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A particularly recognizable figurehead throughout the Notre Dame community, Rev. Edward “Monk” Malloy has many distinguishing titles. Serving as president of the university for 18 years and a priest for 51 years, Malloy has seen a lot and done even more during his time and affiliation with Notre Dame. Initially recruited to play basketball in 1959, Malloy found his home in Farley Hall. He returned as a faculty member in 1974. Now president emeritus and resident of Sorin Hall, Malloy continues to reach out to the community of students in various fashions, most recently through the publication of his 11th book, “Monk’s Notre Dame: People, Places, and Events.”

 

How would you say your “love affair” with the University of Notre Dame began?

I fit right in from the first day I arrived. I never knew what people called homesickness being here. I had a very good and loving family, but I was interested in the excitement of college, living away from home, the athletic competition, all that sort of thing. Notre Dame encompassed all of it perfectly. But it comes down to the community. Even through tragedy, we rise; I have a lot of pride. It is why people come back.

 

What specifically inspired you to write book number 11?

Reflections of the people, places, and various events from my time at Notre Dame have always been a topic I wanted to write about and the opportunity came along to write the book.

 

How does this book encompass your love for Notre Dame and what it means to you?

This book encaptures a bit of what this university is about. It includes a wide variety of material. A brief history of Notre Dame organized by president, another section is a history of Notre Dame, as it grew physically under each president. I have a whole long section on the natural beauty of Notre Dame: the lakes, the human environment, the cemeteries, the statuary. I wrote the book in such a way that it's a book to dip into; you don't have to read it from beginning to end. I feel lucky to have spent much of my adult life here at Notre Dame; I'm a lifer.

 

How do you feel about the climate on campus specifically regarding the COVID-19 pandemic?

We have had moments in the past like this, people often forget. In the 1850s, cholera killed over 20 people in a relatively small campus. We could have closed during the Civil War, yet we stayed open. The main building burned down. We survived the First and Second World Wars. The Great Depression. This pandemic has affected everyone; there is no way to avoid it. But I think what Notre Dame has done under Father Jenkins’ leadership is just extraordinary. To keep open and come together is incredible. We, as a community, needed it. We must continue to lean on each other as we get through this.