For the Week of December 1.
This is a weekly digest of events and announcements for undergraduate and graduate students.
Arts and Performances
Exhibitions
Visio Divina: Contemplate with the Collection
Visio divina, or “sacred seeing,” is an ancient form of Christian prayer in which we allow our hearts and imaginations to prayerfully and meditatively enter into an image. Join in for guided sessions of visio divina with sacred art in the Mary, Queen of Families Chapel or with works of art in the galleries.
Tuesday, Dec. 2; 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Artful Storytime
Designed to help children develop their visual and verbal literacy skills, Artful Storytime is a partnership with the St. Joseph County Public Library. Each session includes stories, songs, artwork explorations, art-making, and more. This month, the group is exploring the beauty and magic of the nighttime. Free. This program is best for families with children ages 4 to 6.
Saturday, Dec. 6; 1 to 2 p.m. in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Open Studio
This monthly drop-in program is designed to help you connect with your creative side. It encourages participants to engage—in guided or freestyle ways—with materials inspired by the themes, techniques, and media of a featured work of art. This fall, the focus is on Quetzalcoatl by David Ocelotl Garcia.
Sunday, Dec. 7; noon to 5 p.m. in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Final Week to Visit the Osborne Exhibition
Don’t miss the final week of Homecoming: Walter Osborne’s Portraits of Dublin, 1880–1900 at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art—the first monographic exhibition in forty years celebrating one of Ireland’s most-heralded artists. Experience Osborne’s vivid portrayals of Dublin life and landscapes through Sunday, December 7.
Films
Rome, Open City (1945)
Rossellini’s powerful portrait of life under Nazi occupation follows everyday Romans who risk everything to resist. Featuring Aldo Fabrizi and a breakout turn from Anna Magnani, this gripping film—shot amid wartime devastation—became a cornerstone of Italian neorealism. In Italian and German with English subtitles. $7 adults, $6 faculty/staff, $5 seniors (65+), free for students.
Tuesday, Dec. 2; 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Dahomey (2024)
As 26 royal treasures looted from the Kingdom of Dahomey return from France to Benin, Mati Diop’s powerful documentary captures the charged debates their homecoming sparks. Blending history, activism, and spiritual reflection, Dahomey explores how a nation confronts its past. In English, French, and Fon with English subtitles. Free, but ticketed.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 7 to 8:15 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Autumn Sonata (1978)
Ingmar Bergman’s searing drama unites him with Ingrid Bergman for the only time, as she plays an icy concert pianist visiting her estranged daughter, portrayed by Liv Ullmann. Across one tumultuous night, long-buried resentments surface in a cathartic, unforgettable confrontation. In Swedish with English subtitles. Scheduled introduction by graduate student Maggie Wu. $7 adults, $6 faculty/staff, $5 seniors (65+), free for students.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 9:30 to 11:15 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
On the Adamant (2023)
Winner of the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival, Nicolas Philibert’s moving documentary invites viewers aboard the Adamant, a floating mental health day center on the Seine River. Through art, community, and shared humanity, the film offers an inspiring look at compassionate care and the bonds formed on this unique boat. In French with English subtitles. Free, but ticketed event.
Friday, Dec. 5; 7 to 8:45 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
The Met Opera Live in HD: The Magic Flute (Mozart)
A holiday favorite, the Met’s enchanting English-language production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns in Julie Taymor’s whimsical staging. Matthew Polenzani leads as Tamino, with Ying Huang as Pamina, Nathan Gunn as Papageno, Erika Miklósa as the Queen of the Night, and René Pape as Sarastro.
$23 adults, $16 children/students.
Saturday, Dec. 6; 1 to 3 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
The Beast (2023)
In a future ruled by AI, Gabrielle undergoes a procedure to erase painful emotions, reliving past lives where she repeatedly falls in love with Louis across eras. Léa Seydoux delivers a stunning performance in Bertrand Bonello’s haunting sci-fi epic about fate, identity, and human feeling. In English and French with English subtitles. Free, but ticketed event.
Saturday, Dec. 6; 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Elf (2003)
Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human raised at the North Pole whose boundless Christmas spirit sends him on a joyful journey to New York. Equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, Elf has become a modern holiday classic, celebrating family, wonder, and the magic of believing. $1.
Sunday, Dec. 7; 1 to 2:45 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Ex Machina (2014)
Alex Garland’s sleek, unsettling thriller follows a young programmer invited to his CEO’s remote compound to test the consciousness of Ava, an advanced humanoid AI. As boundaries blur between creator, subject, and observer, Ex Machina becomes a gripping exploration of power, desire, and control. Free, but ticketed event.
Sunday, Dec. 7; 4 to 5:45 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Performances
Theater: The Christmas Tempest
The Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company presents its fall auxiliary show, The Christmas Tempest, directed and written by Andy Ottone and assistant directed by Peter Escamilla. Shakespeare’s classic The Tempest is retold in this family-friendly comedy perfect for the holiday season. Tickets are available for free at the information booth/The StaND, LaFortune Student Center.
