Pope Leo XIV received Father Robert Dowd, CSC, the president of the University of Notre Dame since 2024, along with other leaders of the university.
“The discussion 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,” according to a statement issued by the university. “The Holy Father expressed gratitude for Notre Dame’s many contributions as a global Catholic research university, and he encouraged Notre Dame to continue its efforts to build bridges.”