Clinton, Hastert, others pay tribute to ND icon
By ANNE MARIE MATTINGLY
News Editor
WASHINGTON
University officials, Congressmen and President Bill Clinton gathered in the U.S. capitol rotunda July 13 to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Father Theodore Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, for a lifetime of public service.
The Medal is given by a legislative act of Congress to commemorate persons, events or sites of special meaning to the American people. Hesburgh was nominated for the honor by U.S. Representative Tim Roemer, whose district includes South Bend.
Roemer said that the medal has traditionally been given for a single great achievement by an American citizen, but that he felt Hesburgh deserved the medal for his lifetime of service.
"Today we honor Father Hesburgh for a lifetime of achievement in civil rights, achievement in religion and achievement in higher education," he said, describing Hesburgh's life as "a daily journey to explore the soul for justice and equality."
Roemer also credited Hesburgh with building Notre Dame into a nationally prominent institution and cited his international work among the accomplishments for which he had been honored.
"[He is] a parish priest for a world congregation," said Roemer, a graduate of the University.
Roemer also focused on Hesburgh's work for civil rights in the 1960s. He said Hesburgh has worked diligently to implement the promise found in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal.
"Father Hesburgh has worked all his life to implement these words," he said.
Indiana Senator Evan Bayh noted Hesburgh's humility, comparing the former Notre Dame president to Sir Thomas More and drawing a parallel between the two and their love and commitment to justice and the Church.
He too focused on Hesburgh's ongoing commitment to service as the reason for bestowing the award.
"Part of [the Notre Dame] fight song implores the Notre Dame faithful to call down the echoes, and so today we do. We call down the echoes from a lifetime of service," Bayh said. "We will remember Theodore M. Hesburgh, because his contributions to a greater America have been truly everlasting."
Hesburgh has received 144 honorary degrees from colleges and universities, a world record, and now he has become one of just 250 recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal. Other recipients include George Washington, Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa and Rosa Parks.
Indiana's senior senator, Richard Lugar, used his time at the podium to review Hesburgh's many works of public service. Hesburgh served as a charter member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and its chairman from 1969-72 and worked as a national leader on education and an education committee chairman from 1963-1970, Lugar said. He has has served four popes on the Atomic Energy Commission and worked against famine in Cambodia in 1979 and 1980 with his fundraising efforts. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson and is now a best selling author, as well as founder of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.
"He is the epitome of a compassionate man [with] remarkable self-discipline," Lugar said.
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert reviewed Hesburgh's early life. Notre Dame's most famous president was just 17 when he arrived at the University, and has spent 57 years in the priesthood, 35 of them as the University's president.
"His voice has been a constant in the social issues of our time," Hastert said, noting that Hesburgh continues to work for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.
President Clinton expressed his personal admiration for Hesburgh at the ceremony.
"I have heard many speeches today about a man I admire very much, a servant and a child of God, a genuine patriot, and a citizen of the world," Clinton said. "The most important thing about [Father Hesburgh] and the greatest thing [he] will ever wear is the collar [he] has worn around [his] neck for 57 years."
Clinton specifically praised Hesburgh's focus on religion, despite all the priest's other responsibilities.
"Even as the president of Notre Dame, he never stopped being a priest," Clinton said. "The greatness [is] rooted on [his] understanding of our common humanity and our common [status] as children of God."
University president Father Edward Malloy was also on hand for the ceremony and cited Hesburgh's open mind as among the recipients best qualities.
"[He has] a visionary attitude toward everything and is always seeing God at the center of everything," he said. Malloy noted that Hesburgh wanted to be the first priest to say Mass in space.
When given the opportunity to respond to all of the comments made by his admirers, Hesburgh claimed that he did not consider himself to be as great as the descriptions given by all the speakers before him.
"I tend to think I'm a bit overrated," he said.
Instead, Hesburgh expressed his humility and said that the priesthood has been the greatest source of joy in his life.
"I have a lot to be humble about," he said. "The happiest day of my life was when I was ordained a Catholic priest. I was filled with the Holy Spirit, who fortunately has stayed with me these 57 years."
The priest admitted that all of the praise was overwhelming, but said that it was important not to become too self-important.
"It's okay to hear yourself praised as long as you don't inhale it, and, my dear friends, I'll try not to inhale," he said.
Hesburgh credited Congress with great leadership but issued a challenge for all Americans to unite for justice and peace.
"What have you done for peace lately, and what have you done for justice lately?" Hesburgh asked. "Because without justice there will be no peace, and there shouldn't be."
In his closing comments, Hesburgh said that he will continue to work for justice in the world for as long as he is able to do so.
"I'm not about to leave the ball game," he said, "And I'll do as much as I can, as well as I can, for as long as I can."
All News Stories for Wednesday, August 23, 2000
