This battle goes back 50 years, ever since Fr. Hesburgh was desperate to remove ND's Catholic "stigma" so the school could win the respect of the "real" universities. Ralph McInerny, ND's most prolifically-published author ever, credited the move to "the vulgar lust for prestige."

That lust still looms hard and heavy on Fr. Jenkins's shoulders. His lawyers before the 7th Circuit made a distinctly lackluster performance in the first place. As far as ND is concerned, Humanae Vitae died the day Land o'Lakes was born.

ND now is all about money. They publicly and proudly covered up the sexual assault on Lizzie Seeberg (who committed suicide when receiving no support from Fr. Jenkins or anyone else). Football rules. 

Like Bill Clinton, they didn't deny it, just swallowed hard and moved on.

To top it off, the Sycamore Trust (solid alums) reports that an. ND dean recently told a public gathering that "fifty years ago ND was mediocre." Just in time for my 50th reunion! 

Laugh? Or cry?