Jodi O'Brien, Archbishop Listecki, and Marquette

The Marquette University - Jodi O'Brien saga continues.

Milwaukee media are really loving this story.

The controversial O'Brien and MU's controversial rescinding of its offer of the deanship of the College of Arts and Sciences to O'Brien now has additional high profile players in the mix.

The media are drooling.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki and the judicial vicar for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee separately raised red flags over Marquette's hiring of a Seattle University professor as Arts and Sciences dean.

Listecki called Marquette President Father Robert A. Wild about the university's offer to Jodi O'Brien after receiving calls from clergy and lay leaders, the archbishop's spokeswoman said.

Also expressing concerns about O'Brien's appointment was Father Paul Hartmann, the archdiocese's judicial vicar. Hartmann sent a March 3 letter to the chair of the search committee that said the gender studies professor "pursues subject matter that seems destined to actually create dichotomies and cause tensions (if not contradictions) with Marquette's Catholic mission and identity."

In the letter, obtained Tuesday by the Journal Sentinel, Hartmann referenced O'Brien but didn't name her.

The comments from Listecki's spokeswoman and Hartmann's letter are the first public indications that archdiocese leaders raised concerns about O'Brien.

At a listening session with about 400 students Tuesday evening, Wild said the university's decision to rescind the offer to O'Brien was "not about donor or outside influence," but he added that "there is a variety of input from outside the university" on the hiring of high-level positions.

Pressed about the role of Listecki, if any, in the decision, Wild said the archbishop "can speak for himself."

So what's the problem?

Listecki and archdiocese leaders should express their concerns.

I don't see anything wrong with that at all. They should be commended for doing their jobs.

The Journal Sentinel has the PDF of Fr. Hartmann's letter.

...Hartmann, who did not provide the letter to the Journal Sentinel, said he wrote of his concerns about all three of the finalists, in part because they lacked backgrounds in theology or philosophy.

"I was speaking from the position that this is an opportunity that should not be missed.  . . .  An opportunity for Marquette to continue to pursue a strong and clear Catholic identity," said Hartmann, president of Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School and a canon lawyer who teaches part time at Marquette's law school.

...While Marquette and the archdiocese acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that Wild and Listecki talked about O'Brien's appointment, Marquette spokeswoman Mary Pat Pfeil emphasized in an e-mail Tuesday that the decisions regarding the appointment were made only by Marquette officials.

That letter is no smoking gun. What's the big deal about the Archbishop or other church officials weighing in on O'Brien?

I don't see that as inappropriate in any way.

Marquette is a Catholic university located in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

The Journal Sentinel and other Milwaukee media outlets just won't ease up on their attacks.

Tuesday evening, the mood at the listening session with students was tense, with some students walking out of the meeting after reading statements demanding Wild's immediate resignation and requesting that the university offer the job again to O'Brien. Some said they would never donate money to the university while others said they would be proud alumni.

"It's disheartening. We came here for answers and are left with nothing," said Henry Thomas, a senior and former Marquette student president.

Senior Micaela Robb-McGrath said she was glad she attended the session.

"Because of this discussion I realize the sensitivity of the issue and what I do take from this is that the university will heal itself," said Robb-McGrath.

Students asked Wild why the offer was rescinded but he declined to comment, repeating that it was a "personnel matter." Though he did not give additional details about O'Brien's application and the selection process, Wild said he's confident Marquette can move past the controversy.

Students have the right to read statements demanding that Fr. Wild resign immediately.

Nonetheless, I think those remarks are completely out of line.

The man is being vilified for making the right decision according to Canon Law.

Moreover, as Fr. Wild has said repeatedly, many gays and lesbians are part of the Marquette family. Gay and lesbian individuals have been honored by Marquette University.

It's O'Brien's writings that are the issue here.

THIS IS IMPORTANT: I assume that if O'Brien were heterosexual her writings would serve to disqualify her, not necessarily to teach at Marquette but to be the dean of the university's largest college. In other words, her personal sexual preferences aren't the problem.

Granted, offering a job to an unsuitable candidate is not a proud moment for Marquette. It was a terrible mistake.

But I've had enough of the Catholic bashing. I'm sick of the flogging of Fr. Wild, and now leaders in the Archdiocese.

Enough.

This is a real gut check for Marquette and the Catholic community.

Let the healing begin for all involved.
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