He must deny himself and take up his cross...

Standing for truth is the mark of the Christian soldier. Here is another saint who has made a tough decision at great personal cost. In a letter to Notre Dame University's president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Mary Ann Glendon, Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, declined to accept Notre Dame’s Laetare medal.

The Laetare medal is an annual award, given to an American Catholic layperson "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the church and enriched the heritage of humanity." (Wikipedia) Mary Ann Glendon once served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. She was awarded an honorary degree by Notre Dame University in 1996.

So, why did she decline this prestigious award? Perhaps her own words (as published on firstthings.com) best describe her reasoning:

First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president [Barack Obama, who is scheduled to give the commencement address] an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions “should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles” and that such persons “should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”

• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Here is an example of a Christian soldier who understands that her first duty is not to the president, nor is it even to the church. Her first duty is to her Father in heaven, the author and personification of truth. Jesus told us, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23) Mary Ann Glendon has denied herself and taken up the cross of truth in the face of a Catholic university that has abandoned the principles of the U.S. bishops of its own parent church.

Listen and learn, Christian soldier.