A Message from Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.: January 15, 2026

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community,

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that 2026 is off to a great start for you. Even as we reconvene as a community grateful for God’s abundant blessings and looking forward to all that lies ahead this semester, we are ever mindful of those impacted by violent conflict and war around the globe, including in Israel/Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, Sudan, and elsewhere.

As many of you know, I had the opportunity in November to meet with Pope Leo in Rome, accompanied by other University leaders. We talked about a number of issues, including artificial intelligence, immigration, and the role of Catholic colleges and universities. I was struck by his wise and profound insights about these issues, but perhaps most of all, I came away inspired by his capacity to truly listen.

Our country and our world need great listeners like Pope Leo. We live in an especially “noisy” time, when it seems the loudest and most extreme voices in our society receive a disproportionate share of our collective attention. Amid the noise, it is easy to engage only with those who reinforce our ideas or beliefs. And yet, on our journey toward the truth, we know that to grow in understanding and wisdom requires us to work at being good listeners, to open our minds and hearts. Our ability to listen and to engage thoughtfully with the ideas, perspectives, and experiences of others lies at the heart of our common life at a Catholic university dedicated to faith and scholarship.

As we begin a new semester, let us recommit ourselves to respectful attentiveness and to constructive and robust engagement—through our teaching, learning, and research, in our workplaces, in the residence halls and on the playing field, and in our interactions with all those we encounter. In so doing, we will become the seekers of truth, sustainers of hope, and builders of bridges we hope to be.

As we look ahead to our annual observance of Walk the Walk Week (January 24–31), I invite you to join me for our University-wide Candlelight Prayer Service in the Rotunda of the Main Building at 8:00 p.m. Monday, January 26, and at the other keynote events planned for that week. In an increasingly polarized and fractured world, Walk the Walk Week offers us the opportunity to reflect on how to foster a true sense of belonging within this community and beyond. Our efforts in this regard flow directly from our Catholic faith and our mission as a Catholic university. At Notre Dame, we walk together as a community of faith, hope, and love, and none of us need walk alone. Let us work together to build a community and world that reflect ever more fully God’s love and mercy and the richness of his creation.

As you know, this year’s Notre Dame Forum theme is “Cultivating Hope.” I am grateful for the many thought-provoking events that have been part of this year’s Forum so far, and I am excited about the events planned for the spring semester. It has been our custom to announce the Notre Dame Forum theme for the coming academic year early in the spring, to give faculty, staff, and students enough time to plan Forum-related events across a wide range of topics. I am pleased to announce that the Notre Dame Forum theme for 2026–27 is, “What Does It Mean to Live a Good Life?” A question that humanists and artists have pondered for centuries, it has great relevance for us all, and I look forward to the dialogue across and within the various disciplines as we take up this question together.

As we begin a new semester, let us once again ask for God’s blessing on all of our endeavors, and for the courage and faith to live as people of hope. Know that you and your loved ones are always in my prayers.

Sincerely Yours in Notre Dame,

Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.
President

January 15, 2026