The University of Notre Dame and the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest opened “Building Bridges of Faith,” a photographic depiction of papal visits to the Holy Land on Sept. 6 with a panel discussion on interfaith relations in the auditorium of the Hesburgh Center for International Studies. A reception followed on the main floor of the Hesburgh Library.
Forty-four photographs of four papal visits by Blessed Pope Paul VI, St. John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis are included in the collection, which is housed in the Hesburgh Library.
The 1964 visit of Pope Paul VI to the Holy Land (shown in the exhibit’s first series of photos) resulted in the creation of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. Tantur, which has been stewarded by Notre Dame since its founding, is devoted to cultivating understanding and cooperation among religious believers.
Panelists for the opening event included Rev. Edward “Monk” Malloy, C.S.C., president emeritus of Notre Dame; Rev. Brian Daley, S.J., professor of theology; Alan Dowty, professor emeritus of political science; Tzvi Novick, professor of theology; and Michael Pippenger, vice president and associate provost for internationalization.
The exhibit and conversation are in keeping with Pope Francis’s calling to “reflect deeply on the significance of the Jewish roots of our own faith” and to seek “mutual understanding of our spiritual heritage.”
“We are grateful for the opportunity to share these remarkable photographs with the Notre Dame community,” said Pippenger. “We are most thankful for the generosity of the Consulate General and for partnering with us in this endeavor. Our hope is that when people see the exhibition, they will be encouraged to reflect on the intersection of faith, place and heritage.”
The exhibit, organized by Notre Dame International, will be on display until Dec. 9. All events are free and open to the public.
Originally published by at international.nd.edu on August 24, 2017.