This is a weird bit of news, but nothing surprises me anymore:

When President Obama gave his economics speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, several folks noticed something was missing.

That “something” was an ancient monogram — the letters IHS — that symbolizes the name of Jesus. (Seen at the left — ed.) It was missing from a wooden archway above the dais in Gaston Hall where the president delivered his 45-minute speech.

The gold-lettered monogram appeared near a painting of three female figures — symbolizing morality, faith and patriotism — and decorative edging along the wall that spelled out the Jesuit motto “Ad majorem Dei gloriam”—”To the greater glory of God.” Georgetown was founded by the Jesuits.

Some of them may have been turning in their graves in the cemetery across campus at the sight of the missing monogram which looked like a blacked-out space above a blue backdrop and a row of American flags flanking the nation’s chief executive. Was Georgetown selling short its Catholic heritage, we wondered.

I contacted the university this morning to ask why the monogram — in this post-Easter season — was hidden as its absence had been noted by several bloggers, including Dawn Eden — formerly of the New York Post — on her dawn patrol blog.

Julie Bataille from the university’s press office e-mailed me that the White House had asked that all university signage and symbols behind the stage in Gaston Hall be covered.

“The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they’ve done for other policy speeches,” she wrote. “Frankly, the pipe and drape wasn’t high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross above the GU seal and it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context.”

There’s more at the link.

Below, what the audience saw. UPDATE: The always-astute Deacon Keith Fournier at Catholic Online has added his two cents on this controversy:

“I.H.S.” is derived from singling out the first letters of three Latin words, Iesus (Jesus), Hominum (of men) and Salvator (Savior). In this symbol is contained the very core of our Catholic identity.We proclaim that Jesus Christ is sent from the Father as the Savior of all men and women. Whether this White House requested the Christian symbols to be covered is a fitting subject for further investigation, particularly in light of the Department of Homeland Securities’ announcement the next day that overtly Pro-Life Christians (read every faithful Catholic) could be terrorists. However, what is scandalous about what occurred at Georgetown University is the behavior of Georgetown University.

By their actions the leadership effectively denied the central claim of the Catholic faith by covering these symbols. With the Passion narrative still echoing in our Catholic ears we should recall the two men who did so on that night when Jesus was arrested. The one named Peter repented and turned back to the Lord. He was forgiven and became the very Rock upon which the Church, the Body of the Risen Jesus Christ, was built. The other named Judas suffered a horrid death and has become synonymous with every act of apostasy since. The Question now faces the leadership of Georgetown University. Which one are you?