Friday, Dec. 5; 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Lab Theatre (enter through the back door), Washington Hall
Saturday, Dec. 6; 7 p.m.
Athletics and Sporting Events
Visit the Athletics composite schedule for events this week.
Educational and Research Opportunities
Hesburgh Libraries and Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship Workshops:
Click on the link to see more details and to register.
· Gathering Data from the Web Using APIs
Learn how to use APIs to harvest information from the internet in ways that would be difficult or impossible to do from just a website. Learn the basic tools and methods to gather data from various fields of interest, including sports and art.
Wednesday, Dec. 3; 3 to 4 p.m. in the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Room 246), Hesburgh Library
· ArcGIS Online for Absolute Beginners
This workshop will teach the foundations of mapping in ESRI’s ArcGIS Online, a browser-based GIS platform that allows users to create, visualize, and manipulate spatial data. Learn how to use ArcGIS Online to answer research questions with spatial data or create maps to add to a class project or thesis.
Wednesday, Dec. 3; 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Room 247), Hesburgh Library
· Introduction to Github and Markdown
Traditionally used for software development, Git and the online platform GitHub have been adopted for projects of all kinds, including humanities research. This workshop guides participants through the basic functions of contributing to a repository and writing documents in its preferred plaintext format, markdown.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 3 to 4 p.m. in Technology Commons (Room 264), Hesburgh Library
· Introduction to Zotero (Managing Humanities Research)
Participants will learn the open-source Zotero research tool, which allows scholars to create bibliographies easily. However, its capabilities also extend to broader areas of research management, note-taking, and sharing research.
Friday, Dec. 5; 11 a.m. to noon in the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Room 246), Hesburgh Library
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Research Opportunity:
TREAT Study Offers Engaging Activities for Autistic and Non-autistic Children
Families with a child between 3–5 years, can participate in a paid research study at Notre Dame’s Shaw Center. Families receive $15/hour for completing activities and can request clinical results from a play-based developmental assessment. Read about the study and how to join.
Faith and Service
Mass for Immigrants and Immigration Reform
All are invited to celebrate a special Mass and gather in prayer for immigrants and immigration reform in response to the recent call from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., will preach and preside.
Together, we pray that all people will work together to preserve the human dignity of immigrants while also pursuing meaningful reform of immigration laws and procedures that support national security. May we place the Church’s foundational concern for the human person at the center of all policymaking discussions, and pray for the fortitude to respond to all immigrants in our midst with a spirit of compassion.
Monday, Dec. 1; 5:15 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and via livestream
Underwear and Sock Drive for Center for the Homeless
Donate new underwear and socks in men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes to the Center for the Homeless. Collection boxes are in the first and third floor lobbies of Geddes Hall and the main concourse of Hesburgh Library through Sunday, December 14. Sponsored by the McGrath Institute for Church Life.
Exalt Advent Adoration
Karla Diaz, rector of Lyons Hall, will offer a reflection with praise and worship led by Totus Tuus. Confession and prayer teams will be available, followed by a cozy social with hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.
Friday, Dec. 5; 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the All Souls Chapel, Lyons Hall
Lessons and Carols with the Notre Dame Children’s Choir
Notre Dame Children’s Choir, including 150 students from around the region, will lead two services of Lessons and Carols with songs of hope this Advent season. Elementary age choirs perform at 1:00 p.m. and middle and high school choirs perform at 2:30 p.m. Sacred Music at ND graduate students conduct in this free after-school choral music program.
Saturday, Dec. 6; 1 to 3:30 p.m. in St. Joseph Chapel, Holy Cross College
Health and Recreation
Spill the Tea
Grab a cup and get ready to unwind and connect. The Peer Listeners are brewing up an evening of free tea, pastries, and real talk. This is a perfect chance to connect, share your campus experience, and get a free mug. Plus, the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being will “spill the tea” on how you can get involved with the Peer Listener program.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 6 to 8 p.m. in the Community Kitchen, LaFortune Student Center
Pretzels and a Pup
Take a paws and enjoy pretzels with Notre Dame’s Comfort K9, Órla.
Friday, Dec. 5; 12:15 to 1 p.m. in the McDonald Center (Room 215), Saint Liam Hall
Lectures and Presentations
Lecture—“Resurrecting Justice: How Christianity Can Renew Our Political Order”
In an event sponsored by the Maritain Fellows, Daniel Philpott, professor of political science, will lecture. Chick-fil-A provided.
Monday, Dec. 1; 7 to 8:15 p.m. in Room 104, Bond Hall
Lecture—“China’s Overseas Lending: From Boom to Bust”
In this lecture, Sebastian Horn from the University of Hamburg examines how China became the leading official creditor to the Global South. He explores how Belt and Road Initiative lending by Chinese state banks drives debt distress, shapes restructuring talks, and reshapes the global financial system.
Tuesday, Dec. 2; 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Room C103, Hesburgh Center for International Studies
Lecture: “Positive Campaigns and Their Challenges in Authoritarian Settings”
This talk by Orçun Selçuk from Luther College examines the Turkish opposition’s use of positive campaigning to counter polarization and authoritarianism. It analyzes how positive campaigns helped the opposition perform better in local elections than in national elections.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Room C103, Hesburgh Center for International Studies
Talk—“Modernist Syncretisms: Gabriele d’Annunzio, T.S. Eliot, and Religious Models for a Modern Aesthetic”
The Center for Italian Studies hosts Michael Subialka, associate professor of comparative literature and Italian at the University of California Davis. The talk focuses on D’Annunzio and Eliot’s use of global religions to reshape art and consciousness.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Rare Books & Special Collections (Room 102), Hesburgh Library
Moustafa Bayoumi in Conversation with Ebrahim Moosa
Ebrahim Moosa, the Mirza Family Professor of Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies in the Keough School of Global Affairs, will lead a conversation with Moustafa Bayoumi, an English professor at Brooklyn College, author of the award-winning book, How Does It Feel To Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America, and a columnist for The Guardian.
Thursday, Dec. 4; 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Andrews Auditorium (lower level), Geddes Hall
Lunch and Watch: Christmas Lecture Watch Party
Did you miss the Christmas Lecture with physicist and YouTube sensation Tatiana Erukhimova? You now have your chance to watch. Join the College of Science for free pizza and a watch party of her performance video. Free tickets will be available for pickup at the DPAC Ticket Office one hour prior to the performance (pick up no later than 15 minutes prior).
Friday, Dec. 5; noon to 1 p.m. in the Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Lecture—“God’s Existence: Did Kant Squash Aquinas’s Proofs?”
The History of Philosophy Forum announces that Sebastian Ostritsch, professor from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, will deliver a sponsored talk assessing Thomas Aquinas’s famous five proofs for God’s existence and the equally famous critique of the “Five Ways” by Immanuel Kant. Lunch from Chick-fil-A will be provided.
Friday, Dec. 5; noon to 1:15 p.m. in Carey Auditorium (Room 107), Hesburgh Library
Chinese Working Group Paper Presentation: “Japanese Media between 2D and 3D”
Amanda Kennell, assistant professor in East Asian Languages and Cultures and a Liu Institute faculty fellow, will present to the Chinese Working Group. Her current research project focuses on how digital media affect the physical world, including theme parks and archives, nuclear bomb fiction and historic materials, and media franchises.
Friday, Dec. 5; noon to 1 p.m. in Room 2148, Jenkins Nanovic Halls
Dean’s Speaker Series: Managing Your Happiness with Arthur Brooks
Discover how happiness is the true driver of success from Arthur Brooks, New York Times best-selling author of From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want (with Oprah Winfrey). Cosponsored by the Mendoza College of Business and the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government. No registration or tickets required.
Friday, Dec. 5; 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business
Social Gatherings
Multi-Language Reading Club
Join the Multi-Language Reading Club for an hour of fun reading in the language of your choosing.
Bring a foreign language book, magazine, or newspaper, or read one from the library collection.
Monday, Dec. 1; 4 to 5 p.m. in the Collaboration Hub (Room 120), Hesburgh Library
Korean Language Table: Bingo Game
Strengthen your Korean numbers and vocabulary through a fun, interactive Bingo activity. Enjoy learning and free Korean snacks while you play.
Monday, Dec. 1; 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Room 151, Decio Faculty Hall
Meet Me in My Country—“Across Borders, Across Seasons: Celebrations in Kenya and Ukraine”
Join in for a festive journey as the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures explores how holidays are celebrated in Kenya and Ukraine. From Christmas customs to New Year’s traditions, the presenters will share stories, foods, music, and cultural practices that bring people together during this special season.
Wednesday, Dec. 3; 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 104, Bond Hall
Be Your Own Santa Holiday Market
This is a festive and meaningful shopping experience for the South Bend community. Support the work of local entrepreneurs and wrap up your holiday shopping while enjoying family-friendly activities, sampling delicious food and live music, and perusing products from small-business owners who have graduated from the South Bend Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program, facilitated by the Keough School’s McKenna Center. There will be an opportunity for holiday photos, too.
Saturday, Dec. 6; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ignition Park, Catalyst Two Building—Technology Resource Center Community Entrance, 1165 Franklin St., South Bend
Tech Tips, Tools, and IT Maintenance
IT Maintenance on December 6
From 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday, December 6, the Office of Information Technology will perform various maintenance activities that may affect IT services you use.
Canvas Tip: Understanding the Icons and Colors in the Canvas Grades Page
Canvas uses icons for shorthand when indicating that students may have feedback on a quiz or more work to do on an assignment. Learning to recognize Canvas’s icons will help you navigate to the important things without wasting time.
We Are All ND
Curious About Sister Thea Bowman? Let’s Talk.
Join the staff of the Sister Thea Bowman Center for a 30-minute information session exploring her inspiring journey and bold mission. Discover how her legacy continues to shape our shared commitment to belonging at Notre Dame.
Monday, Dec. 1; 6 to 6:30 p.m. in the History Makers Room, Sister Thea Bowman Center (second floor), LaFortune Student Center