Lecture Video
Deepening Notre Dame’s connection to the Holy See, the Keeley Vatican Lecture brings distinguished representatives from the Vatican to Notre Dame to explore questions involving Notre Dame’s Catholic mission.
Rev. Friedrich Bechina, F.S.O., Undersecretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, will present the lecture entitled, "The Holy See’s Higher Education Policy from St. John Paul II to Pope Francis.” Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, will introduce Father Bechina.
Download JPG of the web poster
A native of Vienna, Father Bechina served as in officer in the Austrian army and studied economics, philosophy and theology in Vienna and later at the Gregorian Pontifical University in Rome, from which he earned a doctoral degree in 1997 for his prize-winning doctoral thesis, “The Church as the Family of God.”
After years serving in parishes in Austrian Diocese of Feldkirch, Father Bechina was appointed to the Congregation for Catholic Education, and in 2013 became its undersecretary. Jointly responsible for more than 2,500 Catholic institutions of higher education, Father Bechina has since 2005 managed the congregation’s international activities in the area of higher education and represented the Holy See in relevant organizations and international initiatives.
Father Bechina also will preside at Mass at 11:30 a.m. April 6 in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Admission
Free and open to the public.
Directions
From the north: The University is located just south of the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90). Exit I-80/90 at Exit 77 and turn right onto Indiana 933. Make a left at the fourth stop light (Angela Boulevard), then turn left at the second stoplight (Eddy Street). Follow signs to visitor parking or to the Main Gate.
From the south: Take U.S. 31 north which becomes Indiana 933 just south of the city of South Bend. Stay on Indiana 933 through downtown South Bend to Angela Boulevard. Turn right onto Angela, and then turn left at the second stoplight (Eddy Street). Follow signs to visitor parking or to the Main Gate.
Click to enlarge the map or you can download a PDF version.
Parking
Check in with the guard at the Main Gate or the East Gate for directions and permits. Guests may park in Lots A9 and A15 for this lecture as space permits. Guests may also ride the Campus Shuttle Service until 7:00 p.m.
From A9: Enter Carol Sandner Hall and go up to the 2nd floor. Remick Commons is in the south end of the building (where it becomes Visitation Hall).
From A15: Walk toward the Dome. To the right of the Main Building is Brownson Hall, an old building with an arch. Walk through the arch and straight across the courtyard to enter Visitation Hall. Remick Commons is on the left.
Campus Shuttle Bus from Bulla/B21 Lot to the Main Building: Exit the bus at the Main Building. If looking at the Main Building, on the right is Brownson Hall, an old building with an arch. Walk through the arch and straight across the courtyard to enter Visitation Hall. Remick Commons is on the left.
Location
Remick Commons is in Visitation Hall, located behind and in between the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Main Building. Access and elevators are also available from the entrance to Carole Sandner Hall off of the A9 parking lot.
Additional Information
There will be photography and videography during the lecture. At this time, there are no plans to livestream the event.