Breakfast
Informed discussions of current topics that bear on Notre Dame’s Catholic identity
During Reunion Weekend
Our Annual Breakfast during Reunion Weekend has become an extremely popular event with an overflowing attendance each year and a live broadcast of the program for those who are unable to be there in person. Over the years, knowledgeable speakers on faculty such as Prof. Patrick Deneen, Fr. Bill Miscamble, Prof. Gerry Bradley, Prof. Walter Nicgorski, Prof. Charles Rice, and Prof. Ralph McInerny have joined students, alumni and others to address a range of issues relating to Notre Dame‘s Catholic identity.
2007
origins
Our first panel discussion was held in the spring of 2007 with presentations focused on Father Jenkins’s approval of The Vagina Monologues. The event that year drew an audience that filled a large lecture hall. So did our 2008 and 2009 events — especially the latter, which dealt with Father Jenkins’s decision to honor President Obama, a decision that was harshly criticized by 83 cardinals, archbishops, and bishops.
In both years we were on the official Reunion Weekend program. But in 2010 the Alumni Association changed the long-standing policy under which that was possible. Expecting a much-reduced attendance, we moved that year to a Morris Inn meeting room and added a breakfast to the format.
As it turned out, we underestimated the program‘s draw. Although alumni attending Reunion Weekend were not told of it through the official calendar of events, word got out and the room was filled beyond capacity. So we moved the following year to the Conference Center and, with the exception of 2013, when we met in the Hilton Inn because the Morris Inn was closed for renovations, the event continued in that location until 2020, when Reunion Weekend was cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions — as it was again in 2021.
Since 2013, we have been streaming the program live with several hundred people participating virtually.
2025
James Bopp
Nationally Renowned Constitutional Litigator
James Bopp, Jr., principal attorney at The Bopp Law Firm, is a nationally renowned constitutional litigator whose landmark cases have reshaped the landscape of First Amendment and campaign finance law in the United States. Among many high-profile roles, he serves as General Counsel for the National Right to Life Committee and led the legal team for Citizens United.
This year, Mr. Bopp successfully defended The Irish Rover and its former editor-in-chief against a high-profile defamation lawsuit filed by Notre Dame Professor Tamara Kay. His decisive legal victory at both trial and appellate levels affirmed the essential freedom of Catholic students to report faithfully and truthfully on matters bearing directly on the Catholic mission of the University.
Saturday
May 31, 2025
William and Mary Ann Smith Ballroom (at Morris Inn)
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Complimentary breakfast opens at 7:15 AM EDT
Program 8:00 am – 9:30 AM EDT
Bill Dempsey
Fellowship Fund
Bill Dempsey
Fellowship fund
Few figures have given as much, for as long, to the cause of Notre Dame’s Catholic identity as Bill Dempsey. Well into his 90s, Bill continues to devote himself daily to the mission of Sycamore Trust with the same tenacity and conviction that marked his distinguished career. While many seek rest in retirement, Bill has found purpose—indeed, a calling—in this work, and that devotion has inspired and encouraged countless others.
Our Bill Dempsey Fellowship Fund is a way for supporters to follow in his footsteps by committing to ongoing support for Sycamore Trust’s vital efforts. This fund enables recurring contributions to sustain and expand our most essential initiatives, echoing Bill’s enduring commitment—steadily, meaningfully, and with purpose.
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previous programs
