The University of Notre Dame has elicited rebuke from Catholic bishops over its invitation to President Obama to speak at this year’s graduation.  At least 55 bishops and counting has reprimanded the school, one of the most prominent Roman Catholic higher learning institutions in the country, over allowing the pro-choice, pro-stem cell research Obama to address its graduating class.

Fortunately, as is becoming more and more often the case in the Catholic church these days, the majority of American Catholics disagree with the clergy and support the University’s decision.  In a poll out today, just over 54 percent of U.S. Catholics said they thought Notre Dame was right to invite the President, while 38 percent opposed the action.

Whenever did we get to the point where - at least in the eyes of certain bishops and right wing commentators - simply allowing someone to speak or having a conversation with them, an exchange of ideas, constitutes a full on endorsement of every view they hold?  We all know the Catholic church’s positions against abortion and stem cell research, but denying even communication with politicians who feel differently on those particular issues is childish and counterproductive. It is precisely the same mentality of those who say we cannot even talk to Iran or Cuba, yet expect some magical change to occur as a result of our disengagement.

Plus how do these Catholic bishops cherry pick which tenets of the church they’re going to insist a politician uphold?  I grew up Catholic and the church I attended implored parishioners to help the less fortunate and was also very much against capital punishment and war.  However this same church these days seems to give the GOP a pass on all these issues in favor of focusing on reproductive rights and stem cells.  It is exactly this sortof cynicism that has driven so many out of Catholicism - which, not coincidentally, is the same thing happening to the GOP as we speak.