Last Updated: February 5, 2010

Ethics & Culture in the News:

• January 8 - Look here for Wesley Smith’s list of the top ten bioethics stories of the decade.
  
  
• November 14 - New Bishop of Fort Wayne - South Bend Praises Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture. More.
  
  
• August 11 - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Dies at 88. More.
  
  
• April 22 - The Food and Drug Administration says seventeen-year-olds will be able to buy the “morning-after” emergency contraceptive without a doctor's prescription. More.
  
  
• April 22 - Bishop John D’Arcy, much beloved bishop of Fort Wayne -South Bend, released a statement today clarifying the meaning of the USCCB document, “Catholics in Public Life,” and discussing in some detail its implications for Notre Dame’s decision to invite President Obama to speak at this year’s commencement exercises at the University.  You may read his statement here.
  
  
• On March 24, Bishop John D'Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend issued a statement regarding President Obama's commencement address. Read Bishop D'Arcy's statement here.
  
  

• More News

This Week at Notre Dame:

For more information on events at Notre Dame, see the complete Ethics Bulletin.

Spring 2010 Schmitt Lecture - Professor Stephen Barr, University of Delaware

"The Argument from Design for the Existence of God and the Laws of Physics"

Tuesday, February 16th, 4:00 p.m.

McKenna Hall Auditorium

*Reception to follow along with the sale and signing of Barr's 2003 book, Modern Physics and Ancient Faith

The so-called Intelligent Design (ID) movement has led to increased discussion of design arguments for the existemce of God. Professor Barr will look at design arguments found in early Jewish and Christian writings and distinguish three kinds, which he calls the biological, the cosmic, and the providential.  He will discuss how each kind fares in the light of the  discoveries of modern science.

Remick and Myser Fellowships

Applications for the Center's two endowed visiting fellowships, the Remick Fellowship and the Myser Fellowship, were due February 1, 2010.  Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision on the applications no later than February 20, 2010.  Details about the fellowships and the application procedures can be found here for the Myser and here for the Remick.  The Mary Ann Remick Senior Research Fellowship is held this year by Alfred Freddoso, Ph.D. and the Myser Fellowship is currently held by Sarah Byers, Ph.D.

25th Annual Notre Dame Medical Ethics Conference - Rome, Italy

Join us in Rome March 12-13, 2010 to explore American and European approaches to some of the most difficult global issues in contemporary medical ethics. Hotel packages of 5 to 8 nights are available, as well as various guided tours before or after the conference. For more information visit http://www.anthonytravel.com/event_detail.cfm?EventID=453.

Notre Dame Fund to Protect Human Life

An exciting new initiative, to be administered by the Center for Ethics and Culture, is The Notre Dame Fund to Protect Human Life. The Fund, together with the five person committee which will oversee it, will provide a proactive impetus for pro-life activity on the Notre Dame campus, including support of the student right to life clubs as well as involvement of the faculty and administration.  For a summary description of the scope and plans for the Fund, click here.  To donate, please visit Notre Dame Department of Development http://supporting.nd.edu/make-a-gift/.

This fall's Catholic Culture Series featured four influential and fascinating authors, none of whom were Catholic. Yet the writings of T.S. Eliot, Simone Weil, C.S. Lewis, and Fyodor Dostoevsky all shared much in common with Catholic theology and philosophy.  For more information, including video recordings of the lectures, visit here.