I, too, wondered at the dearth of commentary about Speaker Boehner’s commencement speech given at Catholic University and especially the letter written by a group of Catholic academics, including some leading members of the Catholic University faculty. I find Washington Post columist E. J. Dionne’s recent column interesting as he touches on President Obama’s speech at Notre Dame as well as Boehner’s at CU. His summary is of particular note:

So what should we learn?

Bishops and right-wingers should stop trying to drive speakers away from Catholic campuses. Confidence in the truth of the church’s teachings should make its institutions more, not less, open to reasoned dialogue and conversation.

The media should note that Catholicism has a lot to say, not just about abortion but also about justice and compassion. And the Catholic professors just might force journalists to ponder whether they actually punish the civility they routinely and lavishly praise.

Read the full Washington Post article here.