CORRECTION: We mistakenly reported this morning that Anthony Picarello is an anti-Catholic activist. The person we intended to identify as such is Harry Knox. Anthony Picarello is in fact General Counsel of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and was also appointed as an advisor on faith-based partnerships.

Even as the University of Notre Dame angers Catholics nationwide with its plan to bestow an honorary doctorate of laws on President Barack Obama on May 17, Arizona State University has declined to do the same when the President speaks at its commencement ceremony the prior Wednesday.

“If a public university can deny the President an honorary degree, then one would think that a Catholic university could do the same for much more important reasons: to uphold its Catholic mission, to obey the U.S. bishops, and to put principle over prestige,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society.

ASU spokeswoman Sharon Keeler told The Associated Press: “It’s our practice to recognize an individual for his body of work, somebody who’s been in their position for a long time. His body of work is yet to come. That’s why we’re not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency.”

On the other hand, Catholics are outraged by the honor at Notre Dame because of President Obama’s established record on abortion and other moral issues while an Illinois state legislator, United States senator and U.S. President.

In his first 11 weeks, already President Obama has allowed taxpayer funding for abortions and embryonic stem cell research, nominated pro-abortion Catholic Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced anti-Catholic activist Harry Knox as an advisor on faith-based partnerships, and threatened conscience protections for Catholic healthcare workers.

Notre Dame’s planned honor for President Obama has been protested by students and alumni, 29 Catholic bishops, 10 Holy Cross priests and a quarter million Catholics at NotreDameScandal.com, which was established by The Cardinal Newman Society.