photo: Simone Risoluti / Vatican Media
Donnelly College President Monsignor Stuart Swetland recently returned from Rome after joining fellow presidents from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities for a series of meetings exploring the future of Catholic higher education.
During the visit, Catholic college leaders participated in presentations on topics shaping higher education and society, including artificial intelligence, environmental stewardship, immigration and other issues facing the global Church. The delegation also met with Pope Leo XIV during a special audience, where the Holy Father encouraged Catholic colleges and universities in their mission of educating students through faith and reason.
Monsignor Swetland also had the opportunity to present Pope Leo with a meaningful gift: a baseball signed by Chicago White Sox Hall of Famer Nellie Fox, one of the Pope’s childhood heroes. The exchange reflected both the personal warmth of the visit and the shared humanity that Pope Leo continues to emphasize in his ministry.
Following his return, Monsignor Swetland shared his reflections in a new commentary published by the National Catholic Register. In “Pope Leo Speaks to the Heart, and the World Is Listening,” he reflects on Pope Leo’s leadership, his message of Christian humanism and why people around the world are responding so strongly to his witness. (National Catholic Register)
We invite the Donnelly community to read Monsignor Swetland’s commentary and learn more about this memorable experience.
Read the full article in the National Catholic Register.