NDWorks
Campus news for faculty and staff
 University of Notre Dame
SPECIAL EDITION
April 22, 2025
A graphic in black and brown tones reads Pope Francis, 1946--2025 with a picture of Pope Francis and the University of Notre Dame logo.

The Notre Dame community joins with the Church and the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis 

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Argentina, Pope Francis entered the Society of Jesus in 1958, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and became the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. In 2001, Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis was elected as his successor on March 13, 2013. He died on Monday, April 21, at age 88.
Two men in black cherical dress bend foward to shake hands with a sitting Pope Francis, a white man in white cherical dress.

Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., shares his reflections 

When Pope Francis last met with the University’s Board of Trustees in February 2024, he asked Notre Dame to continue educating students through “three languages: the head, the heart, and the hands.”
“Through his heroic and prophetic ministry, he has inspired and challenged us to respect the God-given dignity of all people and the integrity of creation. The Holy Father’s life and witness call us to awaken from indifference to the suffering of others, to embrace our responsibilities to one another and to be agents of faith, hope, and love for a world in need. As Pope Francis often reminded us, no one is far from God’s merciful love, and the Church must be a ‘field hospital’ to warm hearts, heal wounds, and open doors.”
— Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., University president

Watch Father Dowd’s conversation with Kasie Hunt on CNN following the passing of Pope Francis.
A silhouette of a church steeple on the backdrop of a bright blue sky

The life and legacy of Pope Francis

“Pope Francis was the first pope from the Global South, now Catholicism’s demographic center, and that has been hugely meaningful. This is reflected in his focus on the poor—a core theme of Latin American theology since the 1970s—and on migrants and the environment. It is also reflected in his commitment to ‘inculturation’ of the liturgy and Catholic life into local, often Indigenous cultures.” — John McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost and Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History
Read more from faculty members as they reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis.

Notre Dame Forum

Forum event canceled following Pope Francis’s death

The event titled “10 Years After Laudato si’: Faith, Anthropocene, and Justice in the Global South” is canceled due to the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, which will prevent Cardinal Barreto and Cardinal Turkson from traveling to campus. Visit the Notre Dame Forum website for more on upcoming events.
A picture of Pope Francis is displayed in a church alter adored with lilies

Rosary this evening in honor of Pope Francis; nine days of memorial Masses planned 

The Holy Father will be remembered at Masses in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, where doors are draped in black bunting and a photo of Pope Francis has been placed in the sanctuary. All are invited to say a Rosary today at 8:00 p.m. at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
An overhead view of Vatican City in Rome

Notre Dame Rome coordinates group to attend funeral services Saturday

The funeral of Pope Francis will be held at 10:00 a.m. local time Saturday, April 26, in St. Peter’s Square. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni in or traveling to Rome are invited to participate with the Notre Dame Rome community. Follow the link to the RSVP form for additional information.
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