At an academic convocation on Monday (Jan. 29) at its Rome Global Gateway, the University of Notre Dame conferred honorary degrees on three distinguished leaders: Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums; Bishop Brian Farrell, L.C., secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; and Roberto Benigni, an internationally acclaimed actor, director and poet.

John T. McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost and Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, opened the convocation by welcoming the honorees and an audience that included distinguished officials of the Roman Curia and Vatican City State, members of the diplomatic corps and leaders from Italian universities. John J. Brennan, chair of the Board of Trustees, and University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., conferred the honorary degrees.