Annual Breakfast

Annual Breakfast

Informed discussions of current topics that bear on Notre Dame’s Catholic identity

Join me at @sycamoretrust's #AnnualBreakfast during #NDReunion2023 for a discussion about the legal, academic, and social challenges of transgenderism in America. #GoCatholicND Click To Tweet

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. 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.

Sycamore Trust is a model of calm and reasonable yet unrelenting friendly questioning of recent events on the South Bend campus. (Ralph McInerny 1929-2010.)

History

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.

Spread the Word

Although we are not listed this year in the official program for Reunion Weekend, our experience has been that most people learn about our Breakfast by word of mouth. Therefore, if you know of anyone who will be on campus for Reunion Weekend, please tell them about our event. And if you would like to help us further spread the word, please let us know.  You can contact us at (888) 844-1390 or info@sycamoretrust.org.

Registration & Information

If you will be in the South Bend area or plan to attend Reunion Weekend this year, please register for the event. We would love to see you!


Annual Breakfast 2023 (June 3)

 NOTE: To watch the livestream of our Breakfast presentations, you can register at the link above and use the information detailed in the confirmation email — or you can use the following link to join without registering: https://sycamoretrust.org/breakfast/2023/live/