Such large crowds gathered around [Jesus] that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables.
– Matthew 13:2-3a
The University of Notre Dame is a place filled with stories. From its humble origins when Holy Cross religious arrived at a snowy log cabin to the countless number of people who have come to this special place in the years since, stories have always connected us. Narratives of faith, connected to the Gospel, bind us together in a special way that nothing else can. Here, we share a collection of lives and stories that are meant to bolster our faith and move us to uncommon virtue. We are blessed to share them.
We invite you to listen as we hear from members of the Notre Dame family as they discuss living out their individual vocations and the universal call to holiness.
Memory Song
On this second Sunday of Easter, we step into the Notre Dame Folk Choir’s “Memory Song,” a prayerful overture that reminds us how beauty and hope persevere through any darkness. Watch as Will Buyske reflects on finding certain joy in the Resurrection.
I Will Go
“Who am I without you?” Join Notre Dame Folk Choir member Anna Keverline as she explores Mary Magdalene’s search for identity and the surprising joy found in the presence of the Gardener on this beautiful Easter morning!
Stabat Mater and Stations XIII & XIV
We return to the Magnificat Choir one last time for Stations XIII & XIV: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Placed in the Sepulchre. We journey together from desolation to quiet confidence with choir member Daphne McCabe. Experience the luminous energy of the final “Amen,” affirming that even in burial, hope lives beyond the tomb.
Mary’s Song
On this Good Friday, we enter into the silence of a mother’s grief at the foot of the cross. Watch Notre Dame Folk Choir member Lucy Noem’s moving reflection on the intimate bond between Mary and Jesus in his final moments.
Drawn Back to the Table
In the stress of the everyday, how do we “let go and let God?” Notre Dame Folk Choir member Maggie Kuka shares the infectious joy of the moment the disciples finally recognize Jesus at the table.
Veronica
What does it mean to say, “not my will, but Yours”? Watch Notre Dame Folk Choir member Anna Vavricek share how Veronica’s act of compassion on the road to Calvary mirrors Christ’s ultimate healing for all of us.
Could I Believe My Eyes
Wrestling with the tension between shame and excitement, Peter comes face-to-face with the risen Lord. Watch Notre Dame Folk Choir member Grace Rademacher reflect on the mercy that meets us even when we try to hide our faces in “Could I Believe My Eyes.”
Bethany
As we journey into Holy Week, we join the Notre Dame Folk Choir. Experience the “frugal-less love” of Bethany, where a simple meal becomes a radical act of devotion. Student Shannon Leavitt reflects on how our daily lives can become a witness to Christ’s love in this piece from Drawn Back to the Table.
Stabat Mater and Station XII
When the work is finished, sound fails. Doctoral student Louisa Conwill reflects on the profound power of silence as we prepare our hearts to contemplate the moment when Christ gives up his spirit in Station XII: Jesus Dies on the Cross.
Stabat Mater and Station XI
The Passion becomes irrevocable as the music ignites. Watch Lucia Aguzzi, President of the Magnificat Choir, describe the urgent, upward-reaching phrases that rise like flames against a darkening sky in Station XI: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross.
Stabat Mater and Station X
Public humiliation meets profound vulnerability. Magnificat Choir member Gwen Hymes invites you to a simple, transparent reflection as we pray to bear the death of Christ with him in Station X: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments.
Stabat Mater and Station IX
In the quiet of total depletion, we find the strength of sustained endurance. Join Veronica Ortiz as she explores the deliberate, grounded melodies that call us to accept the permanence of redemptive action in Station IX: Jesus Falls the Third Time.
Stabat Mater and Station VIII
Let your heart burn with the fire of Christ’s love. Junior Eva Wojcik reflects on the rapid, flickering notes in this piece that illustrate a visceral yearning for conversion amidst the grief of Jerusalem’s women in Stabat Mater and Station VIII: The Women of Jerusalem Weep Over Jesus.
Stabat Mater and Station VII
When fatigue deepens, how do we find the strength to rise? Join Sofia Nelson of the Notre Dame Magnificat Choir for a meditation on the unsettled rhythms and breathless physical strain of a body pushed beyond human endurance in Station VII: Jesus Falls for the Second Time.
Stabat Mater and Station VI
Can we witness the courage of compassion? Sophomore Caroline Jones explains how today’s music intimately captures the gasping breaths of our Savior through delicate notes and solitary pauses in Stabat Mater and Station VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus.
Stabat Mater and Station V
What happens when we are forced to witness suffering? Regan Ball discusses how Pergolesi uses silence and aggressive choral interruptions to turn us into active witnesses of Christ’s journey in Stabat Mater and Station V: Simon of Cyrene is Made to Bear the Cross.
Stabat Mater and Station IV
Can sorrow and joy coexist? Join Ella Flynn for a reflection, where surprisingly sunny and dance-like music reveals Mary’s steadfast hope in the glory of her Son’s sacrifice in Stabat Mater and Station IV: Jesus Meets His Mother.
Stabat Mater and Station III
Step into a sacred reflection on a mother’s grief with sophomore Aurelia Smolen. Listen to the sinking violin lines that mimic sighs of compassion as we contemplate the heavy weight carried in the heart of the Blessed Virgin in Stabat Mater and Station III: Jesus Falls the First Time. < Previous Video Next Video >
Stabat Mater and Station II
Watch as Tori Garascia, the Vice President of the Magnificat Choir and a member of the Class of 2027, explores the jagged melodies and grieving inflections that capture Mary’s raw anguish at the foot of the cross in Stabat Mater and Station II: Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross. < Previous Video Next Video …
Stabat Mater and Station I
As we begin our Lenten journey, we reflect on Stabat Mater and Station I: Jesus is condemned to death. Through this opening piece in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, the haunting harmonies and rising tension capture the sorrow of the Blessed Mother. Join us in receiving this music as prayer. Next Video >
A daily Advent journey featuring daily video reflections from alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
A daily Lenten meditation video featuring various pieces from the extensive Raclin Murphy Museum of Art Collection.
In partnership with the Notre Dame Folk Choir and campus community, a series of reflections featuring original songs from a musical ritualization of Christ’s final days.