University President Emeritus Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., speaks during a reception celebrating his 96th birthday in the U.S. Capitol

It was all for him, a celebration of 96 years of a life well-lived, 70 of them as a Catholic priest from Notre Dame, Indiana.

The personal invitation from U.S. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi. The applause as he entered the wood-paneled Rayburn Room on the House side of the U.S. Capitol. The intimate invocation from Theodore Cardinal McCarrick. The surprise appearance of Vice President Joe Biden. The personal anecdotes, heartfelt adulation and hugs shared by a lineup of senators and members of Congress.

Then there was the double-wide chocolate cake, big enough to feed a few hundred Notre Dame alumni and other Capitol Hill well-wishers and cheerfully inscribed, “Happy Birthday, Father Hesburgh.”

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I can’t help but feel on this Feast of Pentecost some writings of Karl Rahner, who said that the spirit is manifested and known in the devastation of Jesus’ heart on the cross. That has always fascinated me, the coming together of opposites. And I feel, and I want to accept this wonderful gift, if you will, of recognition not simply to those who flank me here, but on behalf of all the families and the siblings and the volunteer catechists who have made this a reality for so many.

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Mary Ellen O’Connell, Robert and Marion Short Professor of Law and Research Professor of International Dispute Resolution at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, will testify today (May 22) before the House Judiciary Committee on “Protecting U.S. Citizens’ Constitutional Rights During the War on Terror.”

One of the world’s leading experts on the law respecting targeted killing, O’Connell is author of “What Is War?” and “The Power and Purpose of International Law.” She has testified before Congress numerous times on drones, and again will help clarify the law regarding the Constitutional and human right to life in war and peace. O’Connell’s full testimony is available here.

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The following is a statement from Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, on the tornado that swept through an Oklahoma City suburb on May 20, 2013, causing numerous deaths and injuries:

“The prayers of the Notre Dame community are with all who have been affected by the devastating tornado that swept across Oklahoma, in particular, as well as Texas and Kansas. To those who have lost loved ones, you have our deepest condolences. To those who have been injured, may God provide you with comfort and healing. To those who have responded with assistance to this tragedy, you have our heartfelt appreciation. And to those who are able, please consider donating to relief efforts through organizations such as Catholic Charities USA and the American Red Cross.”

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The University of Notre Dame Nonprofit Professional Development program, located at the Mendoza College of Business, is offering a 10-day leadership program for executives in Catholic organizations. Held July 8-18 in the Giovanini Commons in the College’s lower level, the Catholic Leadership Certificate Program offers a range of topics vital for organizational development within the context of furthering the Catholic mission.

“The leaders attending this program face some very unique challenges,” said Marc Hardy, director of Nonprofit Executive Programs. “As with any business, they’re responsible for creating a strategy of growth, often amidst limited resources and exponentially increasing demands for services. At the same time, they want to be effective not just in the business sense, but in serving the Church. We supply them with a toolkit of knowledge and skills that help them to meet this twofold challenge.”

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One hundred sixty-nine University of Notre Dame graduating seniors embarking on a year or more of service in this country and abroad were honored during the University’s annual Service Send-Off ceremony on May 18 (Saturday) in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center’s Leighton Concert Hall.

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, commended the seniors for their commitment to service. Nearly a quarter of the graduates will join the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) or programs that share its model to serve as educators in the nation’s Catholic schools. Others will serve in the Peace Corps and Teach for America. Still others will mentor AIDS orphans in South Africa, cultivate sustainable agriculture in the South Pacific islands, foster spiritual formation in the nation’s parishes, or provide a host of other services that match the mission of Notre Dame.

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Ruilan Guo, an assistant professor in the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been named a recipient of a 2013 U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Development Research Program award. The program, now in its fourth year, is designed to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by providing support to exceptional researchers during the crucial early career years, when many scientists do their most formative work.

Guo’s primary research interests are focused on development and characterization of novel polymeric materials with applications in areas impacting both energy and the environment. Her research topics include studies on molecular design, synthesis and characterization of new co-polymers for cleaner energy production (fuel cells), high-performance polymer membranes for gas/liquid separations and water purification, structure-property relationship of polymer networks/gels, atomistic study on polymer-free volume, and polymer coatings.

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Delivered at Notre Dame’s 168th University Commencement Ceremony, held May 19, 2013 in Notre Dame Stadium

Thank you, Notre Dame, for the joy of your company, the gracious invitation, the warm welcome, and the high honor of this degree.

It was so obvious I almost missed it . . .

See, ever since, almost a year ago, Father Jenkins, with characteristic thoughtfulness, invited me to deliver this commencement address, I’ve been mulling over just what to say to you, class of 2013.

Only Friday a week ago I still had not yet completed this talk, and I got on the train in New York City to travel to D.C. In Philadelphia, a distinguished looking man boarded the train and sat next to me.

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A chance Mother’s Day encounter with a Jewish alumnus of Notre Dame provided Cardinal Timothy Dolan, principal speaker at the 168th University Commencement Ceremony, with the inspiration for his address: The proud graduate revealed to Cardinal Dolan the “secret” that makes Notre Dame great. (Watch Video / Read Address)

“‘It’s not the library, as first-rate as it is. It’s not the professors and the courses, as stellar as they are. It’s not the campus, as enchanting as it is, or even the football team, as legendary as it is, or even the magnificent service projects,’” Cardinal Dolan told the graduates.

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Delivered at Notre Dame’s 168th University Commencement Ceremony, held May 19, 2013 in Notre Dame Stadium

Cardinal Dolan, Father Jenkins, distinguished faculty and guests, family, friends and fellow graduates: When I began to consider what I would say in this address, I was overwhelmed by the amount I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. My initial thought was that I wanted it to be unique. So many of these speeches are the same, using cliché after cliché to get one’s point across. As I considered this idea further, I was struck by the realization that these addresses are so often delivered in this way because that is, perhaps, the simplest and most genuine way of communicating a message that is otherwise impossible to articulate. In light of this insight, then, my message to you today will proceed in just three simple steps. It is a message that we can use to find meaning in those thousands of Notre Dame moments, and it is a message, I hope, that we will all carry in our hearts for the millions of little moments to come.…

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