Surfing around for analysis on the Notre Dame speech, I thought this observation, from Deacon Keith Fournier, put it all in context:

“I must admit that one line from Fr. Jonathan Morris, a guest commentator for Fox (who was excoriated by Randall Terry in the FOX broadcast) raised an analogy which broke through the veneer of congeniality about all of this. He asked the viewers to consider this scene: ‘Imagine Planned Parenthood giving a degree to Pope Benedict?’ The analogy worked, well done Father.

The University of Notre Dame is a part of the ecclesial community of the Catholic Church. So, it appeared to the world today that the Catholic Church conferred a Law Degree upon this President who is absolutely opposed to the fundamental ground of all Catholic Social Doctrine, the inviolable dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. In fact Fr. John Jenkins made it very clear in his introduction of the President that his vision of the nature of the Catholic Church was behind his decision to do so. He said that a Catholic University is a ‘part of the Church… a member of the mystical Body of Christ.’ So, he believed it was appropriate for the Church to confer a Law Degree on a world leader who denies the fundamental Human Right to Life for our littlest neighbors.”

You can read more at Catholic Online.