Contact: Thomas McKenna, Catholic Action for Faith and Family, 858-461-0777

SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- In a recent interview, Cardinal Raymond Burke addressed the scandal caused by the University of Notre Dame announcing that they intend to confer the Laetare Medal, an honor given to Catholics "in recognition of outstanding service to the Church and society," upon Vice-President Joseph Biden at their 2016 commencement. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend, the diocese where the university is located, has denounced it as scandalous.

In an interview with Thomas McKenna of Catholic Action for Faith and Family Cardinal Burke discussed the position of Bishop Rhoades and his response to the scandal.

While explaining that bishop Rhoades was "simply exercising his responsibility as a teacher of the faith and as a bishop who has the care of a prominent Catholic university in his diocese" he stated, "what he says is absolutely true and most commendable." Cardinal Burke expressed dismay with the university and explained "I find it difficult to imagine that a Catholic university would assign its highest honor to any politician who favors abortion and who also advocates for the recognition of the sexual liaison of two people of the same sex as equal to marriage."

In response to Notre Dame's stating that it was bestowing this award to honor Vice President Biden for his public service in politics and not for his positions regarding support for abortion and same-sex marriage, Cardinal Burke clarified "…as much as one may want to praise certain positions which he has taken, at the same time one must realize that other positions are in the most grievous violation of the moral law and therefore make him ineligible to receive such an award from a Catholic university."

When asked about the point that Bishop Rhoades stated that this act would give public scandal, Carding Burke agreed and explained that "St. John Paul II observed in his apostolic exhortation on the laity, one of the greatest evils of our times is the tendency of Catholics to separate their faith from their daily living" and that this was exactly what was taking place. He concluded by saying that "… it is a great scandal within the Church, but it is also a great scandal within society in general which depends upon the Church to give a witness to the truth about human life and the family." The full interview can be found at CatholicAction.org.