On Friday, 14 November, Pope Leo XIV received Fr. Robert Dowd, C.S.C., President of the University of Notre Dame, in a private audience in the Apostolic Palace. Fr. Dowd was accompanied by John Veihmeyer, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Beth; Fr. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C., Vice President for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs; and Ann M. Firth, Vice President and Chief of Staff.

As reported by the university, their conversation“centered on the role Notre Dame and other Catholic universities can play in serving the Church, addressing the challenges of our times, and fostering human flourishing. The Holy Father expressed gratitude for Notre Dame’s many contributions as a global Catholic research university, and he encouraged Notre Dame tocontinue its efforts to build bridges.”

Driven by the vision of Blessed Basile Moreau whosaw education as“a work of theresurrection”, the Congregation’s educational institutions throughout the world, which educate more than 90,000 students, are committed“to contribute to preparing the world for bettertimes than ours.”