Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, was interviewed recently by the National Catholic Register about meeting Pope Francis with a delegation of University trustees and guests on Jan. 30, 2014.
Fr. Jenkins said the visit made a great impression on him, particularly the warmth by which the group was received by the Holy Father.
The Pope’s message also was inspiring. Fr. Jenkins said Pope Francis was both complimentary of the work Notre Dame is doing and encouraging the University to continue living its mission despite the threats to our faith.
“I think that combination gave us both the satisfaction that we’re doing something well, the challenge that we can do it better, and the reminder to make our calling as a Catholic university, that’s really at the heart of our mission, and we’ll continue doing that. That’s what I take from the visit with the Pope, and that’s what we’ll continue to reflect on and work on,” Fr. Jenkins said.
Read the entire Q&A with Fr. Jenkins online.
