New York City, N.Y., Apr 14, 2009 / 19:34 pm
Archbishop-designate of New York Timothy Dolan on Monday spoke with the Associated Press about the challenges he and the Catholic Church in New York face. Though saying that the University of Notre Dame’s invitation to President Barack Obama was a mistake, he insisted that Catholics should engage with abortion rights supporters and politicians.
By inviting President Obama to deliver the commencement address and to receive an honorary degree, Notre Dame wrongly signaled to students “we hold him up as a model to you,” Archbishop Dolan told the Associated Press.
He said the president could have been invited to Notre Dame to speak without honoring him.
"The word we have to keep using is engagement," the archbishop said.