Are we walking the walk? I'm an '88 Notre Dame graduate and keep asking myself this question over and over. A midlife crisis, perhaps; growing wiser, certainly not; finding the importance in life, huh?? I would ask everyone in the Notre Dame community to ask yourselves this question: "Are you walking the walk, are you wearing your faith on your sleeve and in your actions or are you hidden behind societal pressures?" We are ND. Notre Dame is a Catholic community, which was brought together by our faith. This faith should be leading us in everything we do and be demonstrated on and off the football field. Is it?
Last week, I watched the Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game with my young children. We watched with the same passion we always do, and with a family new to our area who happened to be Michigan State fans and devout Catholics. Unfortunately, we were bombarded with repeated commercials for nearly naked women "desperate" to cheat on their husbands. Not one commercial, but several throughout the game. I could not believe ABC was using the Notre Dame football game to promote this trash. I assured this family, that this would outrage Notre Dame and that they would make a statement on Monday. I was sure the Notre Dame community would take action. I am amazed nothing has come of this. Despite contacting high-ranking Notre Dame administration, ABC sports, ESPN and writing a letter to The Observer (which was not published), silence continues. Instead we hear of people not getting tickets, Notre Dame selling season tickets to raise more money, the bookstore making big money, a need for stadium improvements and the need for new running backs. Have we become so numb to our surroundings that we do not see the messages being pushed on our society? Have we become complacent, and feel we can't make a difference? Are we really so focused on winning or losing a football game that we cannot see the devil lurking? Does the "entertainment" of these type of shows overshadow our moral judgment?
You may see this as a minor deal and in the big picture with the state of our world, it is. However, if we are not willing to step forward, raise objection, walk the walk on issues such as these, how can we begin to attack the bigger threats to our future and our children's future? The myriad of issues which need moral leadership in our world are too numerous to count.
We are ND. But what truly is Notre Dame? Is it a football team like most folks around our country think? Or is it a faith-filled community willing to take on the tough issues, no matter how big or how small? Next time you are in the stadium screaming, "We are ND" ask yourself what this means. Ask yourself what Notre Dame truly means and stands for. Notre Dame is much more than a football team. Notre Dame is a community of students, professors, subway alumni and alumni who are willing to "walk the walk" of their faith. We are a community that demands more of our society and ourselves.
I don't have the answers, am not attempting to be righteous, and am far from perfect. However, I have a strong faith and know that together as a community, Notre Dame can and should make a difference. We need to repair much more than Notre Dame Stadium in our world.
Mick Connors MD
alumnus
Class of 1988
Oct. 1
