The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic academic community of higher learning, animated from its origins by the Congregation of Holy Cross. As such, it is committed to scholarship and service that benefits the Church and society. As University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., ’76, ’78 M.A. has said, Notre Dame seeks to be “a powerful force to heal, unify, and enlighten our world.” There are myriad ways in which this Catholic identity is carried out at the University in every division and department, from the Theology Department to the Athletic Department. There are also many ways that Notre Dame devotes resources toward its calling in a structured and institutionalized way. What follows is a sampling of how Notre Dame carries out its mission as a Catholic institution that serves the Church and the world.

Theology Department 

Notre Dame’s Theology Department combines teaching, service, research, and scholarly publication, all focused on the mystery of God’s relationship with humanity; the department offers five graduate degrees, including the Master of Divinity program that trains future lay and ordained ministers.

The Office of Campus Ministry

The Office of Campus Ministry serves students of all faith backgrounds and coordinates liturgy and faith formation for Catholic undergraduate and graduate students.

Center for Social Concerns

The Center for Social Concerns is the place where service and learning meet for Notre Dame students and faculty; the CSC helps students find post-graduate service placements and coordinates community engagement with about 50 local organizations.

McGrath Institute for Church Life

A host of programs within the Institute for Church Life carry out its mission to bring teaching, research, and service to bear on the life of the Catholic Church: STEP offers online theology courses, ECHO trains catechetical leaders for parishes, Vision brings high school students to campus for vocational retreats, and the Center for Liturgy promotes liturgical renewal.

Notre Dame Office of Life and Human Dignity

The Notre Dame Office of Life and Human Dignity connects Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life to education and research programs at Notre Dame. By fostering a respect for human dignity among students, faculty and staff, the office forms Catholic leaders equipped to promote pastoral practices supportive of major life issues in parishes, schools and all levels of Church life.

Alliance for Catholic Education

The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) focuses on forming teachers and leaders for Catholic schools, as well as sharing expertise and addressing special concerns in Catholic education.

Mission Engagement and Church Affairs

The Office of Mission Engagement and Church Affairs cultivates the University’s Catholic and Holy Cross mission and catalyzes Notre Dame’s service to the Church.

de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture

The de Nicola for Center for Ethics and Culture is the leading center for scholarly reflection on the Catholic intellectual tradition at the University; it promotes Catholic thought through conferences and special projects.

Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism

The Cushwa Center is recognized as the leading center for historical study of Roman Catholicism in the United States.

Kellogg Institute for International Studies

The Kellogg Institute organizes relationships with developing countries to promote human development and solidarity; it is also a center for wider Catholic scholarship on global challenges.

Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

The University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs, is one of the world’s leading centers for the study of the causes of violent conflict and strategies for sustainable peace. Kroc Institute faculty and fellows conduct interdisciplinary research on a wide range of topics related to peace and justice.

Office of Sustainability

The pursuit of sustainability is directly related to the Catholic Mission of the University. As Pope Benedict XVI observed in Caritas in Veritate, “The environment is God’s gift to everyone and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.”

Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights

The Klau Center engages its mission to promote civil and human rights in three ways. Through academic programs, we seek to make the study of civil and human rights a centerpiece of education at Notre Dame. Through support of research and curricular development, we seek to broaden our understanding of these issues. Through initiatives and public events, we seek to engage a broader audience and encourage innovative approaches to promoting human dignity.