Maguire can be reached at emaguire@thebulletin.us
The Cardinal Newman Society, a national Catholic education organization, expressed disappointment in the school.
During Mr. Obama’s speech, the IHS monogram, which symbolizes the name of Jesus, was covered with black-painted plywood. The monogram adorns the stage at Gaston Hall where Mr. Obama spoke about the economy.
“The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they’ve done for other policy speeches,” Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at Georgetown, told CNSNews.com.
“Frankly, the pipe and drape wasn’t high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross above the GU seal and it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context.”
Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society, was not impressed with this explanation.
“It is such a sad commentary that Catholic universities are willingly hiding the most visible signs of their Catholic identity when hosting secular leaders,” he said. “What’s next? Will Notre Dame cover images of Jesus and Mary and ban rosaries when they honor President Obama next month?”
This is not the first interaction The Cardinal Newman Society has had with Georgetown this year. A prominent statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the university was desecrated twice in one month earlier this year, and a student group held a 24-hour vigil in response. The students complained to The Cardinal Newman Society that the school administration’s response was lukewarm.
While the White House restricted the symbol for Jesus during Mr. Obama’s talk, Scripture was not off limits. Mr. Obama referenced Christ’s Sermon on the Mount during his Georgetown address.
“There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells a story of two men…‘the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house…it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock,’” Mr. Obama said.
“We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand,” he added. “We must build our house upon a rock.”
Erin Maguire can be reached at emaguire@thebulletin.us
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