Laetare Medal winner Kerry Alys Robinson, CEO and executive director of Catholic Charities USA, builds trust in the Church by meeting human needs.Her enthusiasm for providing service to vulnerable people, as well as her advocacy for leadership roles in the Church for women, laity, and young people, led Notre Dame to award Robinson the 2025 Laetare Medal—the oldest and most prestigious honor given to American Catholics—at Notre Dame’s 180th University Commencement Ceremony on May 18.

Get to know Bennett Schmitt, the salutatorian for the Class of 2025. He'll graduate with a degree in an environmental sciences and applied maths with a minor in energy studies this weekend.

As the cardinals gather in Rome for the conclave, you may be wondering what lay Catholics can do to support the process. Rev. Brian Ching, C.S.C., rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame, shares his thoughts on the process and asks that we join in prayer for the Spirit's guidance over the election process.

On Thursday, April 24, 2025, the Notre Dame community gathered for a Memorial Mass to mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, give thanks for his extraordinary life and legacy, and ask God to receive him into His loving embrace.University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., presided.

G. Marcus Cole is the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School shares his motivations for fighting for religious liberty.

Notre Dame is committed to educating a different kind of lawyer—one rooted in Catholic social teaching. From real-world clinics to high-stakes cases like protecting the sacred Apache Oak Flat, students are prepared to serve with both skill and conscience.In this episode of Notre Dame Stories, G. Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, shares why protecting religious freedom—especially for minority and land-based faiths—is essential to safeguarding all human rights. He reflects on the broader impact of the Law School’s work with the Apache people and other global efforts.Learn how Notre Dame is fighting for religious freedom in all its forms—and how future lawyers are learning to do the same.Show links: Episode page (https://stories.nd.edu/podcasts/faith-freedom-religious-liberty/) Fighting For website (https://fightingfor.nd.edu/) Fighting for Religious Liberty (https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2024/fighting-for-religious-liberty-for-all/)