Remembering Fr. Ted.

Two special cigars indeed!

Regardless if you were an alumnus from years past or a current student, you knew Fr. Ted. Despite his limited mobility, there's was a pretty good chance that you met him in his office on the 13th floor of the Hesburgh Library. That was exactly the case for Jake Wittenberg, Steds sophomore, when he went... Wait. I'll let Jake tell you his Fr. Ted story. Jake wrote:

Legend has it that Father Ted’s office is the only room on campus where indoor smoking is allowed, and, in this case, the legend was true. On a recent visit to meet Father Ted, he sat behind his beautiful wooden desk and puffed a cigar as we introduced the University Affairs team and ourselves individually, sharing our majors, hometowns, and hobbies. As we sat there in his wood paneled office, overlooking Stonehenge and the Golden Dome, I couldn’t help but look at the thousands of books that adorned his bookshelves, all along taking in the sweet aroma of the cigar Father Ted was smoking. 

Father Ted asked our group what we thought was most important about Notre Dame, and he took the time to take many questions from our group. His message to our group was personally meaningful, powerful, and poignant. Father Ted counseled us to expand our horizons globally, encouraging us to learn world languages and to connect with international students and engage with the world around us. He spoke at length about his times fishing in Mexico, his recruitment of prominent Latin American students, and his desire for all Notre Dame students to be proficient in a second language. Each of us took away different things from our interaction, but his words reaffirmed my desire to develop my language skills.   

As our hour-long meeting came to a close and we said our goodbyes, I lingered for a minute, hoping to share one more moment with Father Ted.

“Father Ted,” I began, “your cigar smells wonderful.”

“Does it? Do you like to smoke cigars, son?” 

“Occasionally,” I replied. “Sometimes, I smoke one with Father Ralph and the men of St. Edward’s Hall.”

“Reach behind me, then, into the wooden box,” he said. “Take a cigar for you, and take another for Father Ralph.”

“Then, smoke them for me.”


Fr. Ted, thanks for the cigar, and requiescat in pace!