January 27, 2026 // Diocese

Sacred Spaces Project Celebrates Beauty on ND Campus

Eileen Bond

“I would actually credit my time here in undergrad as the first major domino on my pathway to becoming Catholic,” Noah Bradon told Today’s Catholic, calling his time at the University of Notre Dame “formational.” Feeling compelled to convert to Catholicism after graduation, Bradon now serves the university as director of communications and executive producer at the McGrath Institute for Church Life.

Recently, Bradon has been hard at work on a new initiative that shares the beauty of the university’s campus. He describes the Sacred Spaces of Notre Dame Project as an “invitation and reminder to the Notre Dame community.” Bradon told Today’s Catholic that the goal of the project is “rekindling wonder, in a sense, for people who might benefit most from an encounter with the sacred.”

Wanting to showcase the university’s storied campus, Bradon hopes the project will remind others that Notre Dame has been set apart as a place for good – one that is “dedicated to a higher purpose than itself,” Bradon said. It should serve as a reminder of what is at the core of Notre Dame’s Catholic identity. It is a place where God is ever-present, and Bradon invites the community to come and reflect at some of the 13 “sacred spaces” the project highlights.

Since the project involves a campus pilgrimage designed to exhibit the many sacred spaces that make up the university’s campus, Bradon took the time to show Today’s Catholic a few of the places on which the project hopes to shine a light.

The walk began outside the Main Building, which serves as the administration building for the university. Better known for its golden dome, the building was rebuilt in 1879 after the original burned down. In 1882, the construction was capped off with a golden statue of Mary that stands 19-feet tall atop the dome, venerating the university’s namesake, as Notre Dame is French for “Our Lady.”

Directly outside the Main Building is the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue. Arms outstretched, Jesus is symbolizing His openness to all and His love for everyone. “It is a visual reminder of Notre Dame’s sacred identity,” Bradon explained. When looking at the campus aerially, the sidewalks form the shape of a heart with the statue as the point. This is meant to remind others of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Next, Bradon walked toward the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is almost an exact replica of the grotto in France where Mary visited St. Bernadette 18 times in 1858. It even contains a stone from the actual grotto in Lourdes. Dozens of candles flickered while people surrounded the grotto to pray.

“They’re sacred not just because someone decided they’re sacred but because they’re places of devotion,” Bradon explained. “That’s actually the cool thing about all these spaces: They are all living places of devotion.”

The historic Log Chapel was actually the first building on what became Notre Dame’s campus. The one standing there today was recreated after the original burned down. This single-room chapel is usually reserved for private events, Bradon explained. It’s the same place where his daughter was baptized, so it holds a special place in his heart. He hopes the Sacred Spaces Project will have the same lasting impression on the rest of the Notre Dame community – namely, by “encouraging people to engage with campus in a very different way,” hoping they will have their own encounters with the sacred and share their reflections.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart serves as the primary place of worship on the University’s campus, and according to Bradon, it is also where the football team celebrates holy Mass before every home game.

“There are daily Masses, there are daily confessions,” Bradon said as he opened the door to the basilica. “It’s such a powerful visual representation of what Notre Dame really means to be: a university dedicated to Our Lady.” The basilica contains beautiful depictions of scenes from the Bible on its walls and ceiling, and behind the ornate tabernacle lies a relic from the manger of Baby Jesus.

Bradon said he hopes the Sacred Spaces Project helps make the campus “a place that helps cultivate wonder.” A multi-phase project, Bradon plans to premiere a short film later this year, which highlights an alumnus who experienced what she says was a powerful intercession at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on Notre Dame’s campus. These are the sorts of experiences Bradon said he wants to bring to others through the sacred spaces of Notre Dame.