Fr. Ted Hesburgh was honored at the nation's capitol recently for reaching his 96th birthday. Although we know him primarily for his leadership of Notre Dame, many may not realize that he was an early prominent supporter of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, at a time when it was not popular for a white man to do that. The link I've attached mentions some of the criticism he received. I have my own Fr. Hesburgh story to tell. When I was just two months from graduating, a bunch of friends and I decided to go to the front steps of the Golden Dome to take a picture of ourselves together for one of our last times, in a place we all loved. On the walk over there, one of my friends got the bright idea to go up to Father Ted's office (we all referred to him as Father Ted or "Ted the Head" - remember the time period). That friend and I were deputized to go up to his office and ask him if he'd join us. To our delighted shock, he said he'd be right down. I have that picture today and will never forget that moment. Father Ted, you did many good things both great and small. Thank you for that one moment. God bless you.