Editor’s Note: February 26 marks the 10th anniversary of Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh’s death in 2015 at age 97. This essay is adapted from remarks George A. Lopez, Hesburgh professor emeritus of peace studies, delivered in March 2015 at a United States Institute of Peace tribute to Father Ted in Washington, D.C.
In 1985, when I was a professor at Earlham College, I spoke on a panel in Washington, D.C., for a national higher education association about what campuses could do to avert nuclear war. Just before the talk, the association director mentioned that one of its board members, Father Ted Hesburgh, would provide some opening remarks.
After the session concluded, Father Ted came up to me, shook my hand, put a hand on my shoulder and said something like, “That was a fine statement, young man. You Quakers at Earlham have put together a great program. Up at Notre Dame we are interested in building both a curricular and research program that will influence policy. Your place is not that far away, so you should come up and give us some advice. I'll be in touch.”
And off he went.
Read the full story at magazine.nd.edu.