University of Notre Dame deletes staff requirement to support Catholic 'mission'

After spending years abandoning its pro-life values, the University of Notre Dame is making its position even more clear, by dropping "acceptance and support for the Catholic mission" from its staff values.

Key Takeaways:

• The University of Notre Dame is a private, Catholic university.

• Though the Catholic Church is staunchly pro-life, Notre Dame has increasingly drifted from this belief, with professors promoting illegal abortions and the university hosting pro-abortion events on campus.

• In a press release, Notre Dame announced changes to its staff values, omitting a requirement to support and accept the Catholic mission.

The Details:

Both the Catholic News Agency and the Notre Dame Observer reported on the changes, pointing out that the university claimed the changes were made because the previous values were too "generic." Previously, the staff values were listed as (emphasis added):

• Accountability: Takes responsibility and ownership for decisions, actions and results. Accountable for both how and what is accomplished.

• Teamwork: Works cooperatively as a member of a team and is committed to the overall team objectives rather than own interests.

• Integrity: Demonstrates honest and ethical behavior that displays a high moral standard. Widely trusted, respectful and honorable.

• Leadership in Excellence: Demonstrates energy and commitment to improving results, takes initiatives often involving calculated risks while considering the common good.

• Leadership in Mission: Understands, accepts and supports the Catholic mission of the university and fosters values consistent with that mission.

Those have been changed to values that, despite the justification, seem significantly more generic:

• Community: Treat every person with dignity and respect

• Collaboration: Work together with honesty, kindness, and humility

• Excellence: Pursue the highest standards with a commitment to truth and service

• Innovation: Embrace opportunities with creativity and dedication

Notre Dame's VP for Human Resources, Heather Christophersen, told the Notre Dame Observer that the previous value statement had been described as stale.

“They could be values anywhere. They could be a value at Northwestern or Duke or Stanford, or they could be in the corporate world,” Christophersen said. “You know, the words like integrity and teamwork and accountability, they’re great words, but they didn't feel Notre Dame. We thought it was an opportunity to refresh them and to make these [values] feel more connected to Notre Dame.”

Yet Christophersen insisted that the university has not abandoned its Catholic roots. “It’s in everything we do," she said. "We strive to be the best global Catholic research institution, to be a force for good. So that kind of phrase frames these values.” 

Why It Matters:

Despite claiming to still cling to Catholic values, Notre Dame has increasingly embraced pro-abortion activism.

Notre Dame is one of multiple Christian universities which maintains ties to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion chain. In 2023, the school approved a talk featuring an “abortion doula” who discussed “abortion care." The year before that, Notre Dame chose to stop sponsoring a pro-life event, as it had for over a decade prior... and instead hosted a pro-abortion event the same night.

In 2022, a Notre Dame professor was exposed for helping students to get illegal abortions. “We are here (as private citizens, not representatives of ND) to help you access healthcare when you need it, and we are prepared in every way,” Tamara Kay wrote on social media. “Look for the ‘J’, Spread the word to students!”

Accordingly, she posted a "J" on her door. “This is a SAFE SPACE to get help and information on ALL Healthcare issues and access — confidentially with care and compassion,” a note posted on her door read, with her non-Notre Dame e-mail address attached.

The Irish Rover, a student-run newspaper, reported on Kay's actions, and she sued for defamation, but her case was dismissed.

The Bottom Line:

It is concerning that a supposedly-Catholic institution with a history of embracing abortion now appears to be openly abandoning its long-held Catholic principles and values.