Greetings, Colleagues,

Some of you may want to peruse the website set up in honor of the great Father Ted Hesburgh, CSC, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame.

Father Ted was a great, great man, extraordinarily accomplished and yet deeply humble. The fact that his ego was not in the way was, I think, what allowed him to bring so many together and to accomplish so much. He was, first and foremost, a simple priest.

The last time that I was able to go up to his office on the 13th floor of the Notre Dame library for a visit, we had a wonderful conversation about many things. He was already suffering from the advanced stages of macular degeneration and could see only with great difficulty. He used a magnifying glass for reading, and wrote with a felt-tipped pen because he could not see what he was writing without the thick lines.

When we parted, I felt moved to ask him for his blessing. He responded, “I will give you my blessing on one condition, Dave: That you also give me yours.” I was not a priest at the time.

If you would like to learn more about this GIANT in Catholic, American, and higher education history, here is a link to the website:

hesburgh.nd.edu

A Memorial Tribute featuring Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter and Condoleeza Rice will be live streamed at 7:30 pm EST this evening.

May this great and beloved man and priest rest in peace.

Collegially,

Dave