Notre Dame celebrates new pope; Father Dowd offers prayers
The bells at the University of Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart rang in celebration this afternoon, May 8, as white smoke billowed from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signaling that Cardinal Robert Prevost, O.S.A., has been elected the new pope.
Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, offered his prayers for Pope Leo XIV, elected by the College of Cardinals today in Vatican City as the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.
“The Notre Dame community joins with the Church worldwide in giving thanks and rejoicing in the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope,” Father Dowd said. “We celebrate his work as a tireless missionary who has never hesitated to cross borders to announce the Gospel. A leader of vision, humility and energy, he has inspired us with his compassion, generosity and love for the people of God. As he begins his pontificate, we pray that Pope Leo will always be blessed with the wisdom, courage and fortitude he will need.”
Notre Dame will celebrate a special Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV at 5:15 p.m. today in the Basilica. Father Dowd will preside.
Media contact: Carrie Gates, associate director of media relations, 574-993-9220, c.gates@nd.edu
Latest ND NewsWire
- Notre Dame student uses ‘American Ninja Warrior’ spotlight to fight world hunger via his nonprofitOn July 14 (Monday), a University of Notre Dame business student will compete in the semifinal round of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” to advocate for an end to world hunger, an ambition he works toward by making knotted dog toys and collecting donations to his nonprofit.
- In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 6 cancer medications found to be defectiveSerious quality defects were found in a significant number of cancer medications from sub-Saharan Africa, according to new research from the University of Notre Dame.
- Alumni Association awards 2025 Lennon Life PrizesThe Notre Dame Alumni Association recognized nine alumni clubs as recipients of the Lennon Life Prize — part of the Chuck and Joan Lennon Gospel of Life Initiative, a set of programs focused on encouraging the University’s dedicated network of clubs to uphold the value of life at all stages.
- Prioritizing prenatal care may decrease low birth weight outcomes in The Gambia, Notre Dame research findsA new study co-authored by University of Notre Dame researchers highlights the importance of prenatal care for improving the health of mothers and newborns, providing evidence that can inform policy.
- Navigating the waters of peace: Researchers address challenges, opportunities in implementation of Colombia's Peace AgreementNearly half of the commitments outlined in Colombia's historic peace accord face significant challenges and may not happen in time unless policymakers make several key interventions, warns a new report from Notre Dame's Peace Accords Matrix. The report offers a blueprint to salvage an accord that has lagged behind its implementation deadlines, putting its legacy at risk. It highlights timely fixes that can strengthen the agreement.
- ‘Returnless returns’ boost brands among consumersReturnless returns can increase brand support by fostering goodwill, according to John Costello and Christopher Bechler, assistant professors of marketing at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Their study, “Just Keep It: When and Why Returnless Product Returns Foster Brand Support,” is forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing Research.
