NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- On Friday, Pope Leo XIV received leaders of the University of Notre Dame in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.

The leaders received included Notre Dame's President, Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.; the Chair of the Board of Trustees, John Veihmeyer; Veihmeyer's wife, Beth; the vice president for mission engagement and Church affairs, Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C.; and the vice president and chief of staff, Ann M. Firth.

Father Dowd extended good wishes and prayers from the Notre Dame community to Pope Leo and presented him with a sculpture of St. John Henry Newman created by the late Rev. Anthony J. Lauck, C.S.C., a professor of art at Notre Dame.

Pope Leo and the Notre Dame representatives discussed how Notre Dame and other Catholic universities can serve the Catholic Church and how to foster human flourishing.

Pope Leo also expressed gratitude for Notre Dame's contributions as a Catholic research university and bestowed a blessing upon the entire Notre Dame family.