Stories of founder Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., are legend at the University of Notre Dame.
From the moment he arrived in the wilds of northern Indiana in November 1842, Father Sorin had a clear vision for founding a Catholic university that “could not fail to succeed” — one that would become a powerful force for good in the world.
Nearly 180 years later, the University continues to build upon the strong foundation he laid, staying faithful to that vision as it has become a preeminent research institution with a tremendous global reach and unwavering Catholic character.
But now, thanks to a trove of never-before-translated letters and a class taught by Rev. Gregory Haake, C.S.C., an associate professor of French, Notre Dame students are getting the chance to learn more about the young French priest defined by his unshakeable faith and determination — through his own words — and to share what they are uncovering with the world.
The Sorin Translation Project began in 2019 when a Notre Dame archivist, who was sorting materials received from the Congregation of Holy Cross, discovered boxes containing hundreds of letters written in French, both to and from Father Sorin, that had not been translated or even transcribed.
The archivist reached out to Sonja Stojanovic, an assistant professor of French and Francophone studies, who was able to incorporate a couple of the letters into her translation course that semester, before enlisting the help of Father Haake.
In spring 2020, they created a new course, Sorin in Translation, which focuses entirely on creating transcriptions and translations of the letters. Father Haake has now taught the course three times and hopes to continue to offer it for years to come.
Read the full ND Stories feature: Found in Translation
Produced by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications