Fr. Ted Hesburgh by Wilson Miscamble

Considered for many decades to be the most influential priest in America, famed Notre Dame president Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh played what many consider pivotal roles in higher education, the Catholic Church, and national and international affairs.

American Priest: The Ambitious Life and Conflicted Legacy of Notre Dame’s Father Ted Hesburgh examines his life and his many and varied engagements — from the university he led for 35 years to his associations with the Vatican and the White House — and evaluates the extent and importance of his legacy.

Author and Notre Dame priest-professor Fr. Wilson D. Miscamble, C.S.C. tracks how Hesburgh transformed Catholic higher education in the postwar era and explores how he became a much-celebrated voice in America at large. Yet, beyond the hagiography that often surrounds Hesburgh’s legacy, lies another more complex and challenging story.

Following Fr. Miscamble’s presentation, he will be joined in conversation by Francis X. Maier, Senior Advisor and Special Assistant to the Archbishop of Philadelphia, and William McGurn, Wall Street Journal editorial board member and author of the weekly “Main Street” column, and former Chief Speechwriter for President George W. Bush.