NOTRE DAME, IN - Prominent Notre Dame professor publishes “must read” article on University's secularization.

In the September 10, 2007, issue of “America,” Father Wilson D. Miscamble, C.S.C., describes in compelling detail the extent to which the Notre Dame faculty has been secularized.

“America” deserves praise for publishing, and Father Miscamble for writing, this courageous and candid examination of the crisis in Catholic higher education in general and at Notre Dame in particular.

Father Miscamble is one of the University’s most respected scholars and admired teachers. A former Chair of the History Department and Rector of Moreau Seminary, he is a prolific award-winning author of books and articles and the recipient of both the Francis O’Malley and the Sheedy awards for excellence in teaching. His description of the ”Potemkin Village” aspects of Catholic education should shatter the complacency of any who think that all is well at Notre Dame.

If you have not signed the Project Sycamore petition, we hope this article will impel you to do so. We hope also that you will forward this message to all you think might be interested.

There are disquieting signs that an effort may be afoot to do away with the University’s own Mission Statement requirement that there be a majority of Catholics on the faculty – a condition the Mission Statement declares is essential to the school’s Catholic identity. In any case, given the trend, we can expect continuing pressure on that policy. All who want to see the downward spiral of Catholic faculty representation arrested should speak up before it becomes too late even to try. Read Fr. Miscamble’s article