Tony Blair, Yale Professor

The news from New Haven is that former British Prime Minister (and recent convert to Catholicism) Tony Blair will teach a seminar at Yale University next year on "Faith and Globalization." Or, considering his side of the pond, "Globalisation." Blair will serve as the Howland Distinguished Fellow at Yale in the coming year. It is worth noting in the current political and religious climate that, despite the shrill cries of many conservative Catholic advocacy groups against Catholic universities offering honors or public forums to politicians who do not accept the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life, the publicly pro-choice Blair was honored nary four months ago as the featured speaker at the Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York. For many years, this dinner has been a gala event which both raises money for Catholic ministries and honors distinguished public figures. "We are most grateful to the former Prime Minister for accepting our invitation," said Edward Cardinal Egan, the Archbishop of New York. "In 1947, our speaker was another Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. It is a distinct honor that we will have Mr. Blair with us this year." I await with bated breath the Cardinal Newman Society’s denunciation of Cardinal Egan. Perhaps George Weigel and Fr. Thomas Euteneuer also have thoughts to contribute, in light of their own recent enthusiasms? Maybe not. Jim Keane, SJ