Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is scheduled to speak at Ave Maria University's commencement ceremony on May 9, 2026. Peter Cancro, founder of Jersey Mike's, will deliver the commencement address at Benedictine College on May 16 and receive an honorary degree. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, will speak at the University of Dallas commencement on May 16 and be awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Monsignor James Shea, President of the University of Mary, will address graduates at his alma mater, The Catholic University of America. The commencement speakers for 2026 at various Newman Guide-listed schools include political figures, clergy, and business leaders.
about 8 hours ago
Prominent Catholic leaders, including politicians, clergy, business figures, and educators, will deliver commencement addresses at Newman Guide-listed Catholic universities in spring 2026.1
These events span from May 2 to May 18, highlighting faith, leadership, and cultural engagement.1
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Catholic and former presidential candidate, will speak at Ave Maria University on May 9.1
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, addresses University of Dallas graduates on May 16 and receives an honorary doctor of humane letters.1
University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea speaks at his alma mater, The Catholic University of America, on May 16, praised for his cultural engagement and wit.1
Peter Cancro, founder of Jersey Mike’s, delivers the address at Benedictine College on May 16 and earns an honorary doctor of humane letters for his faith-based charity, including a $5 million gift to Ave Maria School of Law.1
Napa Institute co-founder Tim Busch speaks to business and science graduates at Franciscan University of Steubenville on May 9.1
CatholicVote CEO Kelsey Reinhardt addresses Wyoming Catholic College on May 18, noted for her clarity on moral issues.1
EWTN host Chris Stefanick speaks at Walsh University on May 2, receiving an honorary doctorate of applied theology, emphasizing purpose and service.1
Anne Carroll, founder of Seton School and wife of Christendom College founder Warren Carroll, speaks on May 15 and is honored for contributions to Catholic life.1
Father Robert J. Spitzer, SJ, addresses humanities graduates at Franciscan University on May 9.1
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa celebrates the baccalaureate Mass there.1
University presidents laud speakers for joy, evangelization, and countering cultural challenges.1
Evaluate Catholic universities’ choice of commencement speakers
Catholic universities, as outlined in Church teaching, serve the Church's evangelizing mission while pursuing academic excellence and cultural dialogue. Their choice of commencement speakers must align with this identity, fostering witness to Christ rather than compromising on intrinsic moral evils. Key principles emphasize maintaining Catholic doctrine, avoiding scandal, and ensuring that public honors reflect the institution's commitment to truth.
The apostolic constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae (1990) by Pope St. John Paul II defines the Catholic university's core mission: it is a "living institutional witness to Christ and his message," especially in secular cultures. All academic activities—research, teaching, and dialogue—must harmonize with evangelization, forming students in faith, ethical judgment, and service. This extends to service for society, addressing issues like human dignity, justice, and peace, but with courage to proclaim "uncomfortable truths" against public opinion if needed.
Pope St. John Paul II reinforced this in speeches, stressing that Catholic universities must synthesize faith and culture, train leaders who witness publicly, and form communities of "living and operative Christianity." They affirm God, revelation, and the Church unequivocally, rejecting any dilution of their "Catholic" qualification. Faculty and administrators share responsibility for this identity, with teachers faithful to doctrine and non-Catholics respecting it; non-Catholic teachers should not form a majority. Student formation includes ethical and religious principles.
Pope Benedict XVI, echoed in scholarly analysis, highlighted fostering "personal intimacy with Jesus Christ" and "communal witness" as indispensable, liberating youth from positivism through "intellectual charity"—leading to truth as an act of love. Universities evoke desire for faith and ecclesial commitment without making conversion primary, yet must live the faith professed.
Commencement ceremonies are solemn occasions where universities honor speakers in their name, signaling alignment with institutional ends. Awarding honorary degrees implies endorsement of the honoree's vision relative to the university's Catholic purpose. Choices must thus promote the synthesis of faith and reason, not fragment knowledge into nihilism.
The U.S. bishops affirm welcoming dialogue with leaders but caution against "photo ops" substituting for serious engagement. However, invitations set the dialogue's terms: honoring a speaker despite grave moral deficits (e.g., abortion support) proportionally weights issues, potentially mirroring secular proportionalism over absolute goods like life.
David L. Schindler's critique of Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama illustrates risks. Despite Obama's achievements and stated disagreements on abortion and stem-cell research, the honorary law degree honored him amid these deficits. This implied a weighting where non-life issues outweighed intrinsic evils, defining dialogue's horizon in secular terms—dialogue as the "only unconditional good," detached from witness to absolute truths.
Schindler argues true dialogue requires prior clarity on stakes, especially unconditional goods like innocent life, demanding "witness with one's whole being." Inviting proponents of "homicidal instrumentalism" against the vulnerable (e.g., embryos) risks scandal, as the twentieth century's brutalities teach: some evils demand embodied witness, not neutral platforms. Notre Dame, as a key articulator of Catholic higher education, bears heightened responsibility.
To evaluate speakers:
| Criterion | Magisterial Guidance | Implications for Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity to Doctrine | Teachers/administrators promote/respect Catholic identity; theologians faithful to Magisterium. | Speakers should not publicly oppose core teachings (e.g., life issues); avoid those whose views undermine dignity. |
| Evangelistic Witness | Institutional witness to Christ; evoke faith desire. | Honors must foster Gospel permeation of culture, not equivocate Catholic nature. |
| Cultural Dialogue | Synthesize sciences sapientially; address contemporary problems ethically. | Dialogue yes, but not at cost of truth; courage for "uncomfortable truths." |
| Avoiding Scandal | Community bears operative Christianity; no majority non-Catholics. | Public platform signals weighting; prioritize life over proportionalism. |
High-authority sources (Ex Corde Ecclesiae, papal speeches) prioritize identity and witness over open-ended dialogue. Scholarly critiques (e.g., Schindler) apply these to specifics like Notre Dame, noting risks in secular cultures. No sources endorse inviting direct opponents of intrinsic evils for commencements.
Catholic universities should select speakers who embody their evangelizing mission, reinforcing faith-culture synthesis and moral absolutes. Invitations contradicting this—especially on life—risk diluting identity and scandalizing the faithful. Prioritize witnesses to truth, ensuring commencements edify rather than equivocate